FMCSA seeks comment on a study of pausing the 14-hour driving window

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) published a notice in the Federal Register on October 6, 2026 asking for public comment, due December 7, 2026, on a planned study of pausing the 14-hour driving window. It applies to the United States. It changes no hours-of-service rule and does not say a pilot is under way.

The notice describes about 256 commercial drivers taking part for 16 weeks. The study would test extending the driving window with up to 3 hours of off-duty, sleeper berth or on-duty not-driving time, as long as it is taken where cargo is delivered or picked up. FMCSA says it wants to learn whether this improves drivers’ working conditions and quality of life while keeping safety equal to or better than under current rules.

The notice traces the idea back. FMCSA says it proposed a single pause in a 2019 rulemaking, and that the June 2020 final rule left it out after commenters worried that carriers, shippers or receivers could pressure drivers to use it. FMCSA then proposed a pilot in a September 2020 notice and says it ultimately did not initiate that pilot because of changes in programmatic priorities.

The same drivers would be measured under both sets of rules. FMCSA expects about 16.68 hours of burden per respondent.