What are the hours of service rules for truck drivers?

Key HOS rules: 11-hour driving limit after 10 hours off duty, 14-hour on-duty window, 30-minute break required after 8 hours driving, 60/70 hour weekly limits. Dispatchers must understand these to avoid booking loads drivers cannot legally complete.

Who is exempt from ELD requirements?

ELD exemptions include: drivers who use paper logs no more than 8 days in a 30-day period, vehicles made before 2000, drivers operating within 150 air-miles of their work reporting location, and driveaway-towaway operations. Note: exemptions vary by state.

ELD Compliance for Dispatchers 2026: What You Need to Know

Hours of Service (HOS) Quick Reference

Rule	Limit	What It Means
11-Hour Driving	11 hours	Max driving after 10 consecutive hours off
14-Hour Window	14 hours	All work must fit within 14 hours of coming on duty
30-Minute Break	After 8 hours	Required break before driving past 8 hours
60-Hour/7-Day	60 hours	Max on-duty time in 7 consecutive days
70-Hour/8-Day	70 hours	Max on-duty time in 8 consecutive days
34-Hour Restart	34 hours off	Resets weekly clock completely

Why Dispatchers MUST Understand HOS

As a dispatcher, you can destroy your carrier relationship (and potentially face liability) by booking loads that violate HOS rules.

- Driver gets $16,000 fine for HOS violation at scale
- Driver blames you for booking an impossible load
- Carrier fires you as their dispatcher
- Word spreads - harder to sign new carriers

Questions to Ask Before Booking

1. How many hours do you have on your clock? (Both driving and 14-hour window)
2. When did your 10-hour break end? (Calculates 14-hour window end)
3. Where are you now? (Calculate drive time to pickup)
4. What time is the pickup appointment? (Factor in dock wait)
5. What's your 70-hour status? (Some drivers are near weekly limits)
6. When do you want to park tonight? (Back-calculate max miles)

Real-World Example

Driver calls at 10:00 AM:

- Came on duty: 6:00 AM

- Current hours used: 4 hours (6 AM - 10 AM = 4 hours driving to current location)

- 14-hour window ends: 8:00 PM (6 AM + 14 hours)

- Driving hours remaining: 7 hours (11 - 4 = 7)

- Time remaining in window: 10 hours (8 PM - 10 AM = 10 hours)

This driver can drive max 7 more hours but must stop working by 8 PM regardless.

If pickup has 2-hour detention, driver can only drive 5 hours after that!

ELD Exemptions

150 Air-Mile Radius Exemption

Drivers operating within 150 air-miles of their work reporting location and returning daily don't need ELDs. Many local/regional carriers qualify.

Pre-2000 Vehicles

Vehicles manufactured before model year 2000 are exempt from ELD requirements.

8-Day Exception

Drivers who don't use logs more than 8 days in any 30-day period can use paper logs.

Master Compliance Rules

Our course covers HOS, ELD, CSA scores, and compliance essentials

Get the Training - $49