What are the 60-70 hour rules?
The 60-70 hour rules are foundational components of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Hours-of-Service (HOS) regulations. These standards are implemented to mitigate the risks associated with driver fatigue by strictly capping the amount of duty time a driver can accumulate in a rolling window.
Weekly Duty Cycles
Depending on the operational schedule of the motor carrier, drivers fall under one of two caps:
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The 60-Hour Rule: Applies to carriers that do not operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) every day of the week. Drivers are limited to 60 hours of on-duty time in any period of 7 consecutive days.
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The 70-Hour Rule: Applies to carriers that operate CMVs every day of the week. Drivers are limited to 70 hours of on-duty time in any period of 8 consecutive days.
Integration with Daily HOS Limits
These weekly caps function alongside the daily driving and rest requirements to ensure consistent safety:
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11-Hour Daily Driving Limit: Drivers may drive a maximum of 11 hours following a 10-hour off-duty period.
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Mandatory Rest: Drivers must take a 30-minute break after 8 cumulative hours of driving.
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Daily Reset: A minimum of 10 consecutive hours off-duty is required to reset the daily driving window.
Enforcement and Safety
These regulations are strictly enforced to prevent overwork and exhaustion. By limiting total hours and mandating restorative rest, the FMCSA ensures that drivers maintain the alertness necessary to operate heavy vehicles safely.
Non-compliance carries severe consequences. Motor carriers and drivers found in violation face substantial financial penalties, and for repeat or serious offenders, the potential loss of operating authority or the revocation of a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). These rules effectively serve as the industry standard for balancing logistics with public safety.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 60/70-hour limit based on a rolling or floating 7-day or 8-day period?
The 60- and 70-hour limits are based on a rolling (or floating) period, not a fixed calendar week.
Why It Is a Rolling Period
The calculation is continuous and moves forward with every passing day. It does not “reset” simply because a new week begins (e.g., on a Monday). Instead, the driver’s total on-duty hours are evaluated against the specific window of the preceding days:
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The 60-Hour Rule (7-Day Cycle): You cannot exceed 60 hours of on-duty time in any period of 7 consecutive days.
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The 70-Hour Rule (8-Day Cycle): You cannot exceed 70 hours of on-duty time in any period of 8 consecutive days.
How the “Recap” (Rolling) Calculation Works
Every day, the driver adds the hours they worked that day to their cumulative total and subtracts the hours they worked on the oldest day of the cycle.
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Adding: Your current day’s on-duty hours increase your total.
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Subtracting: As each day passes, the hours you worked exactly 7 or 8 days ago “fall off” the back end of the calculation.
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Result: This gives you a clear picture of how many hours you have remaining for the current day.
The Only Way to Reset the Clock
Because the calculation is always rolling, it only truly “resets” if you perform a 34-hour restart. This involves taking at least 34 consecutive hours off-duty, which clears your accumulated hours to zero and allows you to start a fresh 7- or 8-day cycle.
