Split Duty Period Pilot Program (SDP Pilot Program)

In response to Executive Order 14286, “Enforcing Commonsense Rules of the Road for America’s Truck Drivers,” the U.S. Secretary of Transportation announced a new pilot program designed to improve drivers’ working conditions and quality of life by allowing drivers to extend the 14-hour “driving window” with up to three hours of off duty, sleeper berth, and on-duty/not driving time (provided it is taken at the location of cargo delivery or pickup). The Split Duty Period (SDP) Pilot Program will provide participating drivers with an exemption that could extend the “driving window” up to 17-hours through the use of an eligible pause. To carry out this pilot program, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) contracted with the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) to assess the safety and performance impacts of additional flexibility for Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) drivers to pause the 14-hour “driving window”. Specifically, the study will collect multiple sources of data from a broad sample of carriers to examine driver fatigue and driving performance while operating under current Hours of Service (HOS) regulations and while operating under SDP exemptions. This Privacy Impact Assessment is being conducted to address the risks associated with VTTI collecting, processing, and maintaining Personally Identifiable Information (PII) from study participants on behalf of FMCSA.