General Hours of Service Guidelines
- Drivers may be on duty for up to 14 hours following 10 hours off duty, but they are limited to 11 hours of driving time.
- Drivers must take a mandatory 30-minute break by their eighth hour of coming on duty.
- The 14-hour duty period may not be extended with off-duty time for breaks, meals, fuel stops, etc.
- Drivers can restart the 7 days once every 168-hour workweek. This entails taking at least 34 consecutive hours off with two consecutive periods of 1 a.m. to 5 a.m.
- The workweek starts after the last legal reset. For example, if you begin at 1 a.m. on Monday, then your 168-hour workweek continues until 1 a.m. the following Monday.
- Each duty period must begin with at least 10 hours off-duty.
- Drivers may work no more than 60 hours on-duty over seven consecutive days.
16-Hour Exception
- A driver on a 1-day work schedule can be on duty for 16 hours if the driver begins and ends at the same terminal.
- Drive time may not exceed 11 hours.
- A driver cannot use both the 16-hour Exception and the Adverse Driving Conditions Exception together.
- If the driver has a layover on any day, the 16-hour Exception can’t be used—this includes the day of the layover.
- A driver that has used the 16-hour Exception may not use it again until they have had a 34-hour reset.
- Drivers may not drive past the 16th hour when coming on-duty.
34-Hour Restart
- Any period of 34-consecutive hours off-duty will restart the 168-hour week.
- The restart must include two periods of 1 a.m. to 5 p.m. Drivers may only use the 34-hour restart once per 168-hour week.
Adverse Driving Conditions Exception
- If a driver cannot safely complete the run within the maximum driving time of 11 hours, that driver may drive up to an additional two hours to reach a place. However, the driver may not drive after the 14th hour since coming on duty.
- If weather conditions will not safely allow a driver to pull over at a hotel or rest stop and stop for 10 hours off-duty, then the driver may extend their drive time up to two hours.
- This exception does not mean a driver can work longer because of bad weather. If a driver can safely stop and layover within an 11-hour drive time, they are required to do so, provided they cannot make it back to their home terminal within 14 hours (or under the 16-hour exception) if available.
Penalties for Violating Hours of Service Rules
- Drivers may be placed on shut down (at roadside) until they have accumulated enough off-duty time to be back in compliance.
- State and local law enforcement officials may assess fines.
- The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration may levy civil penalties on a driver or carrier, ranging from $1,000 to $11,000 per violation depending on the severity.
- A carrier’s safety rating can be downgraded for a pattern of violations.
- Federal criminal penalties can be brought against carriers who knowingly and willfully allow or require violations; or against drivers who knowingly and willfully violate the regulations.
