Hours of Service (HOS)

In the interest of preventing fatigue-related accidents, the hours-of-service regulations place restrictions on when and for how long drivers of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) may be behind the wheel. For almost 20 years, change has been a constant with these complex regulations, with more revisions planned for the future.

Most interstate CMV drivers are required to use Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) in place of paper logs to record drivers’ hours of service (although backup paper logs are still required). These devices automatically record driving time and certain other data and facilitate the completion of logs. Drivers using older ELog systems must upgrade to the ELD standards by December 16, 2019. Canada has also proposed ELD rules to be implemented in coming years, mirroring U.S. standards.

New requirements for supporting documents are also now in force, affecting all motor carriers and CMV drivers, whether using ELDs or not. The new rules include specific requirements for the types of supporting documents that must be kept.

For more info, check out our Hours of Service FAQs or our Electronic Logging Device FAQs.

J. J. Keller will help you stay on top of the latest HOS developments through our news alerts and up-to-date reference materials. As a top supplier of ELDs, log books, training materials, and log auditing solutions, we can also help you comply with HOS regulations and keep your CSA scores low.

We also offer Canada-specific log books and training that addresses Canadian hours-of-service regulations, as well as logs for oilfield operations and time records for short-haul drivers.

The U.S. federal hours-of-service regulations, with a few exceptions, apply to all motor carriers, drivers, and CMVs that transport property or passengers in interstate commerce. In-state requirements may vary.