Hours of Service
Federal regulations (49 CFR Part 395) that limit the number of hours a commercial motor vehicle driver can operate within a day and week, enforced through electronic logging devices to prevent fatigued driving.
Written by Rajat GuptaRajat GuptaEditor
Rajat Gupta runs FleetOpsClub and writes its software reviews, comparisons and pricing pages. Every tool on the site is assessed against the vendor's own published documentation and pricing, and each pricing figure carries the date it was last verified so readers can judge how current it is. Where a vendor does not publish a price, the page says so rather than estimating one.
Last reviewed Aug 20, 2026Evaluating software in this category?
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Compare ELD Compliance software →The Core HOS Limits in Plain Numbers
Key Hours-of-Service Limits for Property-Carrying Drivers (49 CFR 395)
| Rule | Limit | Reset Condition |
|---|---|---|
| 11-Hour Driving Limit | Max 11 hours of driving after 10 consecutive off-duty hours | Requires 10 consecutive off-duty hours before driving again |
| 14-Hour On-Duty Window | Cannot drive after the 14th hour from start of shift | Requires 10 consecutive off-duty hours to reset the window |
| 30-Minute Break Requirement | Must take a 30-min break after 8 cumulative driving hours | Break must be off-duty or sleeper berth — not on-duty not driving |
| 60/70-Hour Limit | 60 hours in 7 days OR 70 hours in 8 days (carrier selects) | 34-hour restart required to reset the weekly cycle |
| 34-Hour Restart | Resets the 60/70-hour limit after 34 consecutive off-duty hours | May be used once per week; does not reset the 14-hour daily window |
| Sleeper Berth Provision | Split rest: 8+ hours in berth + 2+ hours off-duty or berth | Neither period counts against the 14-hour window if berth qualifies |
Exemptions That Change the Math
Not all drivers operate under the standard property-carrier rules. The 100 Air-Mile Radius Exemption (also called the short-haul exemption) allows drivers who stay within 100 air miles of their work reporting location, return to that location each shift, and do not exceed 11 driving hours to use a time record instead of a full ELD log — as long as the carrier retains those time records for 6 months. The Adverse Driving Conditions exemption allows drivers to extend the driving window by up to 2 hours when unexpected conditions (ice, flooding, accidents) make it impossible to safely complete the planned trip. The Agricultural Exemption suspends HOS rules for drivers transporting agricultural commodities within 150 air miles of the source during planting and harvest seasons. Carriers relying on these exemptions must document them carefully — misapplied exemptions are treated as logbook falsification.
Operational Scenario: The 14-Hour Trap
How a delayed pickup burns the clock on compliant drivers
A driver for a Midwest LTL operation logs on at 6:00 AM. A shipper delay holds the truck at the dock until 10:30 AM — four and a half hours of on-duty not-driving time. The driver departs, drives 8 hours, and arrives at the destination at 6:30 PM. With the 30-minute mandatory break taken at the 8-hour mark, the driver has used 12.5 hours of the 14-hour window. They cannot legally begin the return leg even though they have 8.5 hours of remaining driving time, because the 14-hour window closes at 8:00 PM and the return leg would push them past it. This is the 14-hour trap: dock delays burn the on-duty clock even when the wheels aren't turning, shrinking the usable driving window without reducing fatigue. Dispatch teams that don't account for average loading times when building schedules routinely put drivers in this position.
HOS Violations and Their CSA Severity Weights
Common HOS Violations Ranked by CSA Severity Weight
| Violation | CFR Citation | Severity Weight (1–10) |
|---|---|---|
| Driving beyond the 11-hour limit | 395.3(a)(3)(i) | 7 |
| Driving beyond the 14-hour window | 395.3(a)(2) | 7 |
| False log — hours of service | 395.8(e)(1) | 6 |
| No record of duty status (RODS) | 395.8(a) | 5 |
| ELD malfunction not corrected within 8 days | 395.34(a) | 5 |
| Failing to take required 30-minute break | 395.3(a)(3)(ii) | 4 |
| Form and manner violations (missing required fields) | 395.8(f)(1) | 2 |
What Fleet Managers Should Build Into Dispatch Workflows
- Build dock dwell time into route plans — assume 45–90 minutes of on-duty not-driving time per stop and schedule departure windows accordingly
- Set ELD alerts for drivers approaching 10 hours of driving so they have time to reach a safe parking location before the 11-hour limit triggers
- Configure 14-hour window alerts at the 12-hour mark — by hour 12, dispatch needs to know whether the driver will make their delivery before the window closes
- Document adverse driving condition extensions in the driver's log at the time of use — adding a note after the fact creates falsification exposure
- For short-haul operations using the 100 air-mile exemption, confirm drivers are returning to their home terminal each day before removing them from ELD requirements
- Run a weekly HOS exception report from your ELD platform — most ELDs surface hours violations 24–72 hours after they occur, not in real time
- Train drivers on the sleeper berth split provision — many drivers leave hours on the table because they don't know how to legally split their rest
Hours of Service FAQ
Quick answers to the questions buyers usually ask once the category, software, or rollout details start getting more specific.
A
Yes. Any time a driver is on duty — including fueling, scaling at a weigh station, completing pre-trip inspections, or waiting at a shipper dock — counts against the 14-hour on-duty window. Only off-duty time, qualifying sleeper berth time, or personal conveyance stops the clock.
A
Personal conveyance (PC) allows a driver to move a commercial vehicle for personal reasons after being relieved from work — typically driving to a nearby restaurant or rest area. PC time is logged as off-duty and does not count against driving or on-duty limits. However, it cannot be used to advance a load, reposition equipment for the carrier's benefit, or extend a driver's workday. Misuse of personal conveyance is a common inspection finding.
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