ELD log books hours. Please help me to understand of it works. Thanks.

The 30 min break must be taken before a full 8hrs of on duty or driving. After the break you can only drive or work the remaining hours you have.

If you drive/work 6hrs then take a 30min break, you can only drive another 5 hrs (6+5 =11) or work another 7.5 hrs (6+7.5+.5 =14).

After a continuous 10 hrs off duty, you get another 11 hrs driving and 14hrs on duty. You can start your 10 hr off duty before your 14hr clock runs out and you get a fresh 14 even if you didn't use all the previous 14.

There are exceptions to that but for the most part those are the basics you need to know.

 

First off, this is NOT just ELD rules, these are the rules you follow whether on electronic or paper logs.

Lets start with the most basic, the 14 hour rule:
Once you log "on duty" the 14 hour rule starts. It keep running until you have either taken a 10 hour break OR spend 8 hours logged into the sleeper berth (as part of a split). If you take a 10 hour break the 14 rule is reset to 14 hours, if you take an 8 hour break in the sleeper the 14 hour rule reverts to the time you had left on your 14 hour clock when you logged into the sleeper. I only mention the split because of how well I understand it and how often I used it when I was OTR.

The 11 hour driving rule:
You may drive a MAXIUM of 11 hours within your alloted 14 hours. Example, you go on duty, pre-trip, then drive 30 minutes to a shipper where you spend 6 hours waiting to get loaded. When you depart the shipper you WILL NOT have 10 hrs 30 minutes left to drive but only what's left on your 14 hour clock.

The 30 minute break rule:
You cannot drive beyond 8 hours into your 14 hour clock without taking a 30 minute rest break. The 30 minute break resets the 8 hour clock to either 8 hours OR how much of your 14 hour clock remains, which ever is less. For that reason I tried to delay my 30 minute break until I had burned at least 5 1/2 hours knowing that I would have 8 hours OR less left on my 14 after the break. If you take a 30 minute break too early you will have more than 8 hours left forcing you to either stop early or take another 30 minute break.

10 hour break:
The 10 hour break resets both your 14 hour AND you 11 hour clock (assuming you have enough left on your 70). You can remain on duty past your 14 hour clock, you just cannot drive until you take a 10 hour break. Obviously if a shipper or receiver forces you to leave their property AFTER your 14 hour clock runs out you'll be forced to drive.

I hope this helps. I didn't expand on the split as it's an advanced concept that not a lot of drivers (or dispatchers) understand.

 

Once you go on duty to start your day your 14 hour clock starts. In those 14 hours you can drive up to 11 hours. Your 8 hour clock also starts at the same time and you must take a 30 minute break before you hit 8 hours. You don't want to take your break to early though or you will be required to take another 30 min. because it is required after 8 hours. so if you take your break at hour 2 at hour 10 you will have to take another.

 

I will try to explain it to you.
Your ELD is like an electronic 24hr time clock. It has 4 different status. On duty, Driving, off duty, and sleeper berth. Every time you switch to a different status it stops one clock, and start another.

#1 When you start your day, you log on duty- pretrip. This starts your 14 HR clock. As it is right now. You have to take a break within 8 hrs from this time. When the new rule takes place it won't count on duty, not driving in the 8 hrs. Only the actual driving time.

Ex: I do my pretrip for 30 min. Then I drive for 6.5 hours. Do my 30 minute off duty break. As I start to drive again I would have used 7.5 of my 14. 6.5 hours of my 11. Since I used up 6.5 hrs of my driving time before break that left me 4.5 drive time for the rest of my day. 6.5 + 4.5 = 11

2. You have a total of 14hrs to work from the time the clock started at the beginning of your day. Any time you do a consecutive 10hr off duty/ sleeper berth your 14 HR will reset.

Ex # 1: I went on duty at 5am. Finished my day at 10am, logged off duty. At 8pm that night my 14 hrs are back.

#2" I went on duty at 5am. Finished my day at 6pm, Logged sleeper berth. My 10hrs is up at 4am. My 14 hrs was restored at 4am.

#3 No. You can not drive more than 8 consecutively and 11 total. If you drive for 8 hours then do your 30 min break you will have 3 hours left to drive. 11-8=3

#4 You can not drive at all after your 14 hrs are up, even if you have time left on your 11.

Ex: I go on duty at 5am. Drive 2 hours. Breakdown. Tow, repairs, and break used 8 hours. At this point. I have used a total of 10 hrs of my 14. (2 + 8=10) This leaves me with 4hrs to drive for the rest of the day. Even though my 11 has 9 hrs to drive. Reason is I CAN NOT DRIVE AFTER 14 HRS of 1st going on duty.

Hopefully this helps.

 

Remember the 8, 11, 14 and 70 hour limits are for driving...another words, you can't drive if your hours reach or exceed any of them. It doesn't restrict you from working on duty beyond them...you just can't drive until you take a 10(or a 30 min on the 8 hr)...either a full 10, or a split.(unless you've used up your 70 and don't get hours back at the midnite following/during your break)

 

Thank you, drivers don't get that they can work far beyond the 14, just can not drive beyond that unless they do a reset.

 

That may be due to how some companies have the ELD set up. I worked at one place the ELD would flag a log violation if you were on duty past 14 hrs.