May 24, 2013
The government says truckers can stay behind the wheel one hour longer -- but their total workday must be an hour shorter. The federal motor carrier safety administration announced new rules Friday allowing long-haul truck drivers to drive 11 hours a day, instead of ten. Their maximum workday, however, can only be 14 hours instead of 15, with at least 10 hours off between shifts. The ten hours off between shifts is two hours more than before, allowing drivers to sleep a full eight hours between shifts. The rules were changed to allow 11 hours of driving two years ago, but a federal court threw out those changes. The new rules revise those barred by the court. Short-haul drivers -- those driving only 150 miles from their starting point in a day -- will be allowed to work two 16-hour days in a week under the new rules. Current rules limit the drivers' days to 14 hours. The new rules take effect October first. For complete rules, see the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website, at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov.
