The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has enacted new regulations in 2024 that are designed to provide more safety, and better compliance and the needs of the modern fleet. Key updates include changes to Hours of Service (HOS) requirements, Electronic Logging Device (ELD) regulations, and driver safety requirements that are meant to provide drivers with more mobility and less fatigue.
The major update is to HOS which now gives drivers more options for breaks and driving hours. This is a way to mitigate fatigue events and take into consideration real-world scheduling constraints. In terms of ELD compliance, the FMCSA has established clear device certification requirements for every ELD on the market to ensure they meet high-performance requirements, and that is very important for fleet operators when it comes time to retrofit or upgrade their ELDs.
They also updated safety standards to introduce stricter monitoring and reporting, particularly in high-risk areas and on long-haul routes. It involves stronger reporting requirements for some safety violations and stronger penalties for infractions, which encourage fleets to follow safety rules.
