FMCSA Tests More Flexible Hours: Split Duty and Sleeper Berth Pilots
As part of the DOT's "Pro-Trucker Package," FMCSA is launching two hours-of-service flexibility pilots: the Flexible Sleeper Berth (FSB) and Split Duty Period (SDP) programs, with limited tests running through spring and summer 2026.
The FSB pilot expands sleeper-berth split options beyond today's 8/2 and 7/3 to include 6/4 and 5/5 splits — more ways for a driver to break up required rest. The SDP pilot lets a driver pause the 14-hour driving window once, for no less than 30 minutes and no more than three hours.
Important: these are tests, not rule changes. Nothing about your current HOS compliance changes today. But they signal where FMCSA is heading, and participating drivers are compensated for their time.
What this means for your operation
Rule changes like these are easy to misread — and getting HOS wrong is a fast track to an out-of-service order. WeLink's safety team tracks what's a pilot versus what's actually in force, so your drivers run on the current rules, not rumors.
Source: FMCSA / FreightWaves
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