| Hours of Service for Drivers | Property Carriers | Passenger Carriers |
| On Duty Time | 14 Hours | 15 Hours |
| Off Duty Time | 10 Hours | 8 Hours |
| Maximum Driving Time | 11 Hours | 10 Hours |
| Maximum On-Duty Time in any 7-Day Period | 60 Hours | 60 Hours |
| Maximum On-Duty Time in any 8-Day Period | 70 hours | 70 Hours |
30-minute required after eight hours of driving unless defined as local driver.
Electronic logging Devices (ELD) required unless exemptions apply.
Records and supporting documentation must be maintained for six months.
Some Examples from Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
- This is the first example they had in their doc dater May 2015, and I think it is a great example. Driver startted his day, 1 hour he was off duty, present, working but not driving. This status applies whenever driver is ready to start driving phsically but he is not driving due to something he has to do as part of his work, like pre-trip, fueling, waiting for load.
- Then driver starts his trip, drives for 5 hours. He stops at 600 AM until 700 AM, he is off duty. So he will not be able to drive, he might be using restroom, having breakfast, napping, resting. Between 600 AM and 700 AM he is off duty.
- Between 700 AM driver starts driving, at 1000 AM he stops driving, possibly reaching his destination because…
- Driver goes into On Duty not driving status again and he is in this status from 1000 AM to 1200 PM. He might be waiting to be unloaded, waiting for consignee or shipper to open up, regardless, he is not driving but he can start driving. Then he starts driving at 1200 PM and continues driving until 200 PM.
- At 200 PM driver parks the vehicle and stops driving. He/She will not be readily waiting in the vehicle to/for work.
- In total driver was Off Duty 11 Hours, Driving 10 hours, On Duty 3 horus. Total must be 24 hours.
Charlie would strongly advise anyone who will be working with US inland carriers or already working as an offshore agent on behalf of a US company to learn at least basics related to hours of service. Charlie would also highly recommend checking accidents and accidents records of major accidents within your line of work to understand what are the stakes. Charlie remembers that changes normally must be problematic or actions that were supposed to be considered serious, were completely brushed off in many parts of his experience. They may make it sound like whole thing is taking vehicle A from Point X to point Y and then returning to Point, but as you grow in the business (or read about it at least), just like Charlie, you will be much more involved in matter you would less and less like to get involved.
When push becomes shove, everyone from your own employer to the best agent/forwarder you ever worked with can pin the donkey’s tail on you. When it comes to driver safety and route management, it is always good to have everything in written. If you are being told something must not in be written or texted, you can at least make a self note on the matter. Charlie urges you to not forget that we can be responsible for things that we did not do along with things we have done with orders.
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