FMCSA announced it has completed pre-tests for two Hours of Service pilot programs and is preparing a full launch in 2027. The Flexible Sleeper Berth Pilot Program would let participating drivers split their required off-duty time into two periods in any combination, provided the periods total at least 10 hours and one includes at least five consecutive hours in the sleeper berth. The Split Duty Period Pilot Program would let drivers pause their 14-hour driving window for up to three hours a day when they spend qualifying non-driving time at a pickup or delivery, off duty, or in the sleeper berth. Each program is expected to enroll 256 drivers (512 total), who will participate for four months. The pre-tests ran in spring and summer 2026 with nine drivers each; FMCSA says it will monitor for shipper-driven detention and use the findings to refine the programs. Motor carriers should watch for the 2027 rollout, which could reshape driver scheduling and fatigue-management practices.

OSHA cited Blazey Construction Services LLC with two repeat violations and one other-than-serious violation after an excavation collapse hospitalized a worker installing sewer and water pipe for a residential development in Alvin, Texas. Investigators found the company failed to adequately protect the excavation, failed to provide a safe means of egress, and did not report the hospitalization within the required 24 hours. Proposed penalties total $343,797.

OSHA cited FleetPride Inc. with 16 serious and 3 other-than-serious violations after an employee asphyxiated while inspecting a tanker trailer at the company's Corpus Christi facility. The investigation, opened January 7, 2026, found the distributor had not implemented a confined space program, had deficiencies across required respiratory protection program elements, and exposed workers to electrical hazards. Proposed penalties total $264,380.