The three clocks you run on
Federal hours-of-service rules come down to three clocks running at once. Break any one of them and you're out of hours, so it pays to know where each stands before you roll.
The 11-hour driving limit
After 10 consecutive hours off duty, you can drive up to 11 hours. Not on duty — driving. Hit 11 hours behind the wheel and you're parked until your next 10-hour break, no matter how much window you have left.
The 14-hour window
This is the one that catches people. The moment you come on duty, a 14-hour window starts and it does not stop. Lunch, fuel, a three-hour wait at the dock — the 14-hour clock keeps ticking through all of it. When it hits 14, you cannot drive again until you take 10 hours off, even if you've only driven 6 of your 11 hours.
The 30-minute break
Before you reach 8 cumulative hours of driving, you must take a break of at least 30 minutes where you're not driving. Off duty, sleeper, or on-duty-not-driving all count, as long as you're out of the seat for a solid half hour.
How the recap rolls
The 70-hour limit looks back over the last 8 days including today. Add up your on-duty hours from the previous 7 days, subtract from 70, and what's left is what you can work today. Tomorrow, the oldest day drops off and a fresh day's hours come due — that's the "rolling" part. A 34-hour restart wipes the slate and hands you the full 70 again.