Private Carriers Use New Methods to Deal with HOS Rules

rivate carriers that specialize in store delivery are using new routing and packaging techniques to compensate for the loss of driver productivity resulting from driver hours-of-service rules, which cut back on the amount of time commercial truck drivers can spend on duty.

Private fleet executives said the federal HOS rules that took effect last year, but are still under challenge, unfairly penalize drivers who spend much of their time doing non-driving tasks such as restocking store shelves or taking customer orders — standard fare for private fleet drivers.

They also said it forces drivers to skip needed breaks, increasing the potential for fatigue on the road.