Hours of Service for Truck Drivers

Hours of Service regulations pertain to how long a trucking companies commercial motor vehicle can operate before having to shut down to rest. These rules are put in place by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to ensure drivers get the appropriate rest for safe operations. There are specific regulations set in place to cut down on over-the-road fatalities.

You can recognize a trucking companies commercial motor vehicle (CMV) by the following requirements:
* Has a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating of 10,001 pounds or more
* Vehicle is involved in interstate or intrastate dealings
* Vehicle is involved in transporting hazardous materials in a quantity requiring placards

Any of the above situations require the truck to abide by hours of service (HOS) regulations. Hours of service rules for trucking companies are as follows:
* 11-Hour Driving Limit- 11 hours maximum drive time after 10 consecutive hours off duty.
* 14-Hour Limit- After coming off duty, you may not drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour following 10 consecutive hours off duty.
* 60/70-Hour On-Duty Limit- No driving after 60/70 hours on duty in 7/8 consecutive days. Driver can restart a 7/8 consecutive day period after taking 34 or more consecutive hours off duty.
* Sleeper Berth Provision- States that 8 consecutive hours in the sleeper berth must be taken plus a separate 2 consecutive hours either in the sleeper berth, off duty, or any combination of the two.

The above hours of service regulations for trucking companies can be found in Part 395 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. These regulations are developed and enforced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which is part of the United States Department of Transportation.