Canada gets new hours of service rules

New standards governing the hours bus and truck drivers can work in Canada were approved by government ministers responsible for transportation and highway safety. The rules set new daily and weekly driving and work limits, as well as increase the minimum daily rest period for commercial drivers. Maximum driving time will be reduced from 16 hours to 13 hours daily and drivers will be required to stop driving for a minimum of 36 hours once they reach 70 hours of work. Current rules allow drivers to work up to 104 hours per week before stopping driving. Minimum daily rest periods will increase 25%, going to 10 hours from eight. Also included in the rules are design standards for motorcoach sleeper berths. These standards still need need to be written into regulations to be accepted as rule.