Important notice: Please see the new
Hours-of-Service page
for important details concerning rule changes effective October 1, 2005,
including changes to the sleeper berth and short-haul provisions.
Many things have changed in the
motor carrier industry since 1939
when the original hours-of-service
regulations were prescribed for truck
drivers. Our roads are better designed,
constructed, and maintained in a
nationwide network to provide greater
mobility, accessibility, and safety for
all highway users. Vehicles have been
dramatically improved in terms of
design, construction, safety, comfort,
efficiency, emissions, technology, and
ergonomics. These factors, combined
with years of driver fatigue and sleep
disorder research, have led to a revision
of the hours-of-service regulations for
drivers, the most important component
of trucks operating on the highway.
Reform of the hours-of-service
regulations has been under
consideration by the Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Administration
(FMCSA) for several years. In
1995, Congress, concerned
about the effect of fatigue as a
contributing factor in commercial
motor vehicle crashes, directed
the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration (FMCSA) to begin
a rulemaking to increase driver
alertness and reduce fatigue related
incidents.
In response to the Congressional
directive, FMCSA analyzed the
scientific research, convened
expert panels, held hearings
and roundtable discussions, and
reviewed over 53,000 individual
comments submitted during the
rulemaking process. In April 2003,
FMCSA issued the first significant
revision to the HOS regulations
in over 60 years. The new
regulations provide an increased
opportunity for drivers to obtain
necessary rest and restorative
sleep, and at the same time refl ect
operational realities of motor
carrier transportation.
In the months preceding the compliance
date of January 4, 2004, the FMCSA will
work with its partners and stakeholders
to assure a smooth transition to the
new regulations. Additional education
and training materials are currently
available on the FMCSA web site
(www.fmcsa.dot.gov). Please join
us in working to implement these
new regulations, for the continuing
improvement of motor carrier safety.
April, 2003 Publication #: FMCSA-ESA-03-004
These regulations only apply to property carriers and drivers.
Passenger carriers and drivers will continue operating under
the existing rules while fatigue issues specific to the passenger
carrier industry are assessed.
Old Hours-of-Service Rules
Important notice: Please see the new
Hours-of-Service page
for important details concerning rule changes effective October 1, 2005,
including changes to the sleeper berth and short-haul provisions.
All CMV drivers may not drive:
- More than 10 hours, following 8 hours off-duty.
- After 15 hours on-duty, following 8 hours off-duty.
- After 60/70 hours on-duty in 7/8 consecutive days.
New Hours-of-Service Rules
Important notice: Please see the new
Hours-of-Service page
for important details concerning rule changes effective October 1, 2005,
including changes to the sleeper berth and short-haul provisions.
Property-Carrying CMV drivers may not drive:
- More than 11 hours, following 10 hours off-duty.
- Beyond the 14th hour after coming on-duty, following 10 hours off-duty.
- After 60/70 hours on-duty in 7/8 consecutive days. - A driver may restart a 7/8 consecutive day period after taking 34 or more consecutive hours off duty
Simply stated, this means:
Drivers may drive up to 11 hours instead of 10 hours, but are
limited to 14 hours in a duty period.
The 14-hour duty period may not be extended with off-duty time
for meal and fuel stops, etc. Only the use of a sleeper berth can
extend the 14-hour on-duty period.
Each duty period must begin with at least ten hours off-duty,
rather than eight.
The 60 hours on-duty in 7 consecutive days, or 70 hours on-duty in 8
consecutive days, remains the same, but drivers can "restart" the 7/8-
day period by taking at least 34 consecutive hours off-duty.
16 - Hour Exception for Property-Carrying Drivers
Drivers may extend the 14 - hour on duty period by 2 hours if they:
Are released from duty at the normal work reporting location for the previous 5 duty tours AND ,
Return to the normal work reporting location and are released from work within 16 hours AND,,
Have not used this exception within the last 6 days, except following a 34 - hour restart of a 7/8 day period.
Sleeper Berth Exception:
Important notice: Please see the new
Hours-of-Service page
for important details concerning rule changes effective October 1, 2005,
including changes to the sleeper berth and short-haul provisions.
Drivers may split on-duty time
by using sleeper berth periods, but must comply with the new
hours-of-service rules. These drivers may accumulate the
equivalent of 10 consecutive hours off-duty by taking 2 periods
of rest in the sleeper berth, provided:
- Neither period is less than 2 hours;
- Driving time in the period immediately before and after
each rest period when added together does not exceed
11 hours; and
- The driver does not drive after the 14th hour after coming on duty
following 10 hours off-duty, where the 14th hour is calculated by:
(A) Excluding any sleeper berth period of at least 2 hours which,
when added to a subsequent sleeper berth period, totals at
least 10 hours; and
(B) Including all on-duty time, all off-duty time not spent in the
sleeper berth, all sleeper berth periods of less than 2 hours, and
any sleeper berth period not described in paragraph 3(A).
Industry Exceptions: Oil field operations, ground water
well drilling operations, construction materials and equipment
operations, and utility service vehicle operations must comply
with the new 11-hour driving, 10 consecutive hours off-duty,
and 14-hours on-duty requirements of the new rule. However,
the 24-hour restart provisions applicable to these operations
remains in effect.
Agricultural Exemption: Agricultural operations retain their
current statutory exemption from driving time requirements for
transportation occurring within a 100 air-mile radius of a farm
or distribution point during planting or harvesting season within
each State, as determined by the State.
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