How many hours can a truck driver drive?
Eleven hours, after ten consecutive hours off duty, and only within 14 consecutive hours of coming on duty. Both have to hold. The one that ends your day is whichever runs out first, and it is usually the 14.
| Clock | Limit | Starts | Resets |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driving | 11 hours | After 10 consecutive hours off duty | Another 10 consecutive hours off duty |
| Window | 14 consecutive hours | The moment you come on duty | Another 10 consecutive hours off duty |
| Break | 30 minutes | After 8 cumulative hours of driving | Any 30 consecutive minutes not driving |
| Cycle | 60 hours in 7 days, or 70 in 8 | Rolling — it never stops | Hours drop off day by day, or a 34-hour restart |
A day, hour by hour
On duty at 06:00. The 14-hour window ends at 20:00 and nothing changes that.
| Time | What happens | Driving used | Window left |
|---|---|---|---|
| 06:00 | On duty, pre-trip | 0:00 | 14:00 |
| 06:30 | Start driving | 0:00 | 13:30 |
| 10:30 | Four hours driven, fuel stop | 4:00 | 9:30 |
| 11:00 | Back driving | 4:00 | 9:00 |
| 14:30 | At the receiver — 7:30 driven | 7:30 | 5:30 |
| 18:00 | Released after 3:30 of detention | 7:30 | 2:00 |
| 20:00 | Window closes. 3:30 of driving time unused | 9:30 | 0:00 |
Three and a half hours of legal driving time went in the bin at a dock, and no rule gives them back. That is the real cost of detention, and why it belongs in the rate — see detention pay.
What each clock actually counts
- Driving time is time at the controls with the vehicle in motion. Your ELD records it automatically from the engine.
- On-duty time is everything you do for the carrier — inspections, fuelling, paperwork, waiting at a dock, supervised loading. It counts against the cycle even though it is not driving.
- Off-duty time is time you are free to pursue your own activities. Sitting in the bunk waiting for a door is generally not off duty.
- Sleeper berth is its own status, and it is the only one that can pause the 14-hour window — see the split sleeper rules.
The three ways to get more driving time
- Ten consecutive hours off duty. The only full reset. Both clocks go back to 11 and 14.
- A qualifying sleeper split. Pairs a period of at least 7 consecutive hours in the berth with at least 2 more, and neither counts against the window.
- The adverse driving conditions exception. Up to two extra hours on both the driving limit and the window, for conditions you genuinely could not have known about.
There is no fourth way. Waiting, splitting the day into short stints, or going off-duty at a dock you are not free to leave are all ways of getting a violation.
Questions
How many hours can a truck driver drive in a day?
Eleven, after ten consecutive hours off duty — and only if those eleven fit inside the 14 consecutive hours that start when you come on duty. Both limits have to be satisfied, so a day with long delays in it will hit the 14 before it hits the 11.
How many hours can a truck driver drive in a week?
It is governed by the cycle, not the week: 60 hours on duty in any 7 consecutive days, or 70 in any 8, depending on whether your carrier operates every day. On duty includes everything, not just driving.
Does the 14-hour clock stop when I stop?
No. It is 14 consecutive hours from coming on duty. Breaks, fuelling, loading and traffic all happen inside it. Only a qualifying sleeper-berth split pauses it.
Can I drive after 14 hours if I still have driving time left?
No. Once the 14th hour passes you may not drive, even with hours left on the 11. You can do other on-duty work; you just cannot move the truck for the carrier.
What if I'm caught in traffic and run out of hours?
Unexpected conditions may qualify for the adverse driving conditions exception, which adds up to two hours. Ordinary congestion you could have anticipated does not qualify, and neither does a late dock.