Which statement about federal hours of service regulations is correct?

Which statement about federal hours of service regulations is correct?

• A. In each day a driver must take 10 hours of consecutive off-duty time
• B. The federal regulations are less restrictive than the Alberta regulations
• C. During a work shift a driver is not permitted to drive more than 13 hours
• D. Drivers can change between cycle 1 and cycle 2 as long as they notify their carrier

Answer: (C)

The driving time limit within a single work shift is the key point. Under federal hours of service rules, a driver is not allowed to drive more than 13 hours in one work shift. After reaching that 13-hour driving limit, the driver must stop driving and take the required off-duty/rest period before driving again. This ensures a capped amount of time behind the wheel each shift, helping to manage fatigue. For context, there is also a broader daily on-duty limit (the total time on duty, including driving and other on-duty tasks) that is higher, but the actual driving portion is capped at 13 hours. The other statements either mistate off-duty requirements, oversimplify cycle switching, or misstate how cycles interact with daily limits, so they don’t align with federal rules.

The driving time limit within a single work shift is the key point. Under federal hours of service rules, a driver is not allowed to drive more than 13 hours in one work shift. After reaching that 13-hour driving limit, the driver must stop driving and take the required off-duty/rest period before driving again. This ensures a capped amount of time behind the wheel each shift, helping to manage fatigue.

For context, there is also a broader daily on-duty limit (the total time on duty, including driving and other on-duty tasks) that is higher, but the actual driving portion is capped at 13 hours. The other statements either mistate off-duty requirements, oversimplify cycle switching, or misstate how cycles interact with daily limits, so they don’t align with federal rules.