Hours of Service Rules: Current vs. Incoming
| | JANUARY 2004 | Effective Oct. 1, 2005 |
|---|
| Minimum Off-Duty Hours |
10 consecutive hours |
Same |
|---|
| Maximum On-Duty Hours |
14 consecutive hours
(See description of short-haul driver exemption below) |
Same |
|---|
Total Hours
(On-Duty and Off-Duty) |
24 hours |
Same |
|---|
| Maximum Driving Hours |
11 hours |
Same |
|---|
Maximum Weekly
On-Duty Limits |
60 hours in 7 days
70 hours in 8 days
for carriers that
operate 7 days a week |
Same |
|---|
Restart
On-Duty Limits |
34-hour restart at any point
in a driver's
7- or 8-day cycle |
Same |
|---|
| Sleeper Berth Exception: |
Team and Solo Drivers:
2 periods totaling at least 10 hours,
neither period may be
less than 2 hours. |
Team and Solo Drivers:
2 periods totaling at least
10 hours; one period must be at
least 8 hours in the sleeper berth; second period of time may be
spent either in or out
of the sleeper berth. |
|---|
| Electronic On-Board Recorders |
Voluntary Use |
Same |
|---|
| Federal Exceptions
& Exemptions |
Short-haul driver exemption allows local drivers to drive
after the 14th on-duty hour,
but not after the 16th hour,
one day a week. The 11 hour
driving limit, and the 60 in 7
or 70 in 8 weekly limit,
still applies to drivers using
this exemption. |
A second short-haul driver
exemption has been added that allows local drivers who are not required to have a CDL, operating within a 150 air mile radius of their starting point, to drive after the 14th hour, but not after the 16th hour, two days per week. The 11-hour driving limit, and the 60 in 7 or
70 in 8 weekly limit, still applies to drivers using this exemption. |
|---|
| Effective Date |
Jan. 4, 2004 |
Oct. 1, 2005.
However, a "transitional" period
will run from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, allowing carriers
to re-program systems, train
drivers, etc. Soft enforcement
is likely to be the case during
this transitional period. |
|---|
Washington Report continued...
