Understanding the New HOS Rule | West Coast Enterprises

Every property- and passenger-carrying driver in the United States must follow the Hours of Service (HOS) regulations from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. So, any change to those rules can lead to a ripple effect of changes throughout the industry.

The HOS changes that went into effect at the end of September were fairly minor and meant to expand flexibility in the 14-hour clock, and it appears they aren’t immediately gaining traction. Still, it’s important to understand them and know how they might change or be able to improve how you do your work as a driver if you have a sleeper rig.

What Is the ⁷⁄₃ Split?

If you’re a long-hauler, you already know about the 14-hour rule that limits on-duty time to 14-hour stretches.

There are options for meeting that requirement, including the ⁸⁄₂ split, that allow drivers to take breaks of at least eight consecutive hours spent in the sleeper berth and at least two consecutive hours in or out of the berth.

The shorter break is still considered on-duty time, which means the total actual driving or working time in the 14-hour window could only be 11 hours.

The most significant difference with the ⁷⁄₃ option is the shorter break pauses the 14-hour clock. Drivers must still spend at least seven consecutive hours in the berth and at least two consecutive hours resting in or out of the berth, with a total of 10 hours off-duty.

Additionally, any break that lasts at least 10 consecutive hours on its own resets the 14-hour clock.

What Does It Mean for Me?

It can mean greater flexibility in how you meet the 14-hour requirement. It can also allow you to extend your day, since the shorter break isn’t counted as on-duty time.

That means you can put in seven hours, take your short break, then drive another seven hours before you must reset your clock with a longer rest in the berth.

As an example, let’s say your on-duty clock starts at 5 a.m. With the ⁷⁄₃ split, you can spend seven hours on the clock, preparing or driving, before you must take a break of three hours at noon in or out of the berth. At 3 p.m., you come back on the clock and can drive another seven hours before taking your longer break of at least seven consecutive hours at 10 p.m.

As with any other rule impacting drivers, it also means new information to log. In the end, though, you shouldn’t really be logging anything more than you did with the old system, so it’s a wash.

West Coast Enterprises Truck and Trailer Sales is your destination for sales, leasing and financing of new and used car haulers and rigs.