The Hours of Service rules are the rules established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) division of the U.S. Department of Transportation that govern the working hours 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) that are spent driving and regulate the minimum amount of time that drivers must spend resting between driving shifts. A CMV driver is also required to keep track of working hours using a log book, describing the total number of hours spent driving and resting, as well as the time the change in duty status occurred.
A driver’s hours of service are regulated by federal and state agencies. At the federal level, drivers’ 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 are a truck driver operating a commercial motor vehicle, you must know the basics of Hours of Service, and if you are an aspiring truck driver, or just someone who craves knowledge, here are some basics for a truck driver Hours of service rules:
11 hour driving rule: 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 driver of a commercial motor vehicle may not drive a commercial vehicle for 14 consecutive hours after entering service. A driver cannot drive again until he has 10 consecutive hours of rest. Lunch breaks or other off-duty hours do not extend the 14-hour period. The 14 hours are consecutive from the moment a driver begins his period of service.
Rule of 60/70 hours of service: Drivers who work for a business that does not operate motor vehicles every day of the week should not drive after accumulating 60 hours of service for 7 consecutive days. If your company operates vehicles every day of the week, you should not drive after accumulating 70 hours of service in 8 consecutive days. However, you can continue to perform non-driving tasks after reaching these limits and not incur a violation. (Service time is defined as all time from the moment you start work or are required to be ready for work until you are relieved of work and all responsibility for doing the job.)
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 record: In order to verify their compliance with the rules mentioned above, drivers must keep track of 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 duty truck accidents, and when you consider that thousands of deaths each year are the result of accidents involving commercial motor vehicles, you can see why there are regulations to keep tired drivers out of road. Hours-of-service regulations are based on the delicate 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 taken out of commission. 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. For more information, click here.
Noah ostroff