The United States Department of Transportation (DOT) ensures safe, efficient, sustainable, and equitable transportation of products and people. That being said, one division of the DOT is primarily focused on transportation safety – Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
For fleet operators, understanding the latest FMCSA regulations related to driving time and driver rest periods is a core component of effective fleet management. Read on to explore the specifics of the FMSCA’s Hours of Service (HOS) Mandate and how fleet operators can remain compliant.
At Morey, we produce the highest quality Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) for HOS compliance. Our advanced IoT solutions address the growing needs of fleet operators to remain compliant and competitive in the industry.
History of the HOS Regulations
The goal of the DOT HOS regulations is to limit commercial driver fatigue by limiting the amount of time someone can continuously drive the vehicle, which is documented in part 395 of title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR).
While the history of HOS mandates dates back to the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) in 1938, the most recent HOS regulations were established by FMCSA in 2003.
What are the HOS final rules?
Basically, the HOS mandate established that commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers must abide by the following driving limits:
For passenger-carrying drivers:
- Drivers can drive a maximum of 10 hours after 8 consecutive hours off duty.
- Driver cannot drive after being on duty for 15 hours, following 8 consecutive hours off duty.
- Drivers can drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty.
For property-carrying drivers:
- Drivers cannot drive beyond 14 consecutive hours, following 10 consecutive hours off duty.
- Drivers must take a 30-minute break after driving 8 cumulative hours without at least a 30-minute interruption.
- Drivers cannot drive after 60/70 hours on duty in 7/8 consecutive days.
Are there exceptions to the HOS regulations?
The regulations include certain exceptions which were revised in 2020. The final HOS rules include the following provisions:
- Short-haul exception
- Adverse driving conditions exception
- 30-minute rest break requirements
- Sleeper berth provision
Electronic Logging Devices and HOS Regulations
In 2019, the FMCSA passed the ELD rule, which is directly related to HOS regulations. Electronic logging devices (ELDs) are required to prepare hours-of-service (HOS) records of duty status (RODS). In addition, the ELD rule sets performance and design standards, and requires ELDs certification and registration.
Many vehicle telematics systems include ELDs to ensure compliance with the ELD rule and HOS mandate. For instance, Morey’s MC-4+ is a capable, configurable, and durable telematics portal that allows drivers to electronically log HOS and track and share ROD data to maintain compliance with the FMCSA’s ELD mandate and HOS regulations.
Choose Morey Products for Efficient Fleet Management
When managing a full fleet, it’s important to know that your drivers are equipped with the most reliable technology to get the job done. Not only do Morey’s vehicle telematics devices ensure compliance with HOS and the ELD mandate, but they also provide advanced GPS tracking, GNSS/LTE, and Bluetooth modules to improve efficiency.
Explore the complete collection of Morey products today and contact us to discover what a partner in IoT can do for you and your business today.