USDOT Hours of Service
Regulations & Log books
Prepared by:
Troy Thurgood
Thurcorp Inc.
Electronic Log Device Rule (ELD)
• Set to go into effect December 18, 2017
• There is a legal challenge before the United States Supreme Court
• We don’t believe the challenge will succeed so we believe you should
seriously consider e-log implementation
• E-logs required in trucks with engine years of 2000 or newer (engine
years older than 2000 are exempt)
• E-logs required (if truck required) IF the driver of the truck is normally
required to do log books (agriculture drivers and local drivers are
exempt if they meet the full exemption)
• We recommend Keeptruckin. See more at our website:
www.thurcorp.com/clientservices
Definitions
• Off duty is any time not driving or otherwise on-duty
• On duty is any time not driving but otherwise working for pay
• Driving is any time driving a commercial motor vehicle
• Sleeper berth is any time spent in the sleeper berth
• Resting in Parked Vehicle is any time spent in the vehicle where you
aren’t doing anything (working, driving, sleeping in a berth). Basically,
if you’re sitting there and the vehicle is not in gear, you’re RIPV.
• Commercial Motor Vehicle is any vehicle used in the furtherance of a
business which by itself or with a trailer/loaded exceeds 10,000
pounds
Hours of Service reference 49 CFR 395
• Four rules
•
•
•
•
11 hour
14 hour
60/70 hour
30 minute
• Resets
Guiding principles
• At least 10 consecutive hours off-duty OR in the sleeper or a combination
of the two:
• Resets the 14 hours
• Does not count against 14 hours
• Does not count against 60/70 hours
• At least 8 consecutive hours off-duty OR in the sleeper or a combination of
the two:
• Does not count against 14 hours
• Does not count against 60/70 hours
• BUT YOU MUST TAKE ANOTHER BREAK OF AT LEAST 2 CONSECUTIVE HOURS which
does count against the 14 hours
• Any time spent in the sleeper berth or off-duty does not count against the
60/70 hour clock (no matter how long or short, i.e. 15 minute intervals)
11 hour rule
• Following a 10 hour off-duty break, cannot drive more than 11 hours
11 hour rule example
• Came on duty at 6am and started driving at 6:30 am
• Your driving time cannot be more than 11 hours (prior to 8pm, we’ll
get to that next)
Log book example 11 hour rule
midnight
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
noon
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
midnight
Total row hours
Off Duty
12
Sleeper
berth
0
Driving
11
On duty not
driving
1
Remarks
24
Note 11 hours lapsed even though did not hit 14 hours
14 hour rule
• Following a 10 hour off-duty break, cannot drive past the 14th on-duty
hour regardless of how many hours you’ve actually driven
14 hour rule example
• You start your day at 6am and begin driving at 6:30 am
• At 8pm you must stop driving regardless of whether or not you’ve hit
your 11 hours of driving
• The only thing that stops the 14 hour clock from ticking is at least 8
consecutive hours off-duty or in the sleeper berth or a combination of
the two.
Log book example 14 hour rule
midnight
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
noon
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
midnight
Total row hours
Off Duty
13
Sleeper
berth
0
Driving
6
On duty not
driving
5
Remarks
24
Note 14 hours lapsed even though only drove 6
60/70 hour rule
• In 8 rolling days (current day plus the past 7), you cannot drive
beyond the 70th on-duty hour
• If your company doesn’t operate 7 days per week, you fall under the 60 hour
rule which means in 7 rolling days, you can’t drive beyond the 60th on-duty
hour
• This is why you have to keep your current day’s log book plus your
previous 7 days’ logs.
60/70 hour rule example (using 70 hour limit)
Weekday
Total driving & on-duty
not driving hours
Driving hours Comments
Monday
12
4
No issues
Tuesday
12
4
No issues
Wednesday
12
3
No issues
Thursday
12
1
No issues
Friday
12
10
No issues
Saturday
10
2
Because you’ve had long 12 hour days, you cannot
drive past the 10th on-duty/driving hour for the day
(even if you only drove for 2 hours)
TOTALS
70
24
THIS EXAMPLE ASSUMES YOU HAD A RESET ON SUNDAY BEFORE YOU STARTED THE WEEK.
30 minute rule
• For every 8 hours you are on-duty OR driving, you must take at least
one 30 minute break (recorded in off-duty)
30 minute rule example
• Your day starts at 6am
• By 2pm, if you haven’t had at least one 30 minute break, you must
take a 30 minute break.
• Under this condition, your 14 hours would end at 8pm (only 6 hours
from when you take your break) so no additional break necessary
• However, let’s say you start at 6am and take a break for whatever
reason at 10am
• At 6pm (2 hours before your 14 hours ends) you must take another 30 minute
break
Log book example 1 of 30 minute break rule
midnight
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
noon
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
midnight
Total row hours
Off Duty
12.5
Sleeper
berth
0
Driving
10.5
On duty not
driving
1
Remarks
24
Log book example 2 of 30 minute break rule
midnight
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
noon
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
midnight
Total row hours
Off Duty
11
Sleeper
berth
0
Driving
12
On duty not
driving
1
Remarks
24
WHO CAUGHT THE VIOLATION ON THIS ONE?
Resets
• If you hit your 70 hours in rolling 8 days, you can reset to 0 by taking
at least 34 hours consecutive off-duty or sleeper berth or
combination
• Any 34 hour periods count for a reset (a change from previous regulations)
• Any number of resets can be taken in a week (a change from previous regulations)
• Consecutive 34 hours in off-duty or sleeper resets the 60/70 hours for
MOST operations
• Construction and operations supporting oilfield operations are
allowed a 24 hour reset
Reset Example
(assuming starting out Monday morning following 34 hours
off-duty)
Weekday
On-Duty/Driving
Hours
Comments
Monday
12
No issues
Tuesday
12
No issues
Wednesday
12
No issues
Thursday
12
No issues
Friday
12
No issues
Saturday
10
Stopped driving and went off-duty at 4pm (hit 70
hours at 4pm)
Sunday
0
Remained off-duty all day
Monday
Began working at
6am
Had 38 hours off duty (Saturday 4pm through
Monday morning 6am). This counts as a reset.
Special Notes
• If you are potential driver (considered a driver but just not driving) in the
passenger seat in a CMV but not driving or doing anything else (no sleeper
berth time), all the time counts as on-duty not driving.
• The times you use on your log book is the time of your home terminal.
• Home terminals (and time zones) can change the carrier’s discretion but make sure
you are tracking those time changes.
•
•
•
•
•
Keep your log book current to your last change of duty status
Keep your previous 7 days’ log books
You must turn in your logs at least every 13 days to the carrier
Carrier must keep log books and supporting documents for 6 months
State/Federal emergencies that you support may suspend hours of service
regulations
Review
After having 10 consecutive hours off duty:
• No driving past 11 hours
• No driving past the 14th on-duty/driving hour combined
• Only 8 consecutive hours + stops the 14 hour clock
After having been on-duty/driving for 8 consecutive hours, must take at
least a 30 minute break
Reset 70 hours by taking 34 consecutive hours off-duty/sleeper berth