On December 16, President Obama signed on new legislation that will change the safety guidelines enforced on big-rig drivers.

The original law, enforced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, states that drivers must uphold a 34-hour “restart” (rest) period once every seven days. This rest period must include two consecutive nights between 1 am and 5 am.

This change suspends the federal rules, allowing truck drivers to be on the road for more hours, and lifts the restriction on early morning travel. This change is welcome news to some drivers, who prefer to work their longest shifts at night. This preference is due to the light traffic during those peak 1 am to 5 am hours, during which truckers find it both more safe, and time efficient to complete their hauls.