Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is asking for feedback on a proposed study of how truck drivers’ work schedules affect their fatigue levels and performance.
In a Nov. 17 request for comment, FMCSA writes that a commitment to fulfilling its 2011 hours-of-service final rule calls for “additional data to answer important questions related to driver schedules and how these factors impact overall driver performance and fatigue.”
The agency plans to collect information from HOS duty logs, accident and incident data, and inspection violations records. It says the data is “necessary for study completion.”
FMCSA adds: “Currently, there is no comprehensive, existing data set that can be used for this project. Not collecting this data would result in an incomplete understanding of HOS-related factors that impact crash risk and the effect of alternative schedules as they relate to various aspects of HOS provisions on crash risk in commercial motor vehicle operations.”
The agency requests input on:
- Whether the proposed collection is necessary for the performance of FMCSA’s functions
- The accuracy of the estimated burden
- Ways for FMCSA to enhance the quality, usefulness and clarity of the collected information
- Ways that the burden could be minimized without reducing the quality of the collected information
Comments are due Jan. 16.
In September, FMCSA solicited comment on two pilot programs aimed at increasing flexibility for truckers who must comply with federal rest requirements. The programs would amend HOS requirements by:
- Splitting drivers’ 10-hour off-duty, sleeper berth period into combinations, including six/four and five/five.
- Pausing the 14-hour on-duty period for no less than 30 minutes and no more than three hours.
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Original article published by Safety+Health an NSC publication