Guide to hours of service (U.S.)
Learn about HOS rulesets and exemptions in our Guide to Hours of Service.
In this guide to Hours of Service (HOS) for commercial vehicle drivers, you will find a basic introduction to Hours of Service rules in the United States, an overview of HOS rulesets and driving limits, and a glossary of important terms.
The following information provides guidance on the hour’s service rules that are applicable through September 28, 2020. Starting on September 29, 2020, the revised provisions of the HOS final rule, published on June 1, 2020, will take effect.
The following table summarizes the HOS regulations for property-carrying and passenger-carrying drivers.
HOURS-OF-SERVICE RULES
11-Hour Driving Limit
May drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty.
14-Hour Limit
May not drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty, following 10 consecutive hours off duty. Off-duty time does not extend the 14-hour period.
Rest Breaks
May drive only if 8 hours or less have passed since the end of driver’s last off-duty or sleeper-berth period of at least 30 minutes. Does not apply to drivers using either of the short-haul
70-Hour Limit
May not drive after 70 hours on duty in 8 consecutive days. A driver may restart an 8 consecutive day period after taking 34 or more consecutive hours off duty.
Records of Duty Status (RODs)
In order to prove that the driver has followed the regulations, drivers must present roadside inspection officers with documented logs, also known as a record of duty status (RODs). The requirements for a driver’s record of duty status are detailed in 49 CFR 395.8.
RODs logs must include:
- 24-hour period grid
- Date (Day, Month, Year)
- Total miles are driven
- Truck/Tractor/Trailer number
- Name of carrier
- Main office address
- Driver’s certification verifying logs
- Name of co-driver
- Time zone
- Total hours spent in OFF-Duty, ON-Duty, Sleeper Berth, Driving
- Shipping document number/name of shipper/name of the commodity
- Annotations