Flexible Sleeper Berth Pilot Program

This is a new ICR. The aim of the Flexible Sleeper Berth Pilot Program is to demonstrate how HOS regulatory flexibility in conjunction with an optional fatigue management program (FMP) could be used to improve driver rest and alertness. Changes to the FMCSA HOS regulations must be data driven and support driver safety. In order to determine whether more flexible HOS regulations improve—or at the very least do not degrade—driver rest and alertness, a study must be conducted with commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. FMCSA has developed the Flexible Sleeper Berth Pilot Program, a research study to collect detailed data on driver sleep and performance when temporarily granted regulatory flexibility. The collection is voluntary. Data will be collected from CMV drivers (hereafter referred to as “driver”) during their online application, briefing session, pilot study participation, and debriefing session. Data collection will primarily focus on sleep, fatigue, safety, and driving performance. The sample of drivers in the study will include those from small, medium, and large carriers, as well as team drivers and owner operators. The collection is reporting. The information reported is the identified statistical analysis of results and findings. The information maintained in records is all data collected. Driver & Motor-carrier applications, background questionnaire, 1099 tax form, WSU invoice tax voucher, and debriefing questionnaire are collected once, whereas the phone briefing information is collected weekly, and the smart phone applications information is collected on a daily basis. FMCSA has contracted with the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VT), with subcontracts to Washington State University (WSU) and SmartDrive to administer this study and analyze its results. The purpose of this pilot program is to demonstrate how regulatory flexibility related to the SB provision, in conjunction with optional FMP training, could be used to improve driver rest, alertness, and safety performance. Allowing split sleep will allow drivers the opportunity to sleep at times that best suit their needs. To evaluate the operational, safety, and fatigue impacts of flexible SB use, this study will compare duty periods where drivers used the flexible sleeper berth option (“split sleep duty periods”) with duty periods where drivers were compliant with the current sleeper berth regulations (“nighttime sleep duty periods” or “daytime sleep duty periods”). The research team will determine operational impacts, safety impacts, and fatigue impacts of flexible SB use.

The latest form for Flexible Sleeper Berth Pilot Program expires 2021-06-30 and can be found here.

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Federal Enterprise Architecture: Transportation - Ground Transportation

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