EMA Regulatory Reminder On Driver Hours Of Service Requirements
EMA has been asked to provide a review of the FMCSA’s CDL Drivers Hours of Service (HOS), including record of duty logs and the short haul exception to the HOS requirements.
EMA recently was able to expand hour and distance limitations of short haul exception from 100 air-mile radius and 12 hours maximum on duty time to a 150 air-mile and 14 on-duty hours.
— 11 Hour Driving Limit: CDL drivers may drive a maximum of 11 hours per shift after 10 consecutive hours off-duty.
— 14 Hour On-Duty Limit: CDL drivers may not drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty, following 10 consecutive hours off duty. Off-duty time does not extend the 14-hour period.
— 60/70 Hour Weekly Limit: CDL drivers may not drive after 60 hours on duty in 7 consecutive days or after 70 hours over 8 consecutive days. A driver may restart the 7/8 consecutive day week period after taking 34 or more consecutive hours off duty.
— Adverse Driving Conditions: CDL drivers are allowed to extend the 11-hour maximum driving limit and 14-hour on-duty limit by up to two hours each when adverse driving conditions are encountered. Adverse driving conditions are caused by severe weather-related events.
The FMCSA defines adverse driving conditions as: “snow, sleet, fog, other adverse weather conditions, a highway covered with snow or ice, or unusual road and traffic conditions, none of which were apparent on the basis of information known to the person dispatching the run at the time it was begun.”
If any of the conditions described above exist, drivers may continue driving until the intended destination is reached or until they are able to safely reach a secure location, but for no more than two extra hours.
— Short Haul Driver Exception: A CDL driver is exempt from recording hours of service if – the driver operates within a 150-air mile radius of the normal work reporting location, and the driver does not exceed the 14-hour maximum on-duty period.
Drivers using the short haul exception must report and return to the normal work reporting location within 14 consecutive hours and stay within a 150 air-mile radius of that location.
Contact Mark S. Morgan, EMA Regulatory Counsel with any questions at markmorgan@verizon.net.
