The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has announced it is expanding two pilot programs designed to provide greater flexibility in driver hours of service. The agency completed pre-tests on a smaller scale that allowed FMCSA to evaluate program procedures, data collection methods, and driver participation requirements before opening the pilot programs to more drivers in 2027.

The Flexible Sleeper Berth Pilot Program will evaluate alternative split sleeper options to allow drivers greater flexibility in matching their off-duty time to real-world conditions, work schedules, and their needs for rest. Under the pilot, participating drivers will be permitted to split that time into two periods in any combination, provided the two periods total at least 10 hours and one period includes at least five consecutive hours in the sleeper berth.

The pre-test ran from April 1 through June 11, 2026, and included nine drivers from three motor carriers in Ohio, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

The Split Duty Period Pilot Program will evaluate whether drivers can safely pause their 14-hour driving window for up to three hours each day when they spend qualifying time in a non-driving status.

Qualifying time may include off-duty time, sleeper berth time, or on-duty time spent at a pickup or delivery location. This added flexibility could allow drivers to better manage real-world conditions on the road, including waiting out traffic or severe weather, accounting for time lost to detention, or taking a break without unnecessarily reducing their available driving window. Throughout the pilot, FMCSA plans to monitor shippers to ensure the increased flexibility does not lead to increased detention and exploitation of drivers.

The pre-test ran from May 18 through July 17, 2026, and included nine drivers from three motor carriers in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Ohio.

Each pilot program is expected to include 256 drivers, for a total of 512 participants. Drivers will participate for four months and will receive up to $1,600 for completing all study tasks. Professional drivers and motor carriers interested in future participation in the pilot programs or learning more about them can send their contact information to pilots@dot.gov to receive updates.