New details are emerging on efforts to make farm transportation systems more efficient, including federal efforts to relax rules around commercial trucking.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration wants to make it easier for transporting ag goods, like cattle. They’re rolling out two pilot programs. One program will allow drivers to extend their 14-hour drive window by up to three hours, but those extra hours need to be for sleeping or riding as a passenger. A second pilot program would split the mandatory ten hours of rest, allowing drivers to use select combinations without reducing the total rest time.
Owner-operator groups are praising the proposals, saying it will improve efficiency while maintaining safety standards.