ELD & Hours of Service: Stay Compliant, Stay Rolling

Hours-of-service violations are among the most common citations at roadside inspections — and the most avoidable. Here’s the system in plain English.

The three clocks

• 11-hour driving limit — max 11 hours driving after 10 consecutive hours off duty
• 14-hour window — once you start, you have 14 hours before you must stop driving (the 10-hour break resets it)
• 70 hours in 8 days — total on-duty cap; the 34-hour restart resets the 70

The 30-minute break

After 8 cumulative hours of driving, take a 30-minute non-driving break. It can be on-duty-not-driving, sleeper, or off-duty — just not driving.

ELD essentials

• Your ELD must be registered and on FMCSA’s list — check before you buy
• Malfunctions have an 8-day repair window — run paper logs meanwhile and note the malfunction
• Keep supporting documents (fuel receipts, tolls, BOLs) — auditors cross-check them against logs
• Know how to transfer logs at roadside — “I don’t know how” is itself a violation

Habits of violation-free drivers

1. Plan parking before the 14 runs out — not at hour 13:45
2. Log accurately in real time — edits are legal, but patterns of “corrections” invite audits
3. Understand personal conveyance limits — it’s narrow, and misuse is a top violation
4. Keep your medical card current — an expired med card can downgrade your CDL

Compliance without the headache

Data GB’s document management tracks CDL and medical expirations, manages ELD/HOS compliance, and keeps driver qualification files inspection-ready — so a scale house never ruins your week.