30-Minute Break Rule
Drivers must take a 30-minute break before driving if more than 8 cumulative hours have passed since the last off-duty or sleeper-berth period of at least 30 minutes.
The rule
Drivers must take a 30-minute break before driving if more than 8 cumulative hours have passed since the last off-duty or sleeper-berth period of at least 30 minutes.
How it works in practice
Your ELD tracks driving time automatically. Plan loads with this clock in mind — once it runs out, you must stop wherever you are, which can mean a parking-lot night at a truck stop.
Violations and penalties
HOS violations show up on CSA scores under the Unsafe Driving and HOS Compliance BASICs, can shut a driver down at roadside, and result in fines up to $16,864 per violation for serious patterns.
Exceptions
Short-haul (150-air-mile), adverse-conditions, and personal-conveyance exceptions exist but are tightly defined. When in doubt, log it normally and contact your safety manager.
Frequently asked
Does this rule apply to all commercial drivers?
It applies to property-carrying CMV drivers operating in interstate commerce. Some states adopt the federal rules for intrastate carriers too.
Where do I log this?
On a compliant ELD (electronic logging device). Paper logs are only allowed in narrow exceptions like 8-days-in-30 short-haul operations.