Federal hours-of-service rules limit how long property-carrying drivers can drive and work. Dispatch plans that ignore them lead to late deliveries, rushed drivers and violations.
The main limits
- 11-hour driving limit: up to 11 hours of driving after 10 consecutive hours off duty.
- 14-hour window: driving must stop at the 14th hour after coming on duty, and breaks do not extend it.
- 30-minute break: required after 8 cumulative hours of driving.
- 60/70-hour limit: no driving after 60 hours on duty in 7 days, or 70 in 8 days, depending on the carrier's schedule.
- 34-hour restart: 34 or more consecutive hours off duty resets the 7 or 8 day period.
What it means for booking
- A rough planning figure is 500 to 600 miles a day, not the 11 hours times highway speed.
- Long waits at shippers eat the 14-hour window even when the truck is not moving.
- Ask the driver for hours available before offering a tight appointment.
Exceptions exist
Short-haul, adverse driving conditions, sleeper berth splits and other provisions can change the math. The driver and the carrier's safety policies decide how they apply.
Our trip time estimator builds the required rest into an arrival estimate.
General information. Confirm current rules with FMCSA; the carrier is responsible for compliance.
This article is general information, not legal, tax or regulatory advice. Rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible agency or a licensed professional.
