How Many Hours Can A Truck Driver Drive - Daily And Weekly Limits

Q: How many hours can a truck driver drive in one day?

Up to 11 hours of driving within a 14-hour on-duty window after 10 consecutive hours off duty. A 30-minute non-driving break is required after 8 hours of driving time.

Q: Does the 30-minute break have to be off duty?

No. It must be 30 continuous minutes of not driving. Off-Duty, Sleeper-Berth, or On-Duty/Not Driving all qualify.

Q: Can I extend the 14-hour window?

Yes. Under adverse driving conditions, you may extend both the driving window and the driving limit by up to 2 hours. A 16-hour short-haul day is also allowed once every 7 days (or after a 34) if you return to the same reporting location; driving still capped at 11 hours.

Q: How do the 7/3 and 8/2 sleeper splits work?

Two qualifying rest periods totaling at least 10 hours can replace one 10-hour off. One segment must be at least 7 hours in Sleeper and the other at least 2 hours Off-Duty and/or Sleeper. These periods pause the 14-hour clock, and after the second segment, available time is recalculated from the end of the first.

Q: What are the weekly limits and how does the 34-hour restart work?

Carriers run either 60 hours in 7 days or 70 hours in 8 days. After reaching the limit, no driving is allowed until hours roll off or a 34-hour consecutive off-duty restart resets the count to zero.

Q: Do fueling, inspections, and yard moves count against my 11 hours?

They count as On-Duty/Not Driving, which does not reduce the 11-hour driving cap but does consume the 14-hour daily window and weekly totals.

Q: My company policy is stricter than these rules. Which do I follow?

Follow the stricter policy. FMCSA rules are the legal floor; carriers may set tighter limits for safety, equipment, or insurance reasons.

In the U.S., most property-carrying CDL drivers can drive up to 11 hours within a 14-hour on-duty window after 10 consecutive hours off duty. There’s also a 30-minute break rule, 60/70-hour weekly limits, 34-hour restart, sleeper-berth splits (7/3 or 8/2), and exceptions for adverse conditions and short-haul work. This guide breaks it all down—with clear examples, pretty/responsive tables, and driver-first tips.

New to trucking? Get compliant training done right with ELDT Nation—the best place to do ELDT training online—then use this article as your day-to-day HOS playbook.

HOS at a glance (the rules you feel every day)

Rule	What it means	Fast facts
11-hour driving limit	Max 11 hours of driving after 10 consecutive hours off duty	Driving only; does not include on-duty/not driving tasks
14-hour on-duty window	You have 14 hours to complete all work after coming on duty	Breaks don’t extend the 14 (except under split sleeper)
30-minute break	Take 30 continuous minutes not driving after 8 hours of driving	Can be Off-Duty, Sleeper, or On-Duty/Not Driving
Sleeper-berth split	Use a 7/3 or 8/2 split instead of a single 10-hour off-duty	Both qualifying periods stop the 14; limits recalculated after the pair
Adverse driving conditions	Up to +2 hours of driving time for unexpected conditions	Also extends the driving window by up to 2 hours; document why
60/70-hour limit	Max on-duty hours: 60 in 7 days or 70 in 8 days	Carrier sets which cycle applies; driving forbidden after limit
34-hour restart	34 consecutive hours off duty resets the 60/70-hour tally	No required time-of-day; one complete 34 does the reset
Short-haul exception	Within 150 air-mi & return to same location; 14-hour duty day	Recordkeeping relief; ELD may not be required if criteria met
16-hour short-haul day	Once per 7 days (or after a 34), your window may extend to 16 hours	Still only 11 hours of driving; return to same reporting location

Daily limits, simply explained

Start with 10 off. After 10 consecutive hours off duty, your 14-hour window starts when you go On-Duty.

Inside that window, you can drive up to 11 hours. Fueling, inspections, loading, and waiting are on-duty/not driving (they eat the 14, not the 11).

After 8 hours of driving time, you must take a 30-minute non-driving break. It can be Off-Duty, Sleeper, or On-Duty/Not Driving.

Breaks don’t add time back to the 14-hour window (unless you’re using a qualifying sleeper-berth split).

A realistic daily timeline (OTR example)

Time	What’s happening	HOS impact
05:30	Pre-trip, messages, route & weather check	On-Duty starts the 14-hour window
06:00–10:00	Drive (first 4 hours)	4 of 11 driving used; 4 of 14 on-duty used
10:00–10:30	30-minute break	Break meets the rule; 14-hour clock keeps running
10:30–15:30	Drive (next 5 hours)	Total driving now 9 hours
15:30–16:30	Live load / paperwork	On-Duty/Not Driving; eats 14, not 11
16:30–18:30	Final drive to planned stop	Total driving 11/11; 13 of 14 on-duty used
18:30–19:00	Post-trip, shutdown	At 14 hours, no further driving allowed

Weekly limits & the 34-hour restart

Carriers operate under either the 60-hours/7-days or 70-hours/8-days rule. Once you hit the cap, no more driving until you regain hours (via daily roll-off) or take a 34-hour restart to reset the tally to zero.

Example: 70-hours/8-days cycle (typical OTR)

Day	On-Duty hours	Driving hours	Rolling 8-day total	Notes
Mon	12	9.5	12	Good start
Tue	13	10.5	25	Within limits
Wed	11	8.0	36	Shorter day
Thu	13.5	11.0	49.5	Maxed driving
Fri	12.5	9.0	62	Approaching 70
Sat	7.5	5.0	69.5	Nearly capped
Sun	0	0	69.5	Start 34-hour restart
Mon	0 (until 34 completes)	0	0 after restart	Fresh hours after 34 consecutive off

Sleeper-berth splits (7/3 and 8/2), demystified

Two qualifying rest periods can replace a single 10 off. The pair must add to 10+ hours, and one segment must be at least 7 hours in Sleeper (the other at least 2 hours Off-Duty and/or Sleeper). Neither qualifying period counts against the 14, and after the second segment, your available time is recalculated from the end of the first qualifying segment.

Example (7/3 split):

7 hours in Sleeper → work block → 3 hours Off-Duty → limits recalculated after the 3.
Example (8/2 split):
8 hours in Sleeper → work block → 2 hours Off-Duty/Sleeper → recalc after the 2.

Pro move: Use splits to avoid late-night parking hunts or to thread tight delivery windows—without burning your 14.

Adverse driving conditions (when the world throws curveballs)

If unexpected conditions (sudden closures, unforecast weather, crashes) slow you down, you may extend driving time by up to 2 hours and extend your driving window by the same amount. This is not a shortcut; document the reason and only use it when the event was not known (or predictable) at dispatch or pre-trip.

Short-haul exceptions (when you stay close to home)

Operate within 150 air miles and return to the same reporting location with a 14-hour duty day.

Certain recordkeeping relief may apply; check your operation’s specifics.

A 16-hour day is allowed once in 7 days (or after a 34) if you return to the same reporting location—still only 11 hours of driving.

Compliance checklist

Plan the day: Target shutdown by 19:00–20:00 with two backup parking options.
Break smart: Take your 30 after a natural stop (fuel, load check).
Protect sleep: A steady sleep window keeps you alert and patient.
Use splits intentionally: 7/3 or 8/2 to solve parking or appointment puzzles.
Document exceptions: Adverse-conditions notes, check-in timestamps for detention.
Know your cycle: 60/7 or 70/8—and when to pull a 34.
Train right: Finish ELDT with ELDT Nation and start your career with clean HOS habits.

FAQs

How many hours can a truck driver drive in one day?

Up to 11 hours of driving within a 14-hour on-duty window after 10 hours off. You also need a 30-minute non-driving break after 8 hours of driving time.

Does the 30-minute break have to be off duty?

No. It must be not driving for 30 continuous minutes. Off-Duty, Sleeper-Berth, or On-Duty/Not Driving all qualify.

Can I extend the 14-hour window?

Yes, in adverse driving conditions, you may extend the driving window and driving time by up to 2 hours. There’s also a 16-hour short-haul day once every 7 days (or after a 34) if you return to the same reporting location—still only 11 hours of driving.

How do the 7/3 and 8/2 sleeper splits work?

Take two qualifying rest periods totaling 10+ hours (one is 7+ hours Sleeper; the other 2+ hours Off-Duty/Sleeper). Those periods pause your 14; after the second segment, your available time is recalculated from the end of the first.

What are the weekly limits and how does the 34-hour restart work?

You’re limited to 60 hours in 7 days or 70 hours in 8 days (carrier chooses). A 34-hour consecutive off-duty period resets the tally to zero.

Do fueling, inspections, and yard moves count against my 11 hours?

They count as On-Duty/Not Driving, so they do not count toward the 11-hour driving cap, but they do eat your 14-hour window and weekly totals.

My company policy is stricter than these rules. Which do I follow?

Follow the stricter policy. FMCSA rules are the legal baseline; carriers can set tighter limits for safety and insurance.

How Many Hours Can A Truck Driver Drive - Daily And Weekly Limits

HOS at a glance (the rules you feel every day)