Safety on the road starts with self-care, and for truck drivers that means plenty of rest. It’s no secret that truck drivers spend long hours behind the wheel, ensuring important deliveries are made and shelves stay stocked. However, the pressure to make timely deliveries and keep costs low can be overwhelming, leading drivers to scrifice vital rest.
In this blog post, we discuss the most common DOT Hours of Service- designed to help truckers streamline driving and rest while on duty.
In order for truck drivers to regulate their duty cycles, the Dot Hours of Services were developed. These hours highlight different on-duty and off-duty time periods, which must be recorded using an Electronic logging Device (ELD).
All commercial vehicle operators are required to abide by these hours. It ensures they are well rested, keeping them awake and alert behind the wheel.
Here is a comprehensive list of the different regulations outlining the DOT Hours of Service.
1. 14-Hour Shift Limit: 14 hours is the maximum time period that truck drivers can be on duty. After the 14th hour, they must stop for a 10-hour break, after which, the 14-hour on-duty period starts again.
2. 11-Hour Driving Limit: Now, you can’t drive 14-hours straight during the shift mentioned above. You must break it up so that you drive a total of 11-hours with break time that spans 3-hours.
3. 60/70 Hour Limit: How often are you on the clock? Carriers that aren’t driving on a daily basis must not exceed a seven day driving period. Daily operators however, must not exceed 70-hours within eight days.
4. 34-Hour Restart: The 60/70-hours limit mentioned above must be followed by 34 hours of consecutive rest.
5. 30-Minute Breaks: After driving eight hours the truck driver must take a 30-minute rest.
6: Split Sleep Berth: With this particular rule, a 10-hour on duty shift must be broken up between 8/2 or 7/3 hours. The trucker can stay in the sleeper berth for 8-10 hours, however it’s mandatory to spend 2-8 hours off-duty. This is the same format to follow when breaking up a 10-hour shift between 7/3 hours.
True Carriers Group is a non-asset based group of carriers that has been helping drive America’s supply chain for over 40 years. We offer a full range of logistics services, including Intermodal, Reefer, Van, Flatbed, Brokerage, LTL and Heavy Haul.
