• The use of a monthly summary sheet can help simplify the task of keeping track of a driver’s compliance with the 60- or 70-hour limit.
• The monthly summary sheet can be used to keep a running tally of daily on-duty time, determine how many hours are available each day, and calculate compliance with the 60- or 70-hour limit, whether the 34-hour restart option is used or not.

Keeping track of the 60- or 70-hour limit can be difficult, but one of the most common ways to simplify that task is by using a monthly summary, such as the form shown below. Such forms are often found within drivers’ logbooks but are also available separately. The monthly summary sheet is used to keep a running tally of each day’s on-duty time as well as calculate compliance and determine how many hours are available each day, whether the 34-hour restart option is used or not.

The summary is not only convenient, but also easy to use once a driver takes the time to understand how it works. Below is an example following the instructions step by step. Most summary sheets allow for both 60- and 70-hour calculations, but the example below uses the 70-hours-in-8-days limit.

Last seven days

The figures 1 to 31 in the first column represent calendar days. Entries must be made for each day, even when a driver does not work.

• Step 1. Enter the number of working hours (on duty and driving) for each of the last seven days of the preceding month under the column heading “Hours Worked Today” (1). This can be taken from either the previous month’s logbook or summary sheet.

Available hours

• Step 2. Total the hours on duty just entered for the last 7 days and write it, 59, in the first space under Column A (2).
• Step 3. Subtract this figure from the 70-hour maximum and enter the remainder in the first space under Column B (3). We now know the driver has 11 on-duty hours available for the first day of the new month.

The next day

• Step 4. At the end of the next day, the log shows the driver was on duty 11 hours. Enter this figure in the first column to the right of day 1 on the log summary sheet (4).
• Step 5. Total the hours worked during the last 7 days (day 1 plus the 6 preceding days) and enter the total, 57 hours, under Column A.
• Step 6. Subtract this from 70, which again shows the on-duty hours available, 13, for the next day.

Compliance

In the last step we come to the important question of compliance or non-compliance with the 70-hour rule.

• Step 7. Add the hours worked during the last 8 days (day 1 plus the preceding 7 days) and enter the total in the first space under Column C, which in this case is 70 (5).

The driver is in compliance! Remember that the driver could perform non-driving activities after reaching the 70-hour limit and not be in violation, so a number larger than 70 in Column C does not necessarily indicate a violation.

Also remember that a property-carrying vehicle driver might be able to use the 34-hour restart to have 70 hours available again. After the restart break, the hours worked before that break began no longer need to be added into the totals.

Violations

From this point on, the same procedure is followed at the end of each day. Column B shows the driver’s on-duty hours available for the next day, and Column C indicates whether there may be a violation. If any number in Column C is larger than 70, no driving should have been done after the limit was reached on that day. Any driving that was done is a violation and it should be circled for easy identification.

60-hour/7-day schedule

For drivers assigned to the 60-hour/7-day schedule (see the right side of the sample monthly summary sheet), the procedure is the same as above, except for total days and maximum hours. Column A is the total for the last 6 days, which is subtracted from 60 for hours available in Column B, and Column C should contain the total for the last 7 days. Violations are for driving after reaching 60 hours shown in Column C.