OTTAWA, (July 6, 2004) — At a hours-of-service meeting of Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators (CCMTA) in May, it was agreed that the reset period should be changed from 36 hours to 34 hours to minimize enforcement problems with carriers crossing the U.S. border, and the split sleeper berth option will now be based on 10 hours instead of eight.

That decision removes the two hours of discretionary break time that drivers would have had (10 hours off, taken in a minimum of one eight-hour block, with the remaining two hours to be used at the driver’s discretion), replacing it with a scheme similar to the Americans, where any additional break time will cut into possible driving time.

The delay in publishing the amended final rule could mean a delay in implementation to some time beyond January 1, 2005. If provinces can’t meet the current deadline, the recommendation to the CCMTA Board is to delay implementation until all jurisdictions can have legislation in place.