DOT Entry Level Driver Training – Non-Driving Activities: Hours of Service Requirements
The goal of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) Hours of Service regulations is to improve public safety by keeping fatigued commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers off of public roads. These regulations are commonly referred to as the hours-of-service rules, or HOS rules. They can be found in Part 395 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR in 49 CFR Part 395).
The HOS rules are designed to ensure that CMV drivers have enough time off to get the rest they need on a daily and weekly basis to drive safely. HOS rules are necessary because people are not good at judging their own drowsiness. This course describes the HOS rules for property-carrying and passenger-carrying CMV drivers, the responsibilities of drivers and carriers, the possible duty statuses and recording methods for Records of Duty Statuses (RODs), and who is exempt from and common exceptions to the HOS rules.
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Course Details
Learning Objectives
At the end of this course, you will be able to:
• State the goal of the FMCSA’s Hours-of-Service (HOS) regulations
• State the definition of commercial motor vehicle
• Identify CMV drivers who are exempt from HOS regulations
• Describe the four possible duty statuses
• Identify the responsibilities of CMV drivers and motor carriers
• Describe the HOS rules for property-carrying and passenger-carrying CMV drivers
• Describe the four acceptable HOS recording methods
• Describe the information that is required on Records of Duty Statuses (RODS)
• Describe common exceptions to the HOS rules
Specs
Frequently Asked Questions
Do property-carrying and passenger-carrying CMV drivers have different hours-of-service rules?
What hours are counted as “On-duty/not driving”?
Do Federal hours-of-service rules apply if a driver is transporting goods within a single state?
How many logsheets must a CMV driver keep in their vehicle?
How long does a motor carrier need to maintain their drivers’ Records of duty status?
Sample Video Transcript
In general, any driver of a CMV who is subject to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) is subject to Federal hours-of-service (HOS) regulations. However, there are exceptions, including the following: • Drivers for local, State, and Federal governmental agencies, drivers transporting their own personal property, drivers of fire trucks and rescue vehicles involved in emergency operations, and a few others, are exempt from HOS rules at all times. • If a driver is operating a CMV for strictly personal reasons, unrelated to their job, HOS rules do not apply. This is sometimes referred to as “personal conveyance.”
