Hours of Service for Truck Drivers: Complete Guide
Hours of Service rules set limits on how long a commercial driver may drive.
What Are Hours of Service?
Hours of Service is a set of federal rules. These rules cap how long commercial drivers may drive, and they also limit how long they can stay on duty.
For many drivers who haul goods across state lines, the rules sit in 49 CFR Part 395. That section sets caps on daily driving time. It also covers how long you can stay on duty, when you must take breaks, and how many on-duty hours you can add up over time.
Your Hours of Service clock is not just based on driving. Other work counts too. That can include loading or unloading, vehicle checks, inspections, or other tasks done while you are on duty.
HOS Rules at a Glance
| HOS Rule | What It Means | When It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| 11-Hour Driving Limit | You can drive up to 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty. | Planning your maximum driving time for the day |
| 14-Hour Rule | You cannot drive after the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty. | Determining when your driving window ends |
| 30-Minute Break | A qualifying 30-minute interruption is required after 8 cumulative hours of driving. | Planning breaks during a driving shift |
| 60/70-Hour Limit | You can be limited to 60 hours in 7 days or 70 hours in 8 days, depending on the carrier's operation. | Managing weekly available hours |
| 34-Hour Restart | At least 34 consecutive hours off duty can restart the 60/70-hour calculation when the provision applies. | Resetting your weekly HOS calculation |
| Sleeper Berth | Qualifying drivers can split the required 10 hours off duty into separate periods under the sleeper berth provision. | Managing overnight rest and driving time |
| Adverse Driving Conditions | Certain qualifying conditions can allow up to 2 additional hours. | Unexpected weather or road conditions |
| Short-Haul Exception | Certain drivers operating within a qualifying radius may use an exception to standard logging requirements. | Local and short-haul operations |
11-Hour Driving Limit
For drivers who haul property under the federal HOS rules, there is a cap of 11 hours of driving. This starts after you take at least 10 straight hours off duty.
Those 11 driving hours have to fit inside a 14-hour window that applies to you. After you reach 11 hours behind the wheel, you must stop. You cannot drive again until you finish the required off-duty time.
Example:
Say you get 10 straight hours off duty. If your shift begins at 6:00 a.m., you can drive up to 11 hours during the right 14-hour period.
The 11-hour figure is the most you can drive. It is not something you must hit. If your plan or where you can park requires it, you may end the drive earlier.
14-Hour Driving Window
The 14-hour rule sets a limit on how long you can stay working after you clock on duty.
If you have had at least 10 hours off, the 14-hour clock starts at the time you begin your workday.
Once that 14-hour period runs out, you cannot drive anymore. This is true even when you still have some of your allowed driving time left. Time spent off duty during the 14-hour period does not add extra time to the window.
Say your workday begins at 6:00 a.m. In most cases, the 14-hour window ends at 8:00 p.m. You might still have unused driving hours, but you must stop when the window ends.
This is one reason where to park matters. When you get close to the end of your drive window, you need to plan ahead so you can stop in a legal and safe spot.
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30-Minute Break Rule
Drivers who carry property usually must stop for at least 30 minutes after they reach 8 total hours of driving. This applies only if they have not already had a break that counts as a qualifying 30-minute interruption.
That required 30-minute stretch can be met in a few ways. It can be a single nonstop block of 30 minutes while the driver is:
- Off duty
- In the sleeper berth
- On duty, but not driving
- A mix of the qualifying non-driving statuses
The rule is built around 8 cumulative hours of driving. It is not the same as 8 hours of being on duty.
A driver may not need to use a truck stop for this break. Still, it helps to have a proper place to park, since it makes the required break safer and easier to take.
60/70-Hour Rule
This rule caps how much on duty time a driver can stack over back to back days.
What limit applies depends on the carrier’s schedule.
If the carrier does not run every day, the cap is:
- 60 hours on duty within 7 straight days
If the carrier runs every day, the cap is:
- 70 hours on duty within 8 straight days
These limits are about on duty time. They are not just limits on driving time.
After you hit the right limit, you cannot drive a commercial motor vehicle on a public road. You must wait until enough hours fall out of the rolling count. Or you must use a restart option that fits the situation.
34-Hour Restart
A driver who has had at least 34 straight hours off duty can restart the weekly count. This can clear the 60/70-hour total.
The restart is not required. Not every driver has to do it once they hit the weekly cap.
Say a driver follows the 70-hour rule over eight days. If they reach the limit, they may use a 34-hour off-duty block that meets the rules. That lets them reset the count and use the full amount of weekly driving hours again.
Before counting on a restart, check that the off-duty time truly qualifies.
Sleeper Berth Rules
Drivers who use a qualifying sleeper berth may divide the rest they need under that rule.
If a driver is hauling property, the federal setup right now lets the required 10 hours off duty be split, as long as these points are met:
- One part must be at least 7 straight hours in the sleeper berth.
- The second part must be at least 2 straight hours.
- Together, the two parts must add up to at least 10 hours.
If the split is done correctly, neither part is counted toward the 14-hour driving limit.
Because the sleeper berth math can get tricky, drivers should check their ELD logs. They also should confirm the two qualifying parts are matched up the right way.
Adverse Driving Conditions
Federal HOS rules provide an exception for certainadverse driving conditions.
When applicable, a driver may extend the 11-hour driving limit and 14-hour driving window by up to2 hours. The exception is subject to specific regulatory conditions and is not intended to cover ordinary traffic delays.
Drivers should understand the requirements before relying on this exception.
Short-Haul Exception
Certain drivers who operate within a limited radius of their normal work reporting location may qualify for theshort-haul exception.
The federal short-haul exception can apply to drivers who meet specific conditions, including operating within a150 air-mile radiusand returning to the normal reporting location within the applicable time period.
Not every driver qualifies, so companies and drivers should verify the requirements that apply to their operation.
HOS and ELDs
Most drivers subject to federal HOS requirements use anElectronic Logging Device (ELD)to record their duty status.
An ELD records driving time automatically and helps maintain the driver's record of duty status. Drivers still need to select the appropriate duty status and make sure their logs accurately reflect their activities.
An ELD does not replace the HOS rules. It records and helps manage compliance with them.
Common HOS Mistakes
Some common problems occur when drivers focus only on driving time.
Ignoring the 14-Hour Window
Having driving hours remaining does not mean you can continue driving after the 14-hour window closes.
Waiting Too Long to Find Parking
Running out of available hours before finding a legal parking space can create unnecessary pressure.
Forgetting Non-Driving Work
Loading, unloading, inspections, and other work can affect your available on-duty time.
Misunderstanding Sleeper Berth Splits
The qualifying periods need to be paired correctly to use the sleeper berth provision.
Treating the 30-Minute Break as Optional
If the rule applies to your operation, you need a qualifying break after 8 cumulative hours of driving.
Relying on an Incorrect Restart
A restart must meet the applicable requirements. Do not assume that any 34-hour period automatically resets your clock.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many hours can a truck driver drive in a day?
A truck driver’s daily driving time depends on the federal rules. For property-carrying work, the driver may drive up to 11 hours as long as the time starts after at least 10 straight hours off duty. That driving has to fit inside a 14-hour on-duty window.
What is the 14-hour rule for truck drivers?
The 14-hour limit is about the workday. After the driver comes on duty following 10 straight hours off, the driver usually cannot keep driving once the 14th consecutive hour arrives. The limit starts from the time the driver begins that on-duty stretch.
How often does a truck driver need a 30-minute break?
Then there is the short break rule. For property-carrying drivers, a 30-minute break is required once the driver reaches 8 total hours of driving, as long as that qualifying break has not already happened during the shift.
What is the 70-hour rule in trucking?
The 70-hour rule sets a weekly total. A driver is limited to 70 hours on duty over 8 straight days. This applies when the carrier runs commercial motor vehicles every day of the week. If the carrier does not operate every day, the limit drops to 60 hours over 7 days.