The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration are moving forward with two pilot programs to test whether giving truckers more flexibility over their work schedules would improve highway safety and overall working conditions.
FMCSA said it has completed initial pre-tests for the Hours of Service Pilot Programs ahead of a planned rollout to hundreds of drivers next year. The pre-tests, conducted between April and July, allowed safety officials to test data collection and participation requirements across small groups of commercial drivers in Minnesota, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin. Participating drivers each received $600 for the six-week evaluations.
Under the Flexible Sleeper Berth Pilot Program, the agency is evaluating alternative split-rest options that would allow participating drivers to divide the required 10 hours of off-duty time into any two periods, provided the total equals at least 10 hours and one period includes at least five consecutive hours in a sleeper berth.
The Split Duty Period Pilot Program tests whether drivers can safely pause their 14-hour driving window for up to three hours each day during qualifying non-driving periods. That qualifying time includes off-duty periods, sleeper berth rest, or on-duty time spent at pickup and delivery locations, helping operators manage traffic delays, severe weather, and facility detention. Regulators noted they will monitor shippers throughout the pilot to ensure the added flexibility does not lead to driver exploitation.
FMCSA said it is reviewing the pre-test data to refine program procedures before launching the full study next year. The expanded rollout will recruit 256 drivers for each program, totaling 512 participants. Selected drivers will take part in the study for four months and can earn up to $1,600 for completing all study tasks. Motor carriers and commercial drivers interested in participating in the 2027 pilot programs can submit contact information to [email protected].
Launched in September 2025 under President Donald Trump’s executive order on trucking regulations, the pilots are part of Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy’s broader Pro-Trucker Package initiative.
