The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is preparing to expand two hours-of-service pilot programs after completing pre-tests earlier this year. Each full pilot calls for 256 drivers who will participate for four months and receive $1,600 for completing all study tasks.
Nine drivers from three motor carriers took part in each of the six-week pre-tests for the Flexible Sleeper Berth and Split Duty Period programs. FMCSA first announced the pilots in September 2025 as part of the U.S. Department of Transportation package of initiatives aimed at truck drivers.
The Flexible Sleeper Berth pilot lets participating drivers divide the required 10-hour off-duty period into segments, such as a six-hour and four-hour split, as long as one segment runs at least five consecutive hours. Drivers in Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin ran that pre-test from April 1 to June 11 and were paid $600 each.
The Split Duty Period pilot tests whether drivers can safely pause the 14-hour driving window for up to three hours each day. The pause applies when drivers spend qualifying time in a non-driving status, including off-duty time, sleeper berth time or on-duty time spent at a pickup or delivery location. The agency says the option could help drivers wait out conditions they cannot control, such as severe weather. Drivers from Minnesota, Wisconsin and Ohio completed that pre-test from May 18 to July 17, also for $600.
FMCSA said it will monitor shippers to make sure the added scheduling flexibility does not lead to longer detention times or other exploitation of drivers. Motor carriers and drivers interested in joining the full pilots can submit contact information to the agency.
Source: Trucking Dive - https://www.truckingdive.com/news/fmcsa-preps-for-flexible-driving-hour-pilot-expansion/829782/