ATA Pushes for Flexibility in HOS Sleeper-Berth Provisions

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Truck drivers need greater flexibility within federal driver work and rest rules to allow them to select sleep times and duration based on individual need, according to a study released jointly by American Trucking Associations and a sleep research firm.ATA and Circadian International evaluated whether features of the current federal hours-of-service rules meet their intended purpose of improving sleep, driver alertness and safety.One such provision is the sleeper-berth rule, which requires drivers to split sleeper-berth rest segments into two periods, one of which must be eight hours.Studying compliant and non-compliant driving scenarios, a group of sleep experts and professional drivers found that allowing drivers to select sleep times and lengths to suit their individual needs maximized sleep opportunities, ensuring better alertness and safety, ATA said.“Motor carriers for decades have safely utilized the flexible sleeper-berth provisions to assure their drivers obtain needed rest,” said ATA President Bill Graves.“Flexibility in the splitting of sleep periods mitigates fatigue and affords inherent protections that are critical for the safety of our drivers and the motoring public,” he said.