DOT Basics

DOT Driving Essentials

Property-Carrying Vehicles

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Index

Driver's Log

Unit 6

Short-Haul

Test your knowledge

Quiz

Unit 5

Cargo Securement

Unit 7

Adverse Driving Conditions

Unit 4

Hour of Service Limits

Unit 3

On-Duty and Off-Duty Time

Unit 2

Hours of Service

Unit 1

Unit 1

Hours of Service

• The vehicles weight is (including the load) 10,001 lbs or more
• The vehicles have a gross weight rating (GWR) or gross combination weight (GCW) of 10,001 lbs or more
• Is transporting hazardous materials in a quantity requiring safety placards.

Who must comply to these regulations?

Unit 1

Hours of Service

What are Hours of Service (HOS)?

The Hours of Service (HOS) rules are regulated by the Department of Transportation (DOT) to ensure the safety and well-being of commercial motor vehicles (CMV) drivers. They stipulate the maximum amount of time drivers can spend both off and on duty to reduce fatigue and maintain safety.

Anyone who drives a truck, or truck-tractor with a trailer that is used on the highways in interstate commerce to transport property and:

Unit 2

On-Duty and Off-Duty Time

Unit 2

On-Duty Time

Time Limits (On-Duty)

The DOT has regulations based on how many hours can be worked over a specific period of time. On-Duty Time includes all time you are working or required to be ready to work, for any employer. A 60-hour/7-day limit and 70-hours/8-day limit is implemented.

Click on"Info" to learn more

Unit 2

On-Duty Time Limits: Activities considered "On-Duty"

Waiting Time

Driving Time

Time Inside The Vehicle

Miscellaneous

+INFO

+INFO

+INFO

+INFO

Unit 2

Off-Duty Time

What is Off-Duty Time?

To be considered off-duty, you must be relieved of all duty and responsibility for performing work. You must be free to pursue activities of your own choosing and be able to leave the place where your vehicle is parked. If you are not doing any work (paid or unpaid) for a motor carrier and you are not doing any paid work for anyone else, you may record the time as off-duty time.

Unit 3

Hour of Service Limits

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14-hour driving window

To limit fatigue, there are specific limits on the amount of time you can drive and how many total hours you can work before you are no longer to drive a CMV. You must follow the three maximum duty limits at all times.

Unit 3

Hour of Service limits

11-hour driving window

60/70 hour or 70/8-day rule

70 hours / 8 days

Unit 3

Putting it all together

You have a window of time

14 hours

In that window of time, you can only drive a certain amount

11 hours

Your window of time falls into a larger window of time

60 hours / 7 OR 8 days

34-hour restart

The restart option

Interactive step-by-step visual communication:

After you have reached the 60- or 70- hour clock calculations, drivers can "restart" their hours by taking 34 or more consecutive hours off duty. After the 34 hours have passed, the driver's hours "reset" back to zero and they are able to drive another 60- or 70- hours.

Unit 4

Adverse Conditions

Unit 4

Adverse Conditions

Additional 2-hours

If unexpected adverse driving conditions slow you down, you may drive up to 2 additional hours to complete what could have been driven in normal conditions. Adverse driving conditions are any conditions that you could not anticipate. Examples: The highway is blocked by a crash or the sudden appearance of fog.

What the extension does NOT do

The adverse driving condition rule allows extend the 14 hour driving window, but it does NOT increase the time limits beyond the current 60 hour/7 days or 70 hours/ 8 days limit.

Unit 5

Short Haul (Information Only)

Short Haul Exceptions

Information Only

The following information is for informational purposes only. All drivers should follow the Long Haul Rules.

To qualify as a short-haul driver:

• Operate within a 150 air-mile radius (172.6 statute miles)
• Not exceed a maximum duty period of 14 hours
• Start and end his/her shift in the same location
• Have at least 10 hours off between shifts
• Not required to keep a log book

Unit 6

Daily Drivers Log

Unit 6

Driver's Daily Log and Electronic Logging Device (ELD)

Tracking

The tracking of a driver's HOS limits is normally accomplished using an electronic logging device (ELD). This can also be done in written form.

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Example of a written log

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You must keep the grid on your log current with your last change of duty status.

An indepth look

The Graph Grid

Joe reported for work at 6 AM at his home base in Richmond, VA. He helped load, check with dispatch, and did a pre-trip inspection. This is on-duty time.

Here is an example of a day and how the log should be filled out.

A day on the road

The Graph Grid

Richmond, VA

Joe marked midnight to 6 AM as off-duty, then drew a line straight down to the on-duty section and drew a line from 6AM to 7:30 AM.

A day on the road

The Graph Grid

Fredericksburg, VA

Richmond, VA

After driving 1 1/2 hours, Joe stopped to fuel his truck at 9 AM in Fredericksburg, VA. He marked this time as Driving time. The time at the truck stop (1/2 hour) was marked as On Duty (Not Driving). He was back on the road by 10 AM.

A day on the road

The Graph Grid

Baltimore, MD

Fredericksburg, VA

Richmond, VA

Joe continued driving for 2 1/2 hours until he reached Baltimore to have lunch. His time from leaving Fredericksburg to Baltimore was listed as Driving time. After lunch he recorded his lunch time as Off-Duty since he had instructions from his carrier to log his lunch as off duty and did not have any work responsibilites during this time.

A day on the road

The Graph Grid

Phuiladelphia, PA

Baltimore, MD

Fredericksburg, VA

Richmond, VA

Joe continued driving for 2 1/2 hours until he reached Baltimore to have lunch. His time from leaving Fredericksburg to Baltimore was listed as Driving time. After lunch he recorded his lunch time as Off-Duty since he had instructions from his carrier to log his lunch as off duty and did not have any work responsiblities during this time.

A day on the road

The Graph Grid

He went Off-Duty at 7PM

There he dropped of the remaning truck load, completed a [post-trip inspection, finished his log and other paperwork.

Newark, NJ

Phuiladelphia, PA

Baltimore, MD

Fredericksburg, VA

Richmond, VA

After the delivery in Philadelphia, he continued driving until he reached the Newark, NJ office.

A day on the road

The Graph Grid

381

12

8.5

3.5

VA B17 J37

Joe Dillard

4222 Clinton Way, Richmond, VA

ADvantage Lifts

VA B17 J37

10/13/2024

Bad traffiic!!

Richmond, VA

( lunch)

(gas)

Newark, NJ

Philadelphia, PA

Baltimore, MD

Fredericksburg, VA

(delivery)

At the end of the day, Joe's log book should look like this...

Finished Log

Unit 7

Cargo Securement

General Rule

As a general rule, cargo must be firmly immobilized or secured on or within a vehicle by structures of adequate strength, dunnage (loose materials used to support and protect cargo) or dunnage bags (inflatable bags intended to fill space between articles of cargo or between cargo and the wall of the vehicle), shoring bars, tiedowns or a combination of these.

Unit 7

Write a cool subtitle here to provide context

Cargo Placement and Restraint

Articles of cargo that are likely to roll must be restrained by chocks, wedges, a cradle or other equivalent means to prevent rolling. The means of preventing rolling must not be capable of becoming unintentionally unfastened or loose while the vehicle is in transit. Articles of caro placed beside each other and secured by transverse tiedowns must be:Placed in direct contact with each other Prevented from shifting towards each other in transit.

Write agreat headline

Demonstrate enthusiasm, give a smile, and maintain eye contact with your audience can be your best allies when telling stories that excite and capture the interest of the public: 'The eyes, chico. They never lie.' This will help you make a 'match' with your audience. Leave them amazed!

Quiz

Test your knowledge!

Select your answer, then click SEND

Question 1/5

Question 2/5

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Question 5/5

Lesson learned!

ALL driving time, meaning all time spent at the driving controls of a CMV vehicle.

Driving Time

This does NOT include: ime spent resting in or on a parked vehicle, expected otherwise provided. Time spent resting in a sleeper berth Up to 3 hours riding in the passenger seat of a property-carrying vehicle moving on a highway immediately before or after a period of at least 7 consecutive hours in the sleeper berth.

All other time in or on a CMV other than:

• All time loading, unloading, supervising, or attending your truck; or handling paperwork for shipments.
• All time taking care of your truck when it is broken down.
• All time spent providing a breath, saliva, or urine sample for drug/alcohol testing, including travel to and from the collection site.
• All time spent doing any other work for a motor carrier, including giving or receiving training and driving a company car.

You have had 10 consecutive hours off and you come back to work at 6 AM. You must not drive the truck after 8 PM, which is 14 hours later. You may do other work after 8 PM, but you cannot drive anymore until you have taken another 10 consecutive hours off.

Give me an example!

It starts when you begin any kind of work.

When does this time window start?

14-Hour Driving Window

Generally thought of as a "daily" limit, but it is not based on a 24-hour period. You can drive up to 11 hours for 14 consecutive days before being required to take a minimum 10-hour break.

Give me an example!

Dropping Days When are working multiple days and there is a day of no work, the first day will drop off.

A: Total of 67hours work. Driver is in compliance B: Total of 73 hours worked. Driver is in violation. C: Driver does not work a full day. The first day of his/her hours "drops" off and they are now again in compliance at 63 hours. They can only drive another 7 hours for the rest of the schedule before a 34 hour Restart.

60/70-hour On-duty Limit

On-Duty Time Maximum limits (including non-driving activities)

The 60/70 hour time limit is based on a 7-or 8- day period, starting from the first day of work. It is the total on-duty time, not just driving time. Once you reach the limit, you can do other work, but you are not permitted to drive. This is based on consecutive days, not necessarily the Sunday through Saturday time frame.

TIME BASE TO BE RECORDED: You must use the time zone in effect at your home terminal. Even if you cross other time zones, record time as it is at your terminal All drivers operating out of your home terminal must use the same starting time for the 24-hour period, as designated by your employer.

You may write other things in the Remarks section, such as shipping information, a note about adverse driving conditions, or when you cross a State line.

• The highway number and nearest milepost followed by the name of the nearest city, town, village and State abbreviation.
• The highway number and the name of the service plaza followed by name of the nearest city, town, or village, and State abbreviation.
• The highway number of two nearest intersecting roadways followed by the name of the nearest city, town, or village and State abbreviation.

Each time you change your duty status, you must write down the name of the city, town or village and State abbreviation, in the Remarks section. If the change of duty status takes place at a location other than a city, town, village you must show one of the following:

The "Remarks"

There is additional information regarding sleeper berths, however no ALS vehicles have them and it will not be addressed in this training.

You have had 10 consecutive hours off. You come to work at 6AM and drive until 2PM. You have a break of thirty minutes from 2 - 2:30 PM. You can drive from 2:30 PM to 6:30 PM. Totaling 11 hours worked. You cannot drive again until another 10 consecutive hours off duty. You may do other work after 6:30 PM. but you cannot drive.

Give me an example!

6:00 - 2:00 PM - Start Work (7 hours) 2:00 - 2:30 PM - Break (1/2 hour) 2:30 - 6:30 PM- Work (4 hours) TOTAL HOURS WORKED: 11

11 hour driving limit

During the 14-hour window of time, you are allowed to drive your truck no more than 11 total hours. In addition, driving is not permitted if more than 8 hours have passed since the driver's last break in driving time of at least 30 minutes and must be off duty for 10 consecutive hours before driving again.

Remarks: This is the area where you must list the city, town or village and State abbreviation when a change of duty status occurs. You should also explain any unusual circumstances or log entries that be unclear when reviewed later, such as encountering adverse driving conditions.

A trade, traffic, or transportation in the United States - (1) Between a place in a State and a place of such State (including a place outside of the United States); (2) Between two places in a State as part of trade, traffic, or transportation originiating or terminating outside the State or the United States.

Interstate Commerce

All time spent doing paid work for anyone who is not a motor carrier, whether paid or not, and all the time you are doing paid work for anyone else.

Miscellaneous

TOTAL HOURS: You must add and write down the total hours for each duty status at the right side of the grid. The total of entries must equal 24 hours (unless you are using one page to reflect several consecutive days off-duty.

Non-driving Time

• All time at the plant, terminal, facility, or other property of a motor carrier or shipper, or on any public property, waiting to be dispatched, unless you have been relieved of duty by the motor carrier.
• All time inspecting, servicing, or conditioning any truck, including fueling it and washing it at any time.