How Proposed HOS Changes Could Reshape Trucking Schedules and Delivery Planning

Greater flexibility for drivers could improve scheduling, reduce the impact of loading delays, and help carriers deliver freight more efficiently—but safety must remain the priority.

Hours-of-service (HOS) regulations play a critical role in the trucking industry.  Designed to help prevent driver fatigue and improve highway safety, these federal rules determine how long commercial truck drivers can operate their vehicles, when they must take breaks, and how much rest they need between driving shifts.

However, anyone involved in freight transportation knows that a driver's schedule rarely goes exactly as planned.  Traffic congestion, unexpected road closures, weather disruptions, and lengthy waits at shipping and receiving facilities can all interfere with a carefully planned route.  Under current regulations, even time spent waiting for freight to be loaded or unloaded can reduce the amount of time a driver has available to complete a trip.

Now, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is exploring whether greater flexibility in hours-of-service requirements could help address these challenges.

In notices published in the Federal Register on October 6 and 7, 2026, the agency outlined two proposed pilot studies examining alternative approaches to the 14-hour driving window and sleeper-berth requirements.  The studies are designed to determine whether more flexible scheduling can improve drivers' working conditions and quality of life without compromising safety.

For trucking companies, drivers, and shippers, the results could have important implications for freight planning, delivery schedules, driver retention, and transportation efficiency.

Understanding the Two Proposed FMCSA Pilot Programs

The FMCSA is evaluating two potential changes through separate pilot programs.  Both would operate under limited exemptions for eligible participants rather than immediately changing the rules for the entire industry.

1. Pausing the 14-Hour Driving Window

Under current federal HOS regulations, property- commercial motor vehicle drivers generally must complete their driving within a 14- carrying consecutive-hour window after coming on duty following 10 consecutive hours off duty.  Drivers are generally limited to 11 hours of driving within that window, subject to other applicable restrictions.  Once the 14-hour window begins, it normally continues running, even when the driver is not moving.

Consider a driver who arrives at a distribution center for a scheduled pickup.  Instead of being loaded promptly, the driver waits three hours because freight is not ready, a loading dock is unavailable, or warehouse operations are backed up.

Although the truck is stationary, the driver's 14-hour window continues to run.  That delay can leave the driver with less time to reach the destination, potentially requiring an adjusted delivery appointment or an additional rest period.

The proposed Split Duty Period Pilot Program would test whether participating drivers could pause the 14-hour window for up to three consecutive hours.  The qualifying pause could consist of off-duty time or sleeper-berth time.  It could also include on-duty time when the driver is not driving, provided that the time is spent at the location of a cargo pickup or delivery.

This last provision is particularly important because it directly addresses detention at shipping and receiving facilities.

How this could benefit trucking companies:

• Better use of available driving time: Qualifying delays could potentially be excluded from the 14-hour window, giving participating drivers more flexibility to complete a route.
• Fewer schedule disruptions: A driver delayed during loading or unloading might have a better chance of completing the planned trip without an unnecessary schedule change.
• Improved dispatch planning: Dispatchers could have another tool for managing certain delays while coordinating drivers, equipment, and delivery appointments.
• Potential reductions in avoidable costs: Depending on the circumstances, greater flexibility could help limit some costs associated with missed appointments, rescheduling, and additional trips or repositioning.

These benefits are not guaranteed.  The pilot is intended to determine whether the approach works in practice, and drivers would still have to comply with applicable driving limits, rest requirements, and other safety regulations.

2. Testing More Flexible Sleeper-Berth Splits

The second initiative examines another long-standing concern among truck drivers: the ability to arrange rest periods around their individual sleep patterns and operating schedules.

Under current rules, qualifying drivers may split their required 10 hours off duty into two periods.  One period must include at least seven consecutive hours in the sleeper berth, while the other must include at least two consecutive hours in the sleeper berth, off duty, or a combination of the two.  Together, the periods must total at least 10 hours.  This framework allows qualifying combinations such as 7/3 and 8/2.

The proposed Flexible Sleeper Berth Pilot Program would test allowing the longer sleeper-berth period to be reduced to a minimum of five consecutive hours.  This would allow participating drivers to test 5/5 and 6/4 splits, as well as qualifying combinations in between.

The concept recognizes that drivers do not all experience fatigue or sleepiness according to the same schedule.  Some may find it easier to obtain restorative sleep in separate periods, while others may prefer a longer, uninterrupted rest period.

The FMCSA has cited prior research suggesting that splitting sleep does not necessarily increase fatigue or impair performance compared with obtaining the same total amount of sleep in one continuous period.  The pilot will gather additional information to evaluate the approach.

Potential benefits for drivers and carriers include:

• More personalized rest schedules: Drivers could have additional flexibility to plan rest around their sleep needs.
• Greater adaptability to traffic conditions: Drivers might be better able to adjust their schedules to avoid congested driving periods.
• Improved work-life balance: More flexibility could make some routes and schedules easier to manage.
• Potential support for driver retention: Giving drivers more control over when they rest could make the profession more attractive to some drivers, although any retention benefit remains to be demonstrated.

Flexibility, however, is not the same as reducing the amount of rest a driver needs.  The purpose of the study is to evaluate whether different schedules can provide equivalent or better safety outcomes—not to encourage drivers to operate while fatigued.

Why Detention Time Is Such a Significant Issue

One of the most consequential aspects of the proposed 14-hour pause is its potential application to loading and unloading delays.

Detention occurs when a truck driver must wait longer than expected at a shipper's or receiver's facility.  Delays may result from freight that is not ready, congested docks, staffing shortages, paperwork problems, or inefficient warehouse procedures.

For carriers, detention can create a chain reaction.  A delayed pickup can affect the next delivery appointment.  That delivery delay can interfere with a subsequent pickup, disrupt equipment positioning, and reduce the number of loads a truck can complete over a given period.

Drivers may also lose opportunities to reach a preferred rest location or finish their workday at the planned time.  The proposed pilot could help participating drivers manage certain delays by allowing qualifying time to be excluded from their 14-hour window.  But it would not eliminate detention itself, nor would it automatically compensate carriers or drivers for time spent waiting.  Shippers and receivers would therefore still have a strong incentive to improve facility efficiency.

What shippers should take away

Even if the pilot demonstrates meaningful benefits, shippers should not view greater HOS flexibility as a substitute for effective dock scheduling.  Businesses that consistently cause long delays may continue to experience missed appointments, inconsistent transit times, and higher transportation costs.  Better coordination between warehouses and carriers can improve performance regardless of the final outcome of the pilot programs.

Shippers can take several practical steps now:

• Confirm that freight is ready before the scheduled pickup appointment.
• Provide accurate shipment details, including pallet counts, weights, and loading requirements.
• Reduce paperwork delays by preparing bills of lading and other required documents in advance.
• Coordinate appointment times with carrier dispatchers and communicate changes promptly.
• Monitor detention patterns to identify recurring problems at specific facilities.
• Improve communication when a shipment is running behind schedule.

These improvements help carriers plan more reliably and allow shippers to make better use of their transportation budgets.

Could More Flexible HOS Rules Increase Trucking Capacity?

The trucking industry operates within a complex balance of driver availability, equipment utilization, freight demand, and regulatory limits.  When a truck experiences an extended delay, the lost time can affect more than one shipment.  The truck may arrive late for its next pickup, remain out of position for a planned load, or require a schedule adjustment that affects other customers.

If the 14-hour pause pilot proves successful, qualifying drivers could potentially recover some scheduling flexibility that would otherwise be lost to certain pickup and delivery delays.  For example, a driver who spends several hours waiting at a facility might have more flexibility to complete the planned route after the delay, provided all applicable HOS limits and safety requirements are satisfied.

At the carrier level, even modest improvements in scheduling could help make better use of existing equipment and driver availability.  Potential advantages include:

Improved equipment utilization. Trucks may be better positioned to complete planned routes and reach subsequent assignments on time.

More dependable service planning. Dispatchers could have additional options for managing delays without immediately restructuring every affected movement.

Potentially lower operating costs. Better scheduling may reduce some avoidable repositioning, rescheduling, and other delay-related expenses.

Greater flexibility during disruptions. Traffic congestion and facility delays could be easier to manage when the circumstances qualify for the pilot's provisions.

However, the studies will not automatically increase the number of available drivers or eliminate capacity constraints.  Any measurable improvement would depend on the circumstances, how the exemptions are used, and the safety results observed.

The distinction is important: the pilot programs are testing whether flexibility can improve efficiency while maintaining safety, not assuming that longer operating windows necessarily produce better results.

Driver Fatigue Remains the Central Safety Question

Any discussion of HOS flexibility must begin with the reason these regulations exist.

Fatigue can reduce alertness, slow reaction times, impair judgment, and increase the risk of a crash.  Commercial drivers operate large vehicles that require considerable distance to stop and can cause severe harm in a collision.

A driver who experiences a lengthy delay may feel pressure to make up lost time.  That pressure can be particularly concerning when delivery appointments, customer expectations, and dispatch schedules are involved.

A well-designed HOS policy must therefore consider not only the amount of time a driver is legally permitted to operate but also whether the driver is adequately rested and able to drive safely.

The sleeper-berth pilot will be particularly important in evaluating how alternative rest schedules affect actual sleep and alertness.

A split schedule that looks efficient on paper may not work equally well for every driver.  Sleep quality, individual health, circadian rhythms, work demands, and the availability of a safe place to rest can all influence the outcome.

Similarly, a pause in the 14-hour window should never be treated as permission to extend a shift indefinitely or pressure a driver to continue when tired.

Safety must remain the deciding factor. If the data show that a particular approach compromises alertness or driving performance, those findings must be considered when determining whether the approach should be expanded.

How the FMCSA Plans to Evaluate the Programs

The proposed studies are designed to collect real-world data rather than rely solely on assumptions about how the exemptions might work.

The FMCSA expects approximately 256 commercial drivers to participate in each 16-week study.  Researchers would compare participants' experiences under current HOS requirements with their experiences while using the applicable exemption.

The agency plans to collect several types of information, including:

• Driver surveys: Information about schedules, working conditions, and driver experiences.
• Psychomotor vigilance tests: Assessments that can help measure alertness and reaction time.
• Sleepiness ratings: Information about how rested or fatigued drivers feel.
• Wrist-worn actigraphy devices: Tools that help researchers estimate sleep patterns and periods of activity and rest.
• Records of duty status: Documentation of driving, on-duty, and off-duty periods.
• Telematics data: Information from non-intrusive devices to help researchers evaluate driving activity and performance.

The combination of these measurements should provide a more complete picture of how alternative scheduling arrangements affect driver behavior, rest, and operational performance.

Participation would be voluntary, and drivers and carriers would have to satisfy eligibility requirements.  Participating carriers could not have an unsatisfactory safety rating, driver or vehicle out-of-service rates above the national average, or FMCSA enforcement actions within the preceding three years.  Drivers would also have to meet licensing, medical certification, and other eligibility criteria.

For the sleeper-berth study, participants would need to regularly use a sleeper berth and operate the same sleeper-equipped commercial vehicle used for their primary employment during the study.

The FMCSA's October notices request public comments on the information collection plans through December 7, 2026.  These notices describe proposed pilot studies; they do not make the exemptions available to all commercial drivers.

What Trucking Companies Should Do Now

While the studies move forward, carriers should continue operating under the HOS rules that currently apply to them.  Drivers should not assume they can pause their 14-hour windows or use the proposed sleeper-berth combinations unless they are formally authorized to participate in the applicable pilot.

Nevertheless, the proposals provide an opportunity for trucking companies to review their existing practices and prepare for potential changes.

1. Review detention and delivery data

Identify the facilities, routes, and customers most frequently associated with extended delays.  Understanding where time is lost can help carriers improve planning and identify opportunities to work with customers on more efficient loading and unloading procedures.

2. Strengthen dispatch communication

Dispatchers should communicate promptly when appointments change, freight is delayed, or a route needs to be adjusted.  Better communication can help prevent unnecessary pressure on drivers and reduce avoidable disruptions.

3. Reinforce fatigue-management practices

Carriers should continue emphasizing adequate rest, realistic scheduling, and a safety-first approach to dispatch decisions.  HOS compliance alone should not be treated as proof that a driver is sufficiently alert to operate safely.

4. Monitor regulatory developments

Safety and compliance teams should follow the FMCSA's announcements, public comments, pilot participation requirements, and any subsequent findings.  If the agency eventually adopts broader changes, carriers will need to understand exactly what is permitted and what documentation is required.

5. Work with shippers to improve facility efficiency

Carriers and shippers share responsibility for creating reliable freight schedules.  Appointment accuracy, freight readiness, dock availability, and prompt communication can all help reduce delays and improve service.

What This Could Mean for Road Scholar Transport Customers

At Road Scholar Transport, dependable freight service requires more than putting a truck on the road.  Successful transportation depends on coordinating drivers, equipment, pickup appointments, delivery windows, and changing conditions throughout the supply chain.

Potential HOS flexibility could eventually provide carriers with another tool for managing certain delays.  But until the pilot programs produce results and the FMCSA determines whether additional action is appropriate, reliable transportation planning remains essential.

For shippers, this is a good time to evaluate the factors that influence transportation performance.  Facilities that prepare shipments on time, maintain clear communication, and coordinate closely with their carriers help reduce avoidable delays and support more predictable deliveries.

For carriers, the challenge is to balance operational efficiency with the safety and well-being of the drivers who keep freight moving.

The most effective approach is not simply to maximize the time a truck can operate.  It is to make the best possible use of available time while ensuring drivers have the rest, support, and conditions necessary to operate safely.

Looking Ahead: Flexibility Must Be Backed by Evidence

The FMCSA's proposed hours-of-service pilot programs could open the door to meaningful changes in how certain trucking schedules are managed.

A limited ability to pause the 14-hour window could help participating drivers deal with qualifying loading and unloading delays.  More flexible sleeper-berth arrangements could provide additional options for managing rest around individual sleep patterns and changing traffic conditions.

For trucking companies, the potential benefits include better schedule management, improved equipment utilization, and fewer disruptions in some circumstances.  For shippers, the studies highlight the continuing importance of efficient facilities and realistic transportation planning.

But the ultimate measure of success will be whether these approaches improve working conditions and operational efficiency without compromising highway safety.  Until the studies are completed and any broader regulatory decisions are announced, carriers and drivers must continue following the applicable HOS requirements.

As the industry awaits the results, one principle remains unchanged: Better scheduling can improve transportation performance, but safe, well-rested drivers are essential to keeping America's supply chain moving.