Hours of Service (HOS) regulations govern how long commercial drivers can operate before they must rest. Set by the FMCSA under 49 CFR Part 395, these rules exist to prevent fatigued driving — one of the leading causes of large truck accidents. Understanding HOS is non-negotiable for every owner-operator.
The Core HOS Limits for Property Carriers
Drivers are limited to 11 hours of driving after 10 consecutive hours off duty. All driving must occur within a 14-hour window that begins when the driver comes on duty — once 14 hours have elapsed, no more driving is allowed regardless of how many hours were actually spent driving. After the 14-hour window closes, the driver must take 10 consecutive hours off before driving again.
The 30-Minute Break Requirement
Drivers who have driven for 8 cumulative hours without an interruption of at least 30 minutes must take a 30-minute break before continuing. The break can be satisfied by off-duty time, sleeper berth time, or on-duty not driving — as long as no driving occurs during those 30 minutes. This rule was updated in 2020 to give drivers more flexibility.
60/70-Hour Weekly Limits
In addition to daily limits, drivers face weekly limits. Drivers working for a carrier that operates vehicles 7 days a week are limited to 70 on-duty hours in any 8 consecutive days. Carriers operating fewer than 7 days a week apply a 60-hour/7-day limit. Once the weekly limit is reached, the driver must take at least 34 consecutive hours off before resetting. This is the '34-hour restart.'
ELD Requirements and Recordkeeping
Most CMV drivers must use an Electronic Logging Device (ELD) to record their HOS data. ELDs automatically record driving time when the vehicle moves above 5 mph. Paper logs are only allowed in limited circumstances — such as short-haul exemptions or ELD malfunctions. Drivers must retain 7 days of logs plus the current day. HOS violations are among the top CSA scores under the Hours-of-Service Compliance BASIC.
Key Takeaways
- 11 hours maximum driving after 10 consecutive hours off
- 14-hour on-duty window starts from first on-duty moment
- 30-minute break required after 8 hours of cumulative driving
- 70-hour weekly limit (7-day operators) or 60-hour (6-day operators)
- ELD required for most drivers — paper logs have very limited exceptions