Regulated Hours for Truck Drivers

According to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, a general motor carrier and truck driver shall not drive:

• More than 11 hours following 10 consecutive hours off duty; and
• For any period after having been on duty 14 hours following 10 consecutive hours off duty.

A motor carrier must not permit or require a commercial truck driver to drive after a total of:

• 60 hours on duty in seven consecutive days; or
• 70 hours on duty in eight consecutive days.
• If the driver works more than one job of any kind, that time must be included as on-duty time.

On-Duty Time
On-duty time is defined as time the truck driver begins to work or is required to be ready to work until relieved from all work and responsibility for doing the work, to include:

• All time at a loading or unloading facility, terminal or any public or private property waiting to be dispatched, unless the motor carrier has relieved him or her from duty;
• All time spent inspecting the truck equipment;
• All truck driving time;
• All time, other than truck driving time, spent in a commercial vehicle except time spent resting in the sleeper cab;
• All time while remaining in attendance, repairing or obtaining assistance;
• All time spent including travel time taking a drug and alcohol test;
• All time performing any work in the service or employment of a common or private motor carrier; or
• All time spent performing any compensated work for any non-motor carrier business.

Truck driver fatigue contributes to hundreds of serious truck accidents each year. Many truckers continue driving when fatigued, due to intense pressure by irresponsible company management to deliver loads on time, and ill-advised financial incentives to drive past regulated hours. Our accident lawyers can prove negligence when truck driver fatigue has contributed to a truck accident.

To request a free, no obligation case evaluation with one of our truck accident attorneys, please fill out our contact form and we will respond to your inquiry within one business day. Or to speak to an attorney immediately, please call (800) 777-0028.

Our Michigan truck accident lawyers have helped enforce important hours of service regulations to make our roads safer. No other law firm in Michigan has received more jury verdicts or consistently higher settlements for truck accident cases. In fact, the vast majority of our wrongful death and personal injury cases from truck accidents are referred to us by local attorneys, based upon our record of experience and success.