Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/671317
nologies are going," Andersky says. "As we advance, as there's more things that allow drivers to have less stress, then, yes, I could see there being some changes." Andersky pegs the use of platooning systems – where one or more autono- mous trucks follow a manned truck — to be about 15 years away. More fully automated vehicles are about 20 to 25 years away, he says. But expect "step- ping stones" along the way, such as autopilot functionality and automated steering. Such innovations could play into the industry's interest in either extend- ing drivers' on-duty time or allowing greater flexibility in divvying it up, Andersky says. Re-evaluation of hours regulations in tandem with automated technol- ogy is the "natural thing to happen," says David Heller, head of regulatory affairs for the Truckload Carriers As- sociation. TCA and other groups have pressed in recent years for greater study of hours of service rules and more data to justify regulations on the books. Introduction of technology that helps reduce fatigue further would spur even more pressure, Heller says. "We will advocate for timely compli- ance initiatives" as long as "sound data" exists to justify reforms, he says. Heller says reforms such as split duty time and other flexibility could be among the first changes driven by au- tomation, while other specifics would relate to technologies that gain market traction and how they affect operators. Adding heat to the fire of hours reform is growing congressional interest in overseeing the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Congress in 2014 mandated the suspension of some stipulations in the most recent overhauls of hours regula- tions. Congress also required FMCSA to study hundreds of truckers to prove the stiffer regulations work, the results of which are pending. The trends of greater congressional oversight and new technologies point to an hours of service crossroads, though as Elliot sees it, it's not neces- sarily because automation will reduce driver stress or fatigue. Instead, he believes fleets' and regu- lators' ability to monitor drivers' alertness via biometrics could lead to technologies that dictate on-duty time on an individual level rather than industrywide prescribed hours rules. Real-time monitoring of a driver's alertness levels via wearables and other measuring devices might allow additional on-duty time, while in other instances, drivers may be told to pull over based on such readings. Hours limits would be "directly correlated to a driver's ability at that time," Elliot says. It could be years before such technol- ogy and regulatory approval could become a reality. Elliot predicts its debut as roughly the same timeframe as advancements such as platooning and autonomous trucks move out of their test phases. • 6 www.bigrigowner.com M A Y 2 0 1 6 Cover Story