Hours of service rules are the rules established by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) division that govern the hours of work of anyone who operates a commercial motor vehicle (CMV). ). This includes truck and bus drivers. These rules limit the number of hours (daily and weekly) spent driving and regulate the minimum amount of time drivers must spend resting between driving shifts. A CMV driver is also required to keep a record of work hours using a log book, which describes the total number of hours spent driving and resting, as well as the time the duty status change occurred.
A driver’s hours of service are regulated by federal and state agencies. At the federal level, driver hours of service are part of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR). They are issued and enforced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) of the Department of Transportation (DOT).
If you’re a trucker operating a commercial motor vehicle, you need to know the basics of Hours of Service, and if you’re an aspiring truck driver, or just someone who craves knowledge, here are some basics about Hours of Service. a trucker of Service Rules:
11 hour driving rules: All time spent behind the wheel is considered driving time. After 11 hours of driving, you must have 10 consecutive hours off duty before you can drive again.
14 consecutive hours of service: A commercial motor vehicle driver may not drive a commercial vehicle more than 14 consecutive hours after coming on duty. A driver cannot drive again until they have 10 consecutive hours off. Lunch breaks or other off-duty time do not extend the 14-hour period. The 14 hours are consecutive from the time a driver begins their duty shift.
60/70 Hours of Service Rule: Drivers who work for a company that does not operate motor vehicles every day of the week must not drive after accumulating 60 hours of work for 7 consecutive days. If your company operates vehicles every day of the week, you must not drive after accumulating 70 hours of service on 8 consecutive days. However, you may continue to perform non-driving tasks after reaching these limits and not violating them. (Time of service is defined as all the time from the time you begin work or are required to be ready to work until you are relieved of work and all responsibility for performing the work.)
34 hour reset: The regulations include an optional “reset” provision. This allows you to “reset” your 60 or 70 hour clock after having at least 34 consecutive hours out of service.
Service Status Log: To verify their compliance with the rules listed above, drivers must track their hours of service. Your motor carrier has the option of selecting the format that best suits your operation. This is also known as a log book.
Driver fatigue is a serious problem. It is one of the leading causes of heavy truck crashes, and when you consider that thousands of deaths each year result from accidents involving commercial motor vehicles, you can see why regulations are in place to keep tired drivers off the road. Hours of service regulations are based on the common sense idea that if you drive too long, you get tired… and it’s dangerous.
Following the rules and keeping good records can help you avoid costly citations and fines, or even being placed out of service. Most importantly, following the rules can prevent an accident, possibly even save a life. -JJ Keller “Driver’s Guide to Hours of Service”
These are just the basics of the Hours of Service rules. If you want more information, click here
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