Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Regulations (2024)

Scheduling — Driving South of Latitude 60°N (continued)

Daily Off-duty Time

14(1)A motor carrier shall ensure that a driver takes and the driver shall take at least 10 hours of off-duty time in a day.
(2)Off-duty time other than the mandatory 8 consecutive hours may be distributed throughout the day in blocks of no less than 30 minutes each.
(3)The total amount of off-duty time taken by a driver in a day shall include at least 2 hours of off-duty time that does not form part of a period of 8 consecutive hours of off-duty time required by section 13.

[15 reserved]

Deferral of Daily Off-duty Time

16Despite sections 12 and 14, a driver who is not splitting off-duty time in accordance with section 18 or 19 may defer a maximum of 2 hours of the daily off-duty time to the following day if

(a)the off-duty time deferred is not part of the mandatory 8 consecutive hours of off-duty time;
(b)the total off-duty time taken in the 2 days is at least 20 hours;
(c)the off-duty time deferred is added to the 8 consecutive hours of off-duty time taken in the second day;
(d)the total driving time in the 2 days does not exceed 26 hours; and
(e)there is a declaration in the record of duty status that states that the driver is deferring off-duty time under this section and that clearly indicates whether the driver is driving under day one or day two of that time.

SOR/2019-165, s. 5

Previous Version

Ferries

17Despite sections 13 and 14, a driver travelling by a ferry crossing that takes more than 5 hours is not required to take the mandatory 8 consecutive hours of off-duty time if

(a)the time spent resting in a sleeper berth while waiting at the terminal to board the ferry, in rest accommodations on the ferry and at a rest stop that is no more than 25 km from the point of disembarkation from the ferry combine to total a minimum of 8 hours;
(b)the hours are recorded in the record of duty status as off-duty time spent in a sleeper berth;
(c)the driver retains, as a supporting document, the receipt for the crossing and rest accommodation fees; and
(d)the supporting document coincides with the record of duty status entries.

SOR/2019-165, s. 44

Previous Version

Splitting of Daily Off-duty Time — Single Driver

18(1)A driver who is driving a commercial vehicle fitted with a sleeper berth may meet the mandatory off-duty time and daily off-duty time requirements of sections 13 and 14 by accumulating off-duty time in no more than 2 periods if
- (a)neither period of off-duty time is shorter than 2 hours;
- (b)the total of the 2 periods of off-duty time is at least 10 hours;
- (c)the off-duty time is spent resting in the sleeper berth;
- (c.1)the sleeper berth meets the requirements of Schedule 1;
- (d)the total of the driving time in the periods immediately before and after each of the periods of off-duty time does not exceed 13 hours;
- (e)the elapsed time in the periods immediately before and after each of the periods of off-duty time does not include any driving time after the 16^th hour after the driver comes on-duty;
- (f)none of the daily off-duty time is deferred to the next day; and
- (g)the total of the on-duty time in the periods immediately before and after each of the periods of off-duty time referred to in paragraph (b) does not include any driving time after the 14^th hour.
(2)The 16^th hour is calculated by
- (a)excluding any period spent in the sleeper berth that is 2 hours or more in duration and that, when added to a subsequent period in the sleeper berth, totals at least 10 hours; and
- (b)including
  - (i)all on-duty time,
  - (ii)all off-duty time not spent in the sleeper berth,
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  - (iii)all periods of less than 2 hours spent in the sleeper berth, and
  - (iv)any other period spent in the sleeper berth that does not qualify as counting towards meeting the requirements of this section.
(3)[Repealed, SOR/2019-165, s. 6]

SOR/2019-165, s. 6

Previous Version

Splitting of Daily Off-duty Time — Team of Drivers

19(1)A team of drivers driving a commercial vehicle fitted with a sleeper berth may meet the mandatory off-duty time and daily off-duty time requirements of sections 13 and 14 by accumulating off-duty time in no more than 2 periods if
- (a)neither period of off-duty time is shorter than 4 hours;
- (b)the off-duty time is spent resting in the sleeper berth;
- (c)the sleeper berth meets the requirements of Schedule 1;
- (d)the total of the driving time in the periods immediately before and after each of the periods of off-duty time does not exceed 13 hours;
- (e)the elapsed time in the periods immediately before and after each of the periods of off-duty time does not include any driving time after the 16^th hour after the driver comes on duty;
- (f)none of the daily off-duty time is deferred to the next day; and
- (g)the total of the on-duty time in the periods immediately before and after each of the periods of off-duty time referred to in paragraph (b) does not include any driving time after the 14^th hour.
(2)The 16^th hour is calculated by
- (a)excluding any period spent in the sleeper berth that is 4 hours or more in duration and that, when added to a subsequent period in the sleeper berth, totals at least 8 hours; and
- (b)including
  - (i)all on-duty time,
  - (ii)all off-duty time not spent in the sleeper berth,
  - (iii)all periods of less than 4 hours spent in the sleeper berth, and
  - (iv)any other period spent in the sleeper berth that does not qualify as counting towards meeting the requirements of this section.
(3)[Repealed, SOR/2019-165, s. 7]

SOR/2019-165, s. 7

Previous Version

[20 to 23 reserved]

Cycles

24A motor carrier shall require that a driver follows and the driver shall follow either cycle 1 or cycle 2.

25Subject to section 28, no motor carrier shall request, require or allow a driver to drive and no driver shall drive unless the driver has taken at least 24 consecutive hours of off-duty time in the preceding 14 days.

26Subject to section 28, no motor carrier shall request, require or allow a driver who is following cycle 1 to drive, and no driver who is following cycle 1 shall drive, after the driver has accumulated 70 hours of on-duty time during any period of 7 days.

SOR/2019-165, s. 8

Previous Version

27Subject to section 28, no motor carrier shall request, require or allow a driver who is following cycle 2 to drive and no driver who is following cycle 2 shall drive after the driver has accumulated

(a)120 hours of on-duty time during any period of 14 days; or
(b)70 hours of on-duty time without having taken at least 24 consecutive hours of off-duty time.

SOR/2019-165, s. 9

Cycle Reset — Off-duty Time

28(1)A driver may end the current cycle and begin a new cycle if the driver first takes the following off-duty time:
- (a)for cycle 1, at least 36 consecutive hours; or
- (b)for cycle 2, at least 72 consecutive hours.
(2)After taking the off-duty time, the driver begins a new cycle, the accumulated hours are set back to zero and the driver’s hours begin to accumulate again.

Cycle Switching — Off-duty Time

29(1)No motor carrier shall request, require or allow a driver to switch and no driver shall switch from one cycle to the other without first taking the following off-duty time before beginning to drive again:
- (a)to switch from cycle 1 to cycle 2, at least 36 consecutive hours; or
- (b)to switch from cycle 2 to cycle 1, at least 72 consecutive hours.
(2)After taking the off-duty time, the driver begins the other cycle, the accumulated hours are set back to zero and the driver’s hours begin to accumulate again.

[30 to 36 reserved]

Scheduling — Driving North of Latitude 60°N

Application

37Sections 39 to 54 apply in respect of driving north of latitude 60°N.

SOR/2019-165, s. 10

Previous Version

38[Repealed, SOR/2019-165, s. 10]

Previous Version

Mandatory Off-duty Time

39(1)No motor carrier shall request, require or allow a driver to drive and no driver shall drive after the driver has accumulated more than 15 hours of driving time or 18 hours of on-duty time unless they take at least 8 consecutive hours of off-duty time before driving again.
(2)No motor carrier shall request, require or allow a driver to drive and no driver shall drive if more than 20 hours of time has elapsed between the conclusion of the most recent period of 8 or more consecutive hours of off-duty time and the beginning of the next period of 8 or more consecutive hours of off-duty time.

40[Repealed, SOR/2019-165, s. 11]

Previous Version

Splitting of Daily Off-duty Time — Single Driver

41(1)A driver who is driving a commercial vehicle fitted with a sleeper berth may meet the mandatory off-duty time requirements of section 39 by accumulating off-duty time in no more than 2 periods if
- (a)neither period of off-duty time is shorter than 2 hours;
- (b)the total of the 2 periods of off-duty time is at least 8 hours;
- (c)the off-duty time is spent resting in the sleeper berth;
- (c.1)the sleeper berth meets the requirements of Schedule 1;
- (d)the total of the driving time in the periods immediately before and after each of the periods of off-duty time does not exceed 15 hours;
- (e)the on-duty time in the periods immediately before and after each of the periods of off-duty time does not include any driving time after the 18^th hour after the driver comes on duty, calculated in accordance with subsection (2); and
- (f)none of the daily off-duty time is deferred to the next day.
(2)The 18^th hour is calculated by
- (a)excluding any period spent in the sleeper berth that is 2 hours or more in duration and that, when added to a subsequent period in the sleeper berth, totals at least 8 hours; and
- (b)including
  - (i)all on-duty time,
  - (ii)all off-duty time not spent in the sleeper berth,
  - (iii)all periods of less than 2 hours spent in the sleeper berth, and
  - (iv)any other period spent in the sleeper berth that does not qualify as counting towards meeting the requirements of this section.
(3)[Repealed, SOR/2019-165, s. 12]

SOR/2019-165, s. 12

Previous Version

Splitting of Daily Off-duty Time — Team of Drivers

42(1)A team of drivers driving a commercial vehicle fitted with a sleeper berth may meet the mandatory off-duty time requirements of section 39 by accumulating off-duty time in no more than 2 periods if
- (a)neither period of off-duty time is shorter than 4 hours;
- (b)the off-duty time is spent resting in the sleeper berth;
- (c)the sleeper berth meets the requirements of Schedule 1;
- (d)the total of the driving time in the periods immediately before and after each of the periods of off-duty time does not exceed 15 hours;
- (e)the on-duty time in the periods immediately before and after each of the periods of off-duty time does not include any driving time after the 18^th hour after the driver comes on duty, calculated in accordance with subsection (2); and
- (f)none of the off-duty time is deferred to the next day.
(2)The 18^th hour is calculated by
- (a)excluding any period spent in the sleeper berth that is 4 hours or more in duration and that, when added to a subsequent period in the sleeper berth, totals at least 8 hours; and
- (b)including
  - (i)all on-duty time,
  - (ii)all off-duty time not spent in the sleeper berth,
  - (iii)all periods of less than 4 hours spent in the sleeper berth, and
  - (iv)any other period spent in the sleeper berth that does not qualify as counting towards meeting the requirements of this section.
(3)[Repealed, SOR/2019-165, s. 13]

SOR/2019-165, s. 13

Previous Version

[43 to 48 reserved]

Cycles

49A motor carrier shall require that a driver follows and the driver shall follow either cycle 1 or cycle 2.

50Subject to section 53, no motor carrier shall request, require or allow a driver to drive and no driver shall drive unless the driver has taken at least 24 consecutive hours of off-duty time in the preceding 14 days.

51Subject to section 53, no motor carrier shall request, require or allow a driver who is following cycle 1 to drive and no driver who is following cycle 1 shall drive after the driver has accumulated 80 hours of on-duty time during any period of 7 days.

52Subject to section 53, no motor carrier shall request, require or allow a driver who is following cycle 2 to drive and no driver who is following cycle 2 shall drive after the driver has accumulated

(a)120 hours of on-duty time in any period of 14 days; or
(b)80 hours of on-duty time, without having taken at least 24 consecutive hours of off-duty time.

Cycle Reset — Off-duty Time

53(1)A driver may end the current cycle and begin a new cycle if they first take the following off-duty time:
- (a)for cycle 1, at least 36 consecutive hours; or
- (b)for cycle 2, at least 72 consecutive hours.
(2)After taking the off-duty time, the driver begins a new cycle, the accumulated hours are set back to zero and the driver’s hours begin to accumulate again.

FAQs

Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Regulations? ›

14-Hour Limit: Drivers may not drive beyond the 14^th consecutive hour after coming on duty. They may continue to work past the 14^th hour, but must have at least ten hours off duty before driving again. Lunch breaks and other off-duty time cannot extend the 14-hour period.

Keep Reading ›

Which of the following is true about hours of service regulations? ›

Final answer: The true statement about hours of service is that it sets limits on the maximum hours a driver can work, to ensure safety and prevent fatigue-related incidents on the road.

What happens if you go over your 14-hour clock? ›

If you go over your 14-hour clock, it is considered a violation of the hours-of-service regulations for commercial drivers in the United States. Going over the 14-hour limit can result in penalties and violations, including fines and potential out-of-service orders.

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How long are hours of service retention for FMCSA? ›

Part 395: Hours of Service

Retain the logs and supporting documents for 6 months from the date they receive them.

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What is FMCSA standards? ›

FMCSA regulations provide minimum standards for the operation of commercial motor vehicles in interstate commerce, covering all personnel and entities involved. FMCSA rules run the gamut from registration and financial responsibility to driver qualification, hours of service, vehicle maintenance, and safety.

Read On ›

What is the 34 reset rule? ›

The 34-hour reset rule is designed to help drivers comply with federal Hours of Service regulations and allows drivers to reset their 60 or 70-hour clock by taking a 34-hour rest period. Often, drivers will spend this rest period at home or relaxing in their trucks.