Minneapolis, Minnesota — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced that two Hours of Service pilot programs will launch in 2027 after completing a six‑week pre‑test that ran from April to July 2026.

The trials examined whether granting drivers more leeway in scheduling rest could improve safety on the nation’s highways while easing the grind for long‑haul operators. FMCSA used small groups of drivers in Minnesota, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin to fine‑tune data collection, participation rules and study protocols before scaling the effort.Participants in the pre‑test received $600 for a six‑week stint. One pilot, the Flexible Sleeper Berth program, lets drivers break the mandatory 10 consecutive off‑duty hours into two periods, as long as the total adds up to at least 10 hours and one segment includes a minimum of five straight hours in the sleeper berth. The second pilot, called the Split Duty Period program, permits drivers to stop the 14‑hour driving clock for up to three hours each day during qualifying non‑driving time such as off‑duty, sleeper berth or waiting at shipper facilities.

What This Means for Drivers

CDL‑A holders and owner‑operators could rearrange rest breaks to match load‑to‑load schedules, potentially cutting deadhead miles caused by traffic snarls or weather delays. Fleet managers will gain a tool to reduce detention costs by allowing drivers to pause the on‑duty clock while waiting at a dock, without violating current regulations. The pilots also promise higher earnings; drivers who meet all study requirements may collect up to $1,600, double the pre‑test payout.

Because the Flexible Sleeper Berth option still enforces a five‑hour uninterrupted sleeper stint, drivers retain a solid rest block while gaining the ability to split the remaining five hours around a loading window. The Split Duty Period allowance treats up to three hours of waiting as a break in the 14‑hour window, giving drivers room to navigate congested corridors or severe weather without eroding their daily driving limit.

Industry Reaction

Carrier groups have long pushed for reforms that reflect real‑world operations, and many see the pilots as a step toward modernizing outdated rules. Driver advocates welcome the chance to test flexibility that could lessen fatigue‑related stress, though they caution regulators to guard against any loophole that might be used to squeeze drivers harder. FMCSA says it will monitor shipper practices throughout the study to prevent exploitation and ensure safety remains paramount.

Key Points

• Pre‑test phase ran April‑July 2026 in four states, paying participants $600.
• Flexible Sleeper Berth pilot splits the 10‑hour off‑duty requirement into two periods, one of at least five hours in the berth.
• Split Duty Period pilot allows a three‑hour pause in the 14‑hour driving window for qualifying non‑driving time.
• Full pilots start 2027 with 256 drivers per program, total 512, lasting four months, with potential earnings of $1,600.

Looking for a better trucking job? US Trucker's free job‑matching service connects CDL‑A drivers, OTR drivers, regional drivers, and owner‑operators with 500+ top US carriers. Leave your details in the form on this page and a recruiter will call you within one business day. Trucking companies are hiring now.

Photo by Tom Shamberger on Pexels