Hours of Service (HOS) Regulations for Commercial Fleets

Hours of Service (HOS) Regulations for

Commercial Fleets

www.fleetcommander.com

When Did HOS Come Into Effect?

• The United States Department of Transportation’s HOS Regulations came into effect on July 1, 2013.

• The set of rules were issued by the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration).


FMCSA

Who Must Comply?

Drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMV) must comply with the HOS regulations.

For the purpose of HOS regulations, a CMV is defined as any vehicle that is:

• Used by a business

• Is involved in interstate commerce

• Has a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) over 10,000 lbs

The rules are different for property-carrying and passenger-carrying vehicles.


What is the Driving Limit? www.fleetcommander.com

Property-Carrying CMV Passenger-Carrying CMV

11-Hour Driving Limit 10-Hour Driving Limit

May drive a maximum of 11 hours, following 10 consecutive hours of being off duty.

May drive a maximum of 10 hours, following 8 consecutive hours of being off duty.

What is the On-Duty Limit? www.fleetcommander.com

Property-Carrying CMV Passenger-Carrying CMV

14-Hour On-Duty Limit 15-Hour On-Duty Limit

Must not drive after the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty. This must follow 10 consecutive hours of being off duty. An increase in off-duty time does not extend the 14-hour period.

Must not drive after the 15th consecutive hour after coming on duty. This must follow 8 consecutive hours of being off duty. An increase in off-duty time does not extend the 15-hour period.

What is the 60/70 Rule?

• Businesses not operating CMVs every day are subject to the 60 hour 7 day rule

• Businesses who do operate CMVs every day are subject to the 70 hour 8 day rule

• A driver must not drive after 60 hours of being on duty on 7 consecutive days or 70 hours of being on duty on 8 consecutive days.

• A driver may restart a 7/8 consecutive day period only after taking 34 consecutive hours or more off duty.


What is the Sleeper Berth Provision?

• Drivers using a sleeper berth must get a minimum of 10 total hours in the sleeper berth.

• Drivers can split the sleeper berth time into two periods, provided one period consists of 8 consecutive hours and the second period is at least 2 consecutive hours.


How are the HOS Tracked?

• Every CMV driver is required to maintain a log book and keep track of driving and rest hours.

• The log book can be a simple notebook with a grid pattern.

• Every 24-hour day is divided into 15-minute segments.

• Two copies are made of each page, one is retained by the driver and the other is sent to the employer.


What is the Next Deadline?

• By December 18, 2017, the log book needs to be replaced by an Electronic Logging Device (ELD).

• This would be less tedious for the driver.

• The ELD automatically records driving time and location.

• The driver would still need to enter information regarding on-duty and off-duty hours.


Wondering How to Efficiently Manage Your Fleet and Drivers?

Visit: www.fleetcommander.com

Email: [email protected]

Call: 732-409-6068

Law

Hours of Service (HOS) Regulations for Commercial Fleets