Number of Hours that Truck Drivers Can Drive

The U.S. Department of Transportation has established limits on the maximum number of hours that truck drivers can drive when carrying property, as follows:


Sec. 395.3 Maximum driving time for property-carrying vehicles.

Subject to the exceptions and exemptions in Sec. 395.1:
(a) No motor carrier shall permit or require any driver used by it
to drive a property-carrying commercial motor vehicle, nor shall any
such driver drive a property-carrying commercial motor vehicle:
(1) More than 11 cumulative hours following 10 consecutive hours off
duty; or
(2) For any period after the end of the 14th hour after coming on
duty following 10 consecutive hours off duty, except when a property-
carrying driver complies with the provisions of Sec. 395.1(o) or Sec.
395.1(e)(2).
(b) No motor carrier shall permit or require a driver of a property-
carrying commercial motor vehicle to drive, nor shall any driver drive a
property-carrying commercial motor vehicle, regardless of the number of
motor carriers using the driver's services, for any period after--
(1) Having been on duty 60 hours in any period of 7 consecutive days
if the employing motor carrier does not operate commercial motor
vehicles every day of the week; or
(2) Having been on duty 70 hours in any period of 8 consecutive days
if the employing motor carrier operates commercial motor vehicles every
day of the week.
(c)(1) Any period of 7 consecutive days may end with the beginning
of any off-duty period of 34 or more consecutive hours; or
(2) Any period of 8 consecutive days may end with the beginning of
any off-duty period of 34 or more consecutive hours.


Free information about truck accidents and crashes of tractor trailers in Pennsylvania is available from the Pennsylvania truck accident lawyers.

Links:

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Organization
Wikipedia on Truck Driver
American Trucking Association
Mack Trucks