Could Truck Drivers Soon Pause the 14-Hour Clock?

Hours of Service rules are a major part of every professional driver's day. They determine how long a driver can operate, when rest is required, and how much flexibility drivers have when unexpected delays happen.

Now, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is testing whether drivers should have more control over that clock.

On August 27, 2026, FMCSA announced continued progress on two Hours of Service pilot programs expected to expand in 2027. One of those programs, known as the Split Duty Period Pilot Program, will examine whether drivers can safely pause their 14-hour driving window for up to three hours during qualifying non-driving periods.

The goal is simple: determine whether giving drivers more flexibility can better reflect real-world trucking conditions without reducing safety.

How the 14-Hour Window Works Today

Under current Hours of Service regulations, a property-carrying driver generally has a 14-hour window after coming on duty in which they may complete up to 11 hours of driving.

The problem is that the 14-hour clock generally continues running even when the truck isn't moving.

That means delays such as detention at a shipper or receiver, heavy traffic, severe weather, or an extended break can eat into a driver's available window.

For example, if a driver begins their day at 6:00 a.m., their 14-hour window would normally end at 8:00 p.m.

If that same driver spends two hours waiting to be loaded during the afternoon, those two hours still count against the overall window.

The driver may still have driving time available under the 11-hour limit, but the expiration of the 14-hour window could prevent them from using it.

What FMCSA Wants to Test

The Split Duty Period Pilot Program would allow participating drivers to pause the 14-hour window for up to three hours per day while in a qualifying non-driving status.

According to FMCSA, qualifying time may include:

• Off-duty time
• Sleeper berth time
• On-duty time spent at a pickup or delivery location

This could give drivers more flexibility when dealing with situations that are often outside of their control.

FMCSA specifically mentioned traffic, severe weather, detention and additional rest as examples of situations where the added flexibility could be useful.

What Could That Look Like for a Driver?

Consider a driver who starts their day at 6:00 a.m.

Under the existing rules, their 14-hour driving window would normally close at 8:00 p.m.

Now imagine they arrive at a customer at noon and spend two hours waiting for their trailer to be loaded.

Under the pilot program, if those two hours qualify for the pause, the driver's 14-hour window could effectively be extended by those two hours.

Importantly, this would not give the driver additional driving hours.

The driver would still be subject to the applicable driving limits. The change would simply prevent certain non-driving periods from unnecessarily using up the driver's available work window.

Detention Could Be One of the Biggest Factors

Detention is one of the clearest examples of why FMCSA is studying this idea.

Drivers can arrive at a customer on time and still spend hours waiting to load or unload. When that happens, their Hours of Service clock continues moving even though the delay may be completely outside of their control.

Allowing some of that time to pause the 14-hour window could give drivers more control over how they manage the remainder of their day.

However, FMCSA is also looking at the potential downside.

The agency says it plans to monitor shippers during the pilot to make sure the added flexibility does not result in increased detention or the exploitation of drivers.

Could It Also Help With Traffic and Weather?

The potential benefits go beyond detention.

A driver approaching a major city during rush hour may prefer to stop and allow traffic to clear rather than spend hours sitting in congestion.

Similarly, a driver encountering severe weather may decide that stopping for an hour or two is the safest option.

Today, those decisions can consume valuable time from the driver's 14-hour window.

FMCSA wants to determine whether allowing drivers to pause the clock in situations like these could encourage better scheduling decisions while maintaining or improving safety.

The Program Has Already Been Tested on a Small Scale

FMCSA completed a preliminary test of the Split Duty Period Pilot Program between May 18 and July 17, 2026.

Nine drivers from three motor carriers participated in the six-week pre-test.

The purpose was not to determine whether the rule should immediately change. Instead, FMCSA used the test to evaluate its research procedures, data collection and participation requirements before expanding the program.

What Happens Next?

FMCSA is currently reviewing the results of the initial testing and plans to expand the pilot program in 2027.

The Split Duty Period Pilot Program is expected to include approximately 256 participating drivers. Drivers will participate for four months while FMCSA collects data on how the additional flexibility affects operations and safety.

A separate Flexible Sleeper Berth Pilot Program is also planned, bringing total expected participation across both studies to 512 drivers.

For now, the existing Hours of Service regulations remain in effect.

There is no nationwide rule allowing drivers to pause their 14-hour clock for three hours.

But if the upcoming pilot shows that drivers can safely use the additional flexibility, the findings could eventually influence future Hours of Service regulations.

For professional drivers, that could mean a workday that better accounts for the realities of detention, traffic, weather and life on the road.

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