The state’s regulations for truck drivers differ from current federal rules.
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Friday announced it is granting petitions to pre-empt the state of California’s meal and rest break rules, which differ from current federal hours-of-service regulations.
The FMCSA said California’s law is incompatible with federal regulations and causes a disruption in interstate commerce.
“Safety is FMCSA’s top priority and having uniform rules is a key component to increasing safety for our truck drivers,” said FMCSA Administrator Raymond P. Martinez. “During the public comment period, FMCSA heard directly from drivers, small business owners and industry stakeholders that California’s meal and rest rules not only pose a safety risk but also lead to a loss in productivity and ultimately hurt American consumers.”
The FMCSA said more than 700 public comments were submitted to the Federal Register docket regarding the petitions. The comments in the Federal Register docket may be viewed here.
A copy of the determination is available here.
Information regarding current federal HOS regulations may be viewed here.
FMCSA grants California hours-of-service petitions
