Johney
Well-Known Member
The DOT 16-Hour Rule: When and How Does It Apply?
The 16-hour rule is a special exemption that allows certain drivers to remain on-duty for 16 hours instead of 14, but without extending the allowed 11 hours per day of driving. This exemption applies to drivers that have started and stopped their workdays at the same location for the previous five work days. These drivers can be described as short-haul drivers because they return to the same work location each day.
Under the 16-hour rule, the driver can remain on-duty for an extra two hours but must be relieved from duty immediately after the 16th hour. This exception can be invoked one time in each 34-hour reset cycle once the 5-day pattern has been established.
The reason for this exemption is quite clear once the requirements are understood. Drivers who report to the same location every day may still experience delays from time to time and should not be prevented from returning home due to restrictions on their duty hours. The 16-hour rule helps to avoid situations where a driver takes a 5-hour trip, experiences a 5-hour delay when delivering a load, and still needs to return to the reporting location. Without the 16-hour rule, the driver might reach the 14-hour on-duty limit when just an hour away from home and having driven for just 9 hours that day.
Without the DOT 16-hour rule, drivers might speed or drive recklessly to try to get home without violating HOS, essentially substituting one unsafe practice with another. The 16-hour rule is a common-sense regulation that ensures drivers don’t get stuck sleeping in the berth or at a hotel when home is just around the corner.
The DOT has done a decent job of including exemptions to HOS regulations that allow truckers the flexibility to act reasonably and safety in the normal course of job performance. While the 16-hour rule can only be applied once weekly, it acts as a great option for drivers that are on the same regular route and need to get home at the end of each day.
The 16-hour rule is a special exemption that allows certain drivers to remain on-duty for 16 hours instead of 14, but without extending the allowed 11 hours per day of driving. This exemption applies to drivers that have started and stopped their workdays at the same location for the previous five work days. These drivers can be described as short-haul drivers because they return to the same work location each day.
Under the 16-hour rule, the driver can remain on-duty for an extra two hours but must be relieved from duty immediately after the 16th hour. This exception can be invoked one time in each 34-hour reset cycle once the 5-day pattern has been established.
The reason for this exemption is quite clear once the requirements are understood. Drivers who report to the same location every day may still experience delays from time to time and should not be prevented from returning home due to restrictions on their duty hours. The 16-hour rule helps to avoid situations where a driver takes a 5-hour trip, experiences a 5-hour delay when delivering a load, and still needs to return to the reporting location. Without the 16-hour rule, the driver might reach the 14-hour on-duty limit when just an hour away from home and having driven for just 9 hours that day.
Without the DOT 16-hour rule, drivers might speed or drive recklessly to try to get home without violating HOS, essentially substituting one unsafe practice with another. The 16-hour rule is a common-sense regulation that ensures drivers don’t get stuck sleeping in the berth or at a hotel when home is just around the corner.
The DOT has done a decent job of including exemptions to HOS regulations that allow truckers the flexibility to act reasonably and safety in the normal course of job performance. While the 16-hour rule can only be applied once weekly, it acts as a great option for drivers that are on the same regular route and need to get home at the end of each day.
A) After the 14th hour after coming on duty on 5 days of any period of 7 consecutive days; and(B) After the 16th hour after coming on duty on 2 days of any period of 7 consecutive days.
