Hours-of-service and ELD compliance
Hours-of-service violations are among the easiest to find, because the ELD records every minute. We train owners, dispatchers and drivers on the rules, and review your logs so problems show up in our report before they show up at roadside.
The core limits for property-carrying drivers
These come from 49 CFR 395.3 and FMCSA's hours-of-service summary.
10 hours off
A driver may not drive until they have taken 10 consecutive hours off duty.
11 hours driving
After 10 hours off, a driver may drive up to 11 hours.
14-hour window
No driving after the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty. Off-duty time does not pause the window.
30-minute break
After 8 cumulative hours of driving, a driver needs 30 consecutive minutes not driving: off duty, sleeper berth, on duty not driving, or a mix.
60 or 70 hours
No driving after 60 hours on duty in 7 consecutive days, or 70 hours in 8 days if the carrier operates every day of the week.
34-hour restart
34 or more consecutive hours off duty starts a new 7- or 8-day period.
The exceptions, and how they get misused
- Sleeper berth split. A driver may split the 10 hours off into two periods: at least 7 consecutive hours in the sleeper berth and at least 2 hours in another period, adding up to at least 10. When paired correctly, neither period counts against the 14-hour window (FMCSA summary).
- Adverse driving conditions. When a driver runs into conditions they could not have known about at dispatch, the 11-hour and 14-hour limits can stretch by up to 2 hours. Normal traffic and a slow shipper don't count.
- Short-haul exception. A driver who stays within 150 air miles of their normal work reporting location and is released within 14 hours may use time records instead of logs on those days (49 CFR 395.1).
Most of the violations we see are not drivers cheating. They come from dispatch planning that ignores the clock, and from exceptions used out of habit when the facts don't fit.
FMCSA has announced pilot programs to test more flexible sleeper berth and split-duty rules, with launch planned for 2027. Their flexibilities are described for participating drivers only. Run on the rules above unless you are formally enrolled.
ELDs: what the carrier is responsible for
The ELD belongs to the driver's day, but most of the duties belong to the carrier.
- Use only a registered device. Carriers may use only ELDs on FMCSA's registered list (49 CFR 395.22). FMCSA removes devices from that list from time to time and gives carriers a deadline to switch, so check it.
- Keep the information packet in the truck. It holds an instruction sheet for transferring data to an officer, an instruction sheet for reporting malfunctions, and blank paper logs for at least 8 days. The separate user's manual is no longer required in the truck as of July 22, 2026 (Federal Register).
- Handle malfunctions on time. The driver notes the malfunction, tells the carrier in writing within 24 hours, and keeps paper logs. The carrier must repair or replace the device within 8 days, or ask FMCSA for more time within 5 days of the driver's notice (49 CFR 395.34).
- Keep a backup. The carrier keeps a backup copy of ELD records for 6 months on a separate device (395.22).
Some drivers don't need an ELD: drivers using the short-haul time-record exception, drivers who need logs no more than 8 days in any 30-day period, certain driveaway-towaway operations, and vehicles whose engine is older than model year 2000 (49 CFR 395.8). They still follow the hours limits.
Supporting documents an investigator will ask for
Logs get checked against other records. Under 49 CFR 395.11, keep these for each driver:
- Bills of lading, itineraries or schedules showing trip origin and destination
- Dispatch and trip records
- Expense receipts tied to on-duty not-driving time, such as fuel
- Fleet management system messages
- Payroll records or settlement sheets
- Generally no more than 8 per driver per 24-hour period, submitted by the driver within 13 days
- Logs and supporting documents kept at least 6 months (395.8(k))
How we train and check
Train the people who plan the day
Owners and dispatchers learn the clock, because most hours problems start with a load booked that can't legally be delivered on time. This is part of how our dispatch service plans loads.
Train the drivers
Duty statuses, annotations, edits, unassigned driving time, malfunctions, and what to hand an officer at roadside.
Review a sample of logs
We compare logs with supporting documents and flag violations, missing records and patterns.
Write it down
You get the findings in writing, plus a written hours-of-service policy you can hand every driver.
Backed by education
Our help with hours of service and ELD is backed by the education we created at Freight University. We use education, data, technology and academics to stay on top of the newest FMCSA rules and regulations. You don't get one person. You get a team, a platform and a network with up-to-date information, making sure it's done the right and correct way. How we work.
- Current on the newest FMCSA rules
- A team, a platform and a network behind you
- Done the right and correct way
Questions and answers
Does a delay at the shipper stop my 14-hour clock?
Usually not. Waiting at a dock is on-duty time, and the 14-hour window keeps running. The exception is a properly paired split-sleeper period: at least 7 consecutive hours in the sleeper berth plus a separate rest of at least 2 hours, totaling at least 10, is not counted against the 14 hours, provided it is logged correctly (FMCSA). Without that, detention eats the day, which is why it matters so much to a small carrier.
My truck is older than model year 2000. Do I still need an ELD?
It depends on the engine, not just the truck. The exception applies when the engine is older than model year 2000, so a newer glider kit with an older engine can qualify, and an older truck with a replacement engine from model year 2000 or later does not (FMCSA). The exception covers the ELD only. The driver still follows the hours limits and keeps paper records of duty status when required.
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Ask about HOS and ELD training
Tell us how many drivers you run, which kind of freight, and whether you've had hours violations recently. We'll suggest where to start.
Prefer the phone? Call 901-205-9679.
Sources
- 49 CFR 395.3 — Maximum driving time for property-carrying vehicles
- FMCSA — Summary of Hours of Service Regulations
- 49 CFR 395.1 — Scope of rules in this part (exceptions)
- FMCSA — FMCSA advances hours of service pilot programs (Aug 27, 2026)
- 49 CFR 395.8 — Driver's record of duty status
- 49 CFR 395.11 — Supporting documents
- 49 CFR 395.22 — Motor carrier responsibilities (ELD)
- 49 CFR 395.34 — ELD malfunctions and data diagnostic events
- Federal Register, June 22, 2026 — Rescinding the requirement for ELD operator's manual located in CMVs (final rule, effective July 22, 2026)
- FMCSA — Registered and revoked ELDs