FMCSA Advances Truck Driver Schedule Crash Risk Study

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The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, FMCSA, is moving ahead with a new study focused on how truck driver schedules may affect crash risk. The research will look at how hours worked, time of day, and driver routines connect to safety on the road.

This study is part of a broader effort to better understand fatigue and improve safety across the trucking industry.

What the FMCSA Crash Risk Study Will Examine

The study, titled “Crash Risks by Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver Schedules,” will analyze how different work schedules impact crash rates and inspection violations.

FMCSA plans to collect data such as:

• Hours-of-service duty logs
• Crash and incident records
• Inspection violations
• Driver demographic information

This data will help the agency measure how factors like long shifts, time awake, and work timing may increase or reduce risk.

According to FMCSA, the goal is to better understand how driver schedules affect performance and fatigue, which are both key factors in highway safety.

How the Data Will Be Collected

All data for the study will be collected electronically. Motor carriers that choose to participate will send driver data through a telematics provider. That information will then be combined with federal crash and inspection records from the Motor Carrier Management Information System.

Around 60 carriers are expected to take part in the study, although FMCSA may include more if possible.

The agency says there is currently no single data set that fully connects driver schedules with crash risk, which is why this study is needed.

Why FMCSA Is Conducting This Crash Risk Study

This research ties back to long-standing questions about hours-of-service rules and fatigue.

FMCSA has stated that it needs better data to:

• Understand how different schedules affect safety
• Measure crash risk based on driving hours
• Evaluate how rest periods, including 34-hour restarts, impact drivers

The study also supports recommendations from the National Academies of Sciences to build a more complete database on trucking safety and driver behavior.

Without this data, FMCSA says it cannot fully understand how scheduling practices influence crash risk in real-world operations.

Industry Concerns Raised During Public Comment Period

FMCSA opened the study for public comment and received feedback from drivers, carriers, and industry groups.

Several key concerns were raised:

Fatigue Is Not Fully Measured by Logs

Some commenters argued that hours-of-service logs do not show whether a driver is actually tired. Logs track time, but they do not measure real fatigue levels.

FMCSA responded by saying that while logs do not directly measure fatigue, they do show:

• Time awake
• Time on duty
• Available sleep opportunity

These factors are closely tied to fatigue risk.

Hours-of-Service Rules May Not Reflect Real-World Driving

Many commenters pointed out that current hours-of-service rules can feel too rigid. They said rules like the 14-hour clock and 34-hour restart do not always match how trucking works in practice.

FMCSA stated that this study will help analyze how those rules are actually used and how they affect safety outcomes.

Truck Parking Shortages Remain a Concern

Some drivers noted that limited parking forces tough choices, such as:

• Parking in unsafe or illegal areas
• Driving longer than planned
• Stopping short of needed rest

FMCSA said parking is not the main focus of this study, but the data collected may help future research on how parking issues connect to fatigue and safety.

Driver Control and Scheduling Pressure

Other comments focused on reduced driver control over schedules. Drivers said they often face pressure from shippers, carriers, or deadlines that can affect rest and safety.

FMCSA acknowledged these concerns but said they fall outside the direct scope of this study.

Crash Risk Study Design and Data Limitations

Some feedback questioned whether the study design could fully capture the relationship between schedules and crashes.

FMCSA explained that the study will control for factors like time of day. This helps separate schedule-related risks from other influences, such as higher crash rates during certain hours.

The agency also noted that larger carriers may be more likely to participate, which could affect the data. However, researchers plan to account for these differences during analysis.

What Happens Next

FMCSA is now moving forward with the data collection process. Public comments on the study are open through May 20, 2026.

Once complete, the data will be turned into a public, de-identified dataset. This means personal information will be removed, but the data will still be available for future research.

You can view or submit comments directly through the official Federal Register system on the FMCSA website:
https://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/PRAMain

Why This Matters for Truck Drivers

This study could play a role in shaping future rules around hours of service and driver scheduling.

In simple terms, FMCSA is trying to answer one key question:

Do certain work schedules make crashes more likely?

The results may influence how regulators, carriers, and drivers think about fatigue, rest time, and safety moving forward.

For now, the study is still in the early stages, but it is one to watch as the industry continues to push for safer and more flexible operating conditions.

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