President Signs Omnibus Spending Bill

Continues Suspension of Hours-of-Service Rules

On Friday, December 18, 2015 the U.S. Senate passed the $1.1 trillion Omnibus Spending Bill that continues the suspension of certain 2013-implemented hours-of-service rules, sending it to the White House for President Obama’s signature. The vote passed in the Senate 65-33. Over the weekend, President Barack Obama signed the legislation into law.

The stay of enforcement applies to two HOS regulations that took effect July 1, 2013:

1. The requirement that a 34-hour restart include two 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. periods
2. The once-per-week limit applied to the restart’s use

Before those rules can be enforced again, FMCSA will be required, under the new law, to show that drivers operating under the 2013 regulations “[demonstrate] statistically significant improvement in all outcomes related to safety, operator fatigue, driver health and longevity and work schedules” when compared to drivers who abide by pre-July 1, 2013, regulations.

Contact us with any questions you have about what this means for you and for your business.  We’re here to help!