The Electronic Logging Device (ELD) mandate has been fully in force since 2019. If you're not fluent in the rules, you're one roadside inspection away from a serious violation — and a load planning problem you didn't see coming.
The core rules
11-hour driving max, 14-hour on-duty window, 30-minute break after 8 hours of driving, and 60/70 hours per 7/8-day cycle. Memorize them.
The exemptions you should know
Short-haul (100 air-mile radius) and agricultural exemptions exist. Adverse driving conditions can extend the 11-hour rule by 2 hours.
Common violations
Personal conveyance abuse, yard-move misuse, and unassigned driving time are the top three ELD violations at DOT inspections.
Dispatch built around your clock
A good dispatcher plans loads around your 14-hour window, not against it. If your dispatcher is booking pickups you can't physically make legally, that's a dispatch problem, not a driver problem.
The bottom line
Run legal, plan your day around the 14-hour window, and never use personal conveyance to gain driving time. A single hours-of-service violation can double your insurance for years.