The Best Explained HOURS OF SERVICE Rules (With Examples)

A truck driver's every nightmare are the hours of service as posted by the D.O.T. In this video we review and provide animated examples of how we, here at TRX, explain these rules to our drivers so that they are DOT compliant.
If you want to stay up to date with the rules, as well as you should, go to www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations...
For any other inquiries or questions, either post them bellow in the comment section or contact us directly.
If you want to become part of our team contact us at
[e-mail] or use our Facebook Page @TrxExpressInc

[@Doug-gp2qw]

Never accept a load that requires you to drive more than 10 hours a day. You would be cutting it too close if you encounter unexpected weather or traffic.

[@trxexpress]

Each and every driver knows what they're capable of. So i would definitely recommend drivers not to take loads that they know they can't deliver within the time frame that's asked of them. It could be a 500 mile load or 1500 mile load. If you think you can't make it, don't take it. Because sometimes you may only do 300 miles in those 10 or 11 hours. So mileage is not the only factor to consider i would say.

[@ronnieferguson8781]

Dumbest thing I ever heard

[@TrainsbyFred]

Scenario #4--Driver from the 70s tears a page out of his logbook and makes it to his destination--no problem!

[@trxexpress]

hahhahaah...I must have missed that one!

[@user-ox2nd9xz9h]

10 4. Driver. Old school

[@cassandraj1722]

I’m a new driver and this was confusing me in the beginning but it’s getting better

[@ModernMessiah]

Here's 3 other HOS rules they use.... There's a 12 hour rule you use doing local where you don't have to take a 30 minute break. We use it doing fuel hauling. There's also a farm exemption rule where you can work 16 hours per day hauling live turkeys, chicken etc. Doing stuff having to deal witn farm work. 3. There's an 8/2 Split Rule where if you do work that requires hours of loading you go into sleeper birth for a Minimum of 2 hours and it stops your 14 hour clock. Meaning if you originally ran out of hours at Midnight you can now drive until 2AM or whatever the times were!! We did this doing dollar tree, dollar general loads etc You're welcome 😊

[@ModernMessiah]

What he's talking about you have 14 hours per day to work. 11 hours drive time. After 8 hours after you start you need to take a 30 minute break no matter if you were driving or waiting during that 8 hours. Then you can finish driving your 11 hours. You have to take a 10 hour break and cannot drive over 70 hours in an 8 day period You cannot violate your time clock because it's a 8 day violation. If you get pulled over you're screwed. The other rules I listed above in my other comment

[@orthodoxphronesis]

Christos Anesti. Thank you. Very helpful

[@user-fh3oe7vp5c]

Nicely explained, great examples. Well done 👍

[@noryaa4194]

The optimal generic regime: 15min Pre trip. ODND 3hours 45min driving. ODD (4hours logged) *Stop* : 15min DOT Road Check/Tire Check. ODND 30 minute break. OFFD (Total 4hrs 15min logged) Drive 3hours 15min. ODD (7hrs 30min logged) *Stop* : 15min second (#2) DOT Road check/Tire Check. ODND 30min Break (#2) OFFD (7 hours 45min logged; 1 hour OFFD, 6hours ODD, 45min ODND). Drive 4hours 0min (Totals = 1 hour OFFD, 10hours ODD, 45min ODND). Total HOS = 11hours 45min ODD, ODND, OFFD. Drive LAST HOUR Drive 1 hour: Drive to Consignee/Shipper/Cue line waiting /backing & docking OR locating Rest Stop/Ttuck Stop/Hotel to stage for 10Hour Layover. TOTAL HOS Total HOS = 12hours 45min ODD, ODND, OFFD. End Day: Post Trip/Tire Check 15min Navigation reset/Logs 15min Toilet 15min Safety lockdown 15min TOTAL 14 Hour HOS = 13hours 45min ODD, ODND, OFFD. **You have 15 minutes of time as margin of error safety buffer. REMEMBER, this 15 minutes assists you doing E-Logging be quick skilled at Logging! (Think of this Time as three 3-minute episodes of Logging procedures). Next: 10 Hour Layover. (2 hours shower, eat, toilet, R&R, 8 hours Sleeper). **Refuel the next morning as 1st hour ODND.

[@MikeThaPhilosopher]

Surprised by the music choice lol. Like it 👍🏽 😂

[@torykidlogistics]

GREAT VIDEO.

[@trxexpress]

Thank you! We did kind of a second part where we explain the split sleeper provision much better. It's live on our channel as trucking basics

[@ONTHEEDGEFRED]

If you can manage figuring out how to split your sleeper and how you need to run like that, You never have to worry about the thirty minute break.

[@nickwiththemoney9141]

truckers need a regular sleep schedule. i think 12 on 12 off. trucks should be on the road 5am to 5pm. they would be more rested. and no need for logs or elds. it would help with the evening rush hour traffic. and in a 7 day period thats 84 hours with no need for a reset. truckers would be more rested and make more money. so simple but they can’t make the laws simple, because then you would be able to follow them

[@brunofernandez2863]

Good.

[@jaimemonte6298]

When you are in Sleeper status, what do you write down under remarks? I didn't see any remarks written down on the examples you demonstrated

[@trickmytractor7187]

I would like to know how Kentucky is enforcing hours of service on school bus drivers? They must being going over 14 hrs if they do a regular bus route and say a activities run after school

[@stevesteil8412]

Great video however check your pc explanation pc can be used when laden or unladen, and not for parking unless certain criteria are met,

[@trxexpress]

Thanks for your comment. I've copied the first couple of sentences from fmcsa's website regarding pc below: "Personal conveyance is the movement of a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) for personal use while off-duty. A driver may record time operating a CMV for personal conveyance as off-duty only when the driver is relieved from work and all responsibility for performing work by the motor carrier."

[@francomtz7115]

Great explanation, but if anyone cares about safety on the road drivers or owner operators should be paid by the hour.

[@ELD_service]

Providing outsource ELD service 24/7

[@grbayer71]

Question on the PC: If I run out of drive time and on my way home for the day or the weekend, can you use the PC to get you the rest of the way home with an empty trailer? Or with a loaded trailer? Also how much PC time can you use to get home?

[@trxexpress]

That's a very interesting question. There are a couple factorst: 1. Your company's policy 2. Your ELD provider First, check with your safety dept how many miles they allow for you to run on pc first (of they allow). Officially, FMCSA doesn't have a distance limit. BUT, they say that when you run out of driving hours (on your way to HQ (home) for example, you may use PC only to the nearest safe haven. You can't use it to drive all the way home (unless home is the nearest location for you to do Sleeper or OFF duty. Some ELD providers (For ex. SAMSARA from what i know) have a 150 mile distance limit per week. So check with ELD provider as well. Keep in mind, after you've used PC you must do a 10 hour sleeper (or split sleeper of you have the hours) or 34 hour restart. Hope that answered your question to some degree. The rulebook says you can't use PC to advance your driving, only to nearest safe haven,BUT the rulebook is not on the road, you are. Make sure you make the right call for your situation i would say.

[@Arizona_Vineyard]

Stop somewhere for 30 minutes and then use Pc to wherever you’re going… once you leave the shipper or receiver you’re still on duty. Stop 30 minutes and you’re no longer working. Type in your going to house, or to terminal to get your car… it’s totally legal and my safety department guy has us do it that way all the time. He actually lets us use adverse driving once a week is totally legal and dot has never said anything. Remember when your being inspected don’t get mouthy or argue for any reason… that helps alot too

[@filexarmando8398]

As far as I know….you can drive from Tacoma, Washington….all the way to Texas ….If you don’t feel sick or tired. Use your PC.

[@andrewoldacre1683]

Run dedicated

[@vendingdudes]

There is no requirement to get a 10 hour break or 34 hour reset after using PC, unless that's some weird Canadian rule.

[@Grandpa_RLP]

So I have a trip from Cleburne TX to Denver CO leaving Tues morning at 8:30. It is an estimated 14 hour drive on the Hammer app. I did not plan well and have a flight out of Denver at 1:15pm So I plan to drive 10 1/2 hours in my 14 and then sleep for the 10 and finish the next 3 1/2 Wed morning hopefully arriving at drop off location at 9:30 am giving me about 2 hrs to get to airport. If anything goes wrong I won't make it. Is there anyway I can use the split to accomplish this drive with anymore time to spare? I have no hours on my clock for the previous several days prior to trip and will not drive any hours for a couple days after. Thanks if you can help with this scenario.

[@trxexpress]

You don't have enough time as it is, in this case. Matter of fact, split sleeper would only hurt your arrival time i think because you can only drive the remaining hours of your previous day. So let's say you drive only 10.5 hrs on day 1 and do a 7-3 split. After 7 hours of sleeper you'd be able to drive only another 30 min (the remainder of your 11-hour drive time the day before) and then you'd have to sleep 3 hours again if you want your drive time to reset. So i dont think the split sleeper can help you in this case. Drive your entire 11 hours if possible, so your 10 hr sleeper and do the rest in the morning. It's gonna be tight but not impossible. It's like you said, bad planning on your end but hopefully you don't make such plans in the future and give yourself more of a cushion. Good luck driver and don't risk your life to get to the airport. You can always reschedule a flight, or worst case get another one.

[@foesziq5219]

What if you don’t use your whole 14 hour clock in a day. Is a 10 hour reset still required ? How does that work ?

[@m.robinson2202]

what about a OTR Class B Driver with a Co- Driver?

[@Parasefvirte]

Dot will give you grief regardless So be prepared to handout logs first thing and just stay on duty all the time regardless you taking your personal time, fueling or repairs is duty time even when taking your brakes duty time and don’t drive more then400 mile per day so the DOT will be happy

[@danlindeke2561]

Do you have to log a 15 minute pre trip on duty and 15 minute on duty to unload?

[@trxexpress]

Yes, you have to log at least a 15 min ON DUTY status for Pre trip. For loading/ unloading, put it on ON DUTY when you get to shipper/ receiver and if loading/ unloading takes more than 30 min, change it to SLEEPER. that way you're not eating up ON DUTY hours.

[@Michael.....]

@@trxexpress you said put status in sleeper if waiting to load/unload at shipper/receiver takes more than 30 minutes.. okay but then after an hour your good to go, what then will happen to your sleeper status? Cause it wouldn't be applicable to the 7/3 or 8/2 split.. would that sleeper status convert to on duty status on your eld?

[@trxexpress]

@Michael no the sleeper wouldn't count toward your split (7/3 or 8/2) unless it's for more than 2 or 3 consecutive. But, st least if you get held back for an hour only and have it as 30 min on duty and 30 sleeper, the sleeper time will not eat in to your 70 hours for that week.

[@bzahdan]

If my on duty hours were 5 hours and then i went off duty Do i need to take a full 10 hours off duty or does it pro-rate??

[@trxexpress]

The way I understand it is, regardless how many hours ON duty you have (when I say ON duty I mean all hours combined, from the moment you did your PTI, including OFF duty and Sleeper), if you go into OFF duty, and do less than 7 hours of OFF Duty, it will count towards the same day 14-hours. Unless you do a 7,8 or 10-hour consecutively Sleeper or OFF Duty (to reset your 14-hour Day), you may go into violation for that day on your 14-hours for that day. Does that make sense? Think of it this way. Everything you do from the moment you do your PTI, goes towards your 14-hour shift. This 14-hour shift will reset ONLY after you do a 7,8 or 10 consecutive hour SLEEPER. Your weekly available hours are reset with a 34-hour rest period. Hope that helps!

[@urielholly4117]

Are local drivers supposed to be working the full 14 hours wether on duty or driving ?

[@trxexpress]

Local drivers don't necessarily even need a logbook as far as I know. Don't quote me on that though, it's best to check with your safety or HR dept because every company is different.

[@ONTHEEDGEFRED]

I don't think you have to have a log book as long as you don't drive more than a hundred and fifty air miles away from your office And you clock in and clock out the same place everyday.

[@missohio8548]

Ty for this video Im studying for the permit and have to know this. So do you have to drive 8 hours straight before break is mandatory or just after 8 hours?

[@winstonsalem5124]

Does a box truck owner need to use E logs if you run local deliveries ? Can I cross a state line if I'm within the rules? Will paper logs be ok?

[@trxexpress]

I'm not really sure about box trucks. We do reefer, over the road loads. I would recommend you check FMCSAs website

[@610AZ]

Intrastate/state law applies if you stay within the state. As soon as you cross borders it moves to Interstate and Fed DOT Laws

[@user-ji8nj1es8m]

Can we drive more than 11 hours a day after we take full 10 hour sleep

[@miguelmanuel6778]

Hello? So does my 14 hour clock automatically stops after being at a shipper for 5 hours? Cause mines did and I didn’t know what to do but take my 10 hour break should I have still run cause I still had 9 hours on my driving?

[@trxexpress]

You didn't do anything wrong. So, the clock doesn't automatically start or stop. Pretty much you decide when it starts and when it stops. In your case, you had 2 options. Option 1: wait for another 5 hours so that you can reset your 14-hour shift and start with a fresh logbook. Option 2: If you had remaining hours after your 5-hour delay, you could have driven those hours until your 14-hour shift is over (considering you started it before you arrived at the shipper). Hope that helps

[@miguelmanuel6778]

@@trxexpress thank you bro for answering and your right I should I have run with it but instead I did my 10 hour break and didn’t make it to my appointment. Which is why they brought me back to the yard for retraining. Thank you for answering

[@trxexpress]

@@miguelmanuel6778 I'm glad I gave you some insight. We've all done the same mistakes so trust me, you're not the only one. As long as you maintain a student mentality you've got nothing to worry about! Stay safe out there!

[@miguelmanuel6778]

@@trxexpress I’m back, so example my pickup tomorrow is at 11:00 am but I’m departing at 9 and my first stop is due till 9:00pm how do I manage my clock there because at 11:00pm my 14 hour clock has run out. Unless there’s a way of getting by? Thank you for answering

[@trxexpress]

@miguelmanuel6778 if your company is booking your loads without any headroom, then the problem is not with you. You can't plan pick up and delivery times based on Google maps. That's your main problem. You've got 2 options. Drive your regular 11 hours of driving within your 14 hour shift and then do a 10 hour sleeper to reset your 14 hour shift... OR do a split sleeper (7+3 or 8+2) if you get held up at pick up or delivery. The split sleeper might put you to drive during some late hours but it is an option after all. ORRR... option 3. Call dispatch and ask them how you're supposed to make this load on time.

[@naturemanshawnd6542]

The video doesnt talk about how much time you get back when doing a split, it is never 11 hours of drive time. How does this calculation work, some examples please

[@trxexpress]

We do have another video explaining it in detail, with examples, kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJfMfJ98ZcSSmrssi=Vj-HK0FT6rknv6FP starts at 4:20

[@terryhill545]

I sure am glad I am retired and don't have to put up with this shit anymore.

[@trxexpress]

Congrats on your retirement!

[@ModernMessiah]

IN CASE NOBODY KNEW... 1. There's a 12 hour rule you use doing local where you don't have to take a 30 minute break. We use it doing fuel hauling. 2. There's also a farm exemption rule where you can work 16 hours per day hauling live turkeys, chicken etc. Doing stuff having to deal witn farm work. 3. There's an 8/2 Split Rule where if you do work that requires hours of loading you go into sleeper birth for a Minimum of 2 hours and it stops your 14 hour clock. Meaning if you originally ran out of hours at Midnight you can now drive until 2AM or whatever the times were!! We did this doing dollar tree, dollar general loads etc You're welcome 😊

[@trxexpress]

Hats off to you good sir....or madam... or however you identify i guess 🤔 🤷.... can't be too careful nowadays lol. But seriously though, great info, thank you!

[@ModernMessiah]

@trxexpress lmao right gotta cover all your bases. 34 year old man. I've tried every type of trucking..literally lol

[@quinosgym3441]

What about heading home ? Are you just off duty and able to drive home ?

[@trxexpress]

No, you aren't just off duty. Depending on your distance to home, you can put it in Personal Conveyance and drive like that. BUT there might be potential issues (For example, some companies have a miles, or time limit, on how much you can use PC; even DOT officers might get suspicious if they see that you used PC for a long time). My best bet was to do a 10-hour sleeper and then just drive home on driving when I was away from home for more than 200 miles. So it's best to ask your safety department. Hope that helped

[@TonyTony-vb5pu]

Yes you missed the adverse driving conditions

[@NYVET48TFW]

You kind of left out some information. You can be on duty for longer than 14 hours, and work more than 70 hours as long as you satisfy the 10 hour break and or 34 hour reset. Most drivers may not have to worry about this but they should know.

[@trxexpress]

"60/70-Hour Limit May not drive 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." - FMCSA website "Adverse Driving Conditions Drivers are allowed to extend the 11-hour maximum driving limit and 14-hour driving window by up to 2 hours when adverse driving conditions are encountered." - FMCSA website Regarding the daily hour limit, you are correct. A driver may extend their driving hours due to adverse driving conditions. But I don't think you can do more than 70 hours. Can you please give us a reference where you saw/read that?

[@NYVET48TFW]

@@trxexpress I know this because I am a driver for a company that uses their drivers as yard jockeys on weekly bids (union job). When working the yard, one may work extra (overtime) hours without any violations because they are not on the road. A driver can be on duty infinitely but may not drive again unless and until they satisfy the break requirements. Example 1: I drive the road for a week and use my 70 hours. I can then work the yard for an extra day or two or three etc...but I cannot drive on the road again until I have 34 hours off duty. Example 2: a driver can drive his/her 11 hours and be on duty for an unlimited number of hours after that. The 14-hour rule only affects drive time. If that driver got to a shipper/receiver, repair shop, terminal etc, and stayed on duty for 6 hours past their 14, they could not drive again until they take a 10 hour break. Obviously as you know, they cannot drive once they hit their 70 hours and need to take a 34-hour reset, but a driver can still be on duty well past his/her 70 hours as long as they don't drive on the road and after they satisfy a 34-hour reset. This wouldn't apply to most drivers and I wasn't saying anything about extending DRIVE time, but on duty time is limitless, a driver just needs to satisfy the required break/reset times before driving on a public roadway again.

[@trxexpress]

@@NYVET48TFW Your examples are spot on. Thank you for clarifying. Honestly I wasn't aware of this rule because we do mainly OTR and Regional.

[@NYVET48TFW]

@@trxexpress understood, I'm not clear on the split sleeper rule because I went from OTR to local in 2018 before the last rule change. BTW your trucks look sweet!

[@StanleyG89]

Hello. My question about status change is when I’m in heavy traffic. Sometimes it changed my status from driving to on duty. Can I possibly be violation for something that is out of my control like traffic or accidents that causes my change in status?

[@trxexpress]

If you're in traffic for a prolonged time, without moving, it may do that because it doesn't detect movement. The best thing to do in situations like that is either put in the remarks that you're stuck in traffic or contact your dispatch and safety and ask them what you can do.

[@Latebutneverlate]

No, I sometimes I contact dispatch or note in during that time about traffic back-ups. Though, On-Dury no longer counts ... per say. And like TRX E has said, though I always contact dispatch about such delays for it also helps in other areas for pu and del.

[@jamesprall9964]

Just switch to off duty while in traffic, remeber to stay under 5mph tho

[@truckerrickakamanowar]

@@jamesprall9964 been there done that lol.....alot.

[@eliasgeorgakopoulos8537]

And this os why nobody wants to become a driver anymore. It's the same crap in Europe. So many stupid rules and penalties, it's like playing a board game instead of just working like a responsible human being. But what so you expect when bureaucrats who have never worked a real job make up all the rules?

[@MrRipcord01]

Wow, you are wrong about the split sleeper. It has nothing to do with having hours remaining from the day before, absolutely Nothing!!!!

[@mrcloudd1056]

This is nuts. Way too overbearing.

[@nonenone8695]

Haha, this guy is explaining the hours of service that are acceptable for his company, but the truth to the matter is that the driver has the keys and isn't restricted to 1/2 hr break, The driver can take a 1 hr break if he feels he needs to and you can't do nothing about it while he's on the road. The driver has a responsibility to drive in a safe manner and companies push a driver to run 14 hours when if fact it's up to the driver if he wants to run 10, 12, 14 hrs.

[@trxexpress]

You're absolutely correct. The driver can take as long as they want OFF DUTY time. The overall goal of the video is to let people know what the minimum time is to take OFF duty so that they don't go into violation. At the end of the day, you don't even have to be in the truck if you want time off. If you are in the truck and spend 6 hours on the truck stop just sitting around when you can actually drive and make money, then find, do that. But don't go crying on the internet that you're not making money.

[@franciscobarragan1360]

You are soo wrong you should not be given bad information, if you sleep for 7 hours you can’t drive because you’ll be in violation. YOU CAN NOT DO 7-3 or 8-2. It has to be 3-7 or 2-7. You are very wrong

[@andrewoldacre1683]

I will never run the road...silly ELD...a rule made up by a pencil pusher...2hrs for free to load...2hrs free to offload....u can keep the road..

[@aadaw6787]

So poor explaining

[@trxexpress]

Thank you! You're welcome to pitch in and show us how it's done

[@aadaw6787]

@@trxexpress if u could explained little slower

[@trxexpress]

I'm sorry to hear that it was too fast for you. I have another video where i explain it even more, maybe that'll help you too. It's not necessarily slower pace but it's explained in more detail. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJfMfJ98ZcSSmrssi=2_ZVVxyb_DeqObK0

[@missohio8548]

Ok so driving 8 hours straight one will need at least 2 stops for bathroom or pickup something. Thats about half hour each. You have to log this but how? As OD? If you do that does it cut into your 11 hour driving time?

[@trxexpress]

Yes, so you must have at least a 30 minute break as OFF DUTY within the first 8 hours. You can't drive continuously for 8 hours. Going OFF DUTY or ON DUTY or even YARD MOVE doesn't cut into your DRIVING time but does affect your 14-hour shift. Only while in motion (driving) will cut into your 11 hour DRIVING time. Hope that helps! Good luck!

[@user-ji8nj1es8m]

Can we drive more than 11 hours a day after we take full 10 hour sleep

[@user-ji8nj1es8m]

Can we drive more than 11 hours a day after we take full 10 hour sleep

[@user-ji8nj1es8m]

Can we drive more than 11 hours a day after we take full 10 hour sleep

[@trxexpress]

No you cannot. You can only drive a maximum of 11 hours per day after your full 10 hours of sleep