EDMONTON, Alta. — Provincial rules in Alberta governing the hours commercial drivers can operate will not be changing to coincide with new federal rules that come into effect on January 1, 2007.

The Federal Hours of Service rules take effect Jan. 1, 2007. The Transport Canada federal Commercial Vehicle Drivers’ Hours of Service Regulation, which governs commercial motor carriers that operate inter-provincially, will further limit the number of hours a commercial driver can operate in a day.

Despite this change in the federal regulation, the Alberta government will not be making any changes at this time to the provincial Drivers’ Hours of Service Regulation, which governs carriers that operate solely within Alberta.

Alberta will continue to operate under current rules until a new regulation is developed following further consultation with industry stakeholders.

“The province encourages a collaborative approach to developing government policy and regulations,” said Ty Lund, Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation. “To ensure proposed changes to Alberta’s commercial hours of service regulation meet the need to manage driver fatigue and the operational needs of operators, additional consultation with industry is necessary.”

The new federal rules will reduce the maximum driving time for commercial drivers from 16 to 13 hours in a 24-hour period, reduce the daily maximum on-duty time from 16 to 14 hours, and increase the minimum off-duty time from eight to 10 hours.

The current provincial rules limit driving time to 16 hours in a 24-hour period and on-duty time to 16 hours a day, and require a minimum of eight hours off-duty time.

All provinces including Alberta will be employing a six-month education enforcement period to provide an opportunity for drivers and carriers to learn the new federal rules and adjust their operations accordingly.