How Many Hours a Day Can Truck Drivers Drive?

 In the United States, regulations on commercial drivers’ driving time are designed to ensure road safety for both the truckers themselves and other road users.

The rules, known as Hours of Service (HOS), are controlled by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), a division of the U.S. Department of Transportation.
In this article, we will answer the common question “how many hours a day can a truck driver drive,” referring to the current updates in the FMCSA rules.

How many hours a day can truck drivers drive?

• According to FMCSA requirements, truck drivers have a 14-hour window in which they can drive for up to 11 hours after starting their shift. This 14-hour period begins at the start of the driver’s shift.

• At the end of this period, the driver must take a break of at least 10 hours.

• Within the 14-hour window, drivers are allowed to drive the truck for no more than 11 hours.

• Drivers are required to take a break of at least 30 minutes after 8 consecutive hours of driving. The break can be spent in off-duty status or in the sleeper berth. Then, it is permissible to drive the remaining 3 hours.

• After the 11-hour period, the remaining 3 hours are for breaks for meals, rest, or paperwork.

NOTE! Rest time does not extend the 14-hour period.

• Drivers cannot drive after working 60 hours over 7 days. A new 7-day period is only allowed after 34 hours of rest or more.

Exceptions and special provisions

FMCSA has issued certain exceptions that apply to specific scenarios or industries, such as:

• Adverse driving conditions: Allow drivers to extend driving time by up to 2 hours when encountering adverse driving conditions – fog, snow, or heavy traffic due to accidents.

• Short-haul exception: Drivers operating within a 150-mile radius of their normal work location and returning to that location within 14 hours are exempt from the requirement to keep a Record of Duty Status (RODS) and are not subject to the 30-minute break requirement.

The regulations on how many hours a day can a commercial driver drive were constructed in order to reduce driver fatigue, which is a significant factor in accidents involving commercial vehicles.

It is important for all commercial drivers to strictly adhere to HOS regulations to ensure road safety.