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10-hour driving limit 

A driver may drive a maximum of 10 hours after nine consecutive hours off duty. 

11-hour driving limit 

A property-carrying driver can drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty within the 14-hour period. 

14-hour rule 

A property-carrying driver can’t drive beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty. 

150-air mile exemption 

This exemption exempts a driver with a commercial driver’s license from completing a daily log and having supporting documents within 150 air miles of their daily starting location. 

34-hour restart 

A way for CMV drivers to quickly reset their workweek when nearing the maximum number of hours allowed in “on duty” or “driving” statuses

60-hour limit 

Property-carrying drivers may not drive after 60/70 hours on duty in 7/8 consecutive days. A driver may restart a 7/8 consecutive day period after taking 34 or more consecutive hours off duty. 

Passenger carrying drivers may not drive after 60/70 hours on duty in 7/8 consecutive days. 

7/3 split 

A driver has to stay in the sleeper berth for seven hours and an additional three hours relaxing in another way (or returning to the sleeper berth). 

70-hour limit 

Property-carrying drivers may not drive after 60/70 hours on duty in 7/8 consecutive days. A driver may restart a 7/8 consecutive day period after taking 34 or more consecutive hours off duty. 

Passenger-carrying drivers may not drive after 60/70 hours on duty in 7/8 consecutive days. 

8/2 split 

One shift must be between two and eight hours, and can be spent in the sleeper berth, off duty, personal conveyance, or a combination of the three. 

A

Adverse driving conditions 

Unusual road and traffic conditions, which weren’t apparent at the time of dispatch. These conditions include snow, sleet, fog, or other adverse weather conditions. 

B

Break

A non-driving period for a specified time 

C

CDL 

Commercial Driver’s License

CMV 

Commercial Motor Vehicle

D

Driving window

The amount of time a driver is allowed to drive 

E

ELD 

An electronic logging device (ELD) refers to a system that meets FMCSA specifications, including a hardware device component connected to a vehicle’s engine control module to automatically track a driver’s driving time and to keep the record of duty status (RODS). This device monitors the driver’s driving time and hours-of-service (HOS)  compliance, among other pertinent data, allowing for more accurate and easier record keeping and fleet management. 

ETHOS 

ETHOS is an acronym for the FMCSA’s Educational Tool for Hours of Service — a tool created to help drivers and commercial vehicle fleet companies understand HOS rules and regulations. 

F

FMCSA

Part of the Department of Transportation in the United States, the FMCSA’s main goal is to create and enforce regulations that prevent commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries. 

H

HOS 

Hours of service (HOS) refers to the maximum allotted time that commercial drivers are permitted to be on duty. On duty refers to driving time, and dictates the number and length of resting periods.

HOS compliance 

The FMCSA enforces HOS compliance, which means that commercial drivers must adhere to HOS rules, which include the amount of time commercial drivers are allowed to drive per day without breaks. 

HOS Final Rule 

The HOS Final Rule is an update made by the FMCSA on June 1, 2020. In the Final Rule, the FMCSA published changes to the HOS rule, with the goal of making the 

guidelines both safe and flexible. 

I 

Interstate commerce 

Interstate commerce is the purchase, sale, or exchange of commodities, and transportation of people, money, or goods between different states.

N

New hours-of-service rules 

On June 1, 2020, the FMCSA made four revisions to their HOS regulations: the short-haul exemption, 30-minute break period, split sleeper berth, and the adverse driving condition exemption. 

Non-CMV 

A non-CMV is a vehicle only used for transportation and not for commerce of any kind. 

O

Off duty

When it comes to the FMCSA’s HOS rule, off duty refers to time periods when a commercial driver isn’t driving and not performing any other essential job duties, like getting fuel or checking load security. According to the HOS rules, drivers must have 10 hours of off-duty time per day.

On duty

Per the HOS rule mandated by the FMCSA, on-duty periods refer to driving time as well as on-duty, non-driving activities such as getting fuel and checking load security.

R

Recap 

For commercial drivers, recap is a concept for recapturing driving time, and works off of the rule of 70 hours on duty in rolling eight days. At midnight of an eighth consecutive driving day, the hours worked eight days ago drop off, are recaptured, and are available for use the following day, added to the running 70-hour on-duty cycle.

Rest period 

Per the FMCSA, commercial drivers must have 10 hours of a rest period, or off-duty time, per day. This means the driver isn’t driving or performing other essential job activities, like refueling.

S

Sleeper berth 

Sleeper berth refers to a duty status used by commercial drivers as part of the FMCSA’s HOS rule, and is used when the driver is off duty in the sleeper berth. 

Split sleeper berth

Split sleeper berth is part of an update to the HOS rule made by the FMCSA on June 1, 2020. The update modifies the original sleeper berth requirements, and allows drivers to take their required 10 hours off duty in two periods, as long as one off-duty period (whether in or out of the sleeper berth) is at least two hours long and the other involves at least seven consecutive hours spent in the sleeper berth.