Federal regulations normally limit most commercial truck drivers to 11 hours of driving time in a 14-hour workday. These restrictions are intended to reduce accidents caused by highway fatigue. Greater daily mileage and faster deliveries equals bigger paychecks for drivers. The easing of these safety-based restrictions will have many long-haul truck drivers eager to take advantage of the opportunity to make more money.
Unfortunately, the danger of longer shifts has been recognized in the United States since 1938, but high-level authorities are making the case that extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures.
The drivers hauling qualifying cargo may operate entirely outside of the standard 14-hour shift regulations. The only requirement that these truckers, couriers and drivers must abide by is taking a mandatory 8- or 10-hour breaks following their delivery.