Who this is for: CDL drivers, fleet managers, owner-operators, compliance assistants
60/70-Hour Weekly Driving Limit for CDL Drivers
Property-carrying CMV drivers are subject to a weekly on-duty cap: either 60 on-duty hours in 7 consecutive days or 70 on-duty hours in 8 consecutive days, depending on carrier operation days. When the cap is reached, no driving is permitted until sufficient on-duty time falls outside the rolling window or until a 34-hour restart is taken.
60-hour/7-day vs. 70-hour/8-day — which applies
Under 49 CFR 395.3(b), the 60-hour/7-day limit applies to carriers that do not operate CMVs every day of the week. The 70-hour/8-day limit applies to carriers that do operate CMVs every day of the week. The carrier chooses which cycle applies to its operations — drivers must follow their carrier's designated cycle. A driver cannot switch cycles mid-week without following specific rules. Owner-operators may generally choose either cycle.
How the rolling window works
The 60 or 70-hour limit is calculated over a rolling window — not a fixed Monday-to-Sunday week. The 7-day window (for 60-hour carriers) includes the current day plus the 6 previous consecutive days. The 8-day window (for 70-hour carriers) includes the current day plus the 7 previous consecutive days. As each day passes, the oldest day's on-duty hours drop off the back of the window. A driver approaching the limit gains capacity as old on-duty hours age out of the window.
What counts toward the 60/70-hour limit
All on-duty time counts against the 60/70-hour limit — driving time and on-duty not driving. Off-duty time, sleeper berth time, and time after the workday do not count. Because the 60/70-hour limit accumulates over a rolling 7- or 8-day period, a driver who works long hours early in the week will exhaust the limit sooner. Carriers must track cumulative on-duty hours across the rolling window for each driver.
When the weekly limit is reached
Once a driver reaches the 60 or 70-hour cap, they may not drive until sufficient hours fall off the rolling window or until a 34-hour restart is completed. A driver does not need to take a 34-hour restart — they can simply wait as old on-duty hours age out of the rolling window, restoring capacity hour by hour. The 34-hour restart is optional but allows a faster full reset.
Practical weekly cycle tracking
Drivers (and carriers) must maintain a running total of on-duty hours for the past 7 or 8 days. ELDs handle this automatically. Paper RODS drivers must manually track cumulative on-duty time. Before starting a shift, a driver should know how many on-duty hours remain in their rolling cycle. Dispatchers should build schedules that account for weekly hour accumulation — late-week drivers who have worked long hours earlier in the week may have limited remaining capacity.
Calculating remaining cycle hours before departure
To calculate available hours in the rolling window, add up all on-duty hours (driving plus on-duty not driving) for the past 7 or 8 days. Subtract that total from 60 or 70. The remainder is available capacity for today. Your ELD shows this number automatically. Paper RODS drivers do the math by hand using each day's totals from the log. Carriers dispatch most efficiently when they know each driver's remaining cycle capacity before assigning loads for the week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a driver switch between the 60-hour and 70-hour cycle?
A driver may switch cycles, but only after taking at least 34 consecutive hours off duty (the same as a restart). The carrier must also permit the switch. Switching cycles without the required off-duty period is a violation.
Do non-work days count toward the rolling window?
Days when the driver has no on-duty time still count as days in the rolling window — they just add zero on-duty hours. This means a driver who takes a complete day off still sees the previous days advance in the rolling window, dropping older on-duty hours off the back.
How can a new driver quickly figure out how many hours remain in their rolling cycle?
On an ELD, the remaining cycle hours display automatically on the main status screen. Paper logs drivers must manually add all on-duty hours (driving plus on-duty not driving) from each of the past 7 or 8 days, then subtract that total from 60 or 70. ELD carriers should verify the device is set to the correct cycle — 7-day or 8-day — matching the carrier's operating days under §395.3(b).
How does an ELD show the driver's remaining 60/70-hour cycle capacity?
Most ELDs display a "cycle remaining" figure in hours and minutes on the main dashboard, updated in real time. This number equals 60 or 70 hours minus all on-duty time logged during the current rolling window. If the display shows a different number than the driver's manual calculation, the driver should contact the carrier or ELD provider immediately — a misconfigured cycle setting can mask an impending violation.