Hours of service - Alabama

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Department of Public Safety has adopted Part 395 of the Federal Regulations.

Under Public Service Commission regulations, the driving limits are the same as prescribed in the Federal Regulations.

Under the Department of Public Safety adoption, Part 395 applies to intrastate commercial motor vehicles 26,001 pounds or more, or vehicles of any size which transport a placardable amount of hazardous materials.

Exception — Drivers of commercial motor vehicles operating within a 75 air-mile radius of their normal work reporting location are limited to 12 hours of driving time and 15 on-duty hours following 10 consecutive hours off duty. Driving is not permitted after being on duty 70 hours in 7 consecutive days. Motor carriers that use this exception must have a satisfactory rating with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration or be unrated. Drivers using this exception must comply with the record of duty status requirements in Sec. 395.8 and must retain and have available for inspection a copy of each record of duty status for the previous seven consecutive days.

Exception — The hours-of-service requirements (Part 395) shall not apply during planting and harvesting season to drivers transporting:

• Agricultural commodities from the source of the agricultural commodities to a location within 150 air miles from the source;
• Farm supplies for agricultural purposes from a wholesale or retail distribution point of the farm supplies to a farm or other location where the farm supplies are intended to be used within a 150 air-mile radius from the distribution point; or
• Farm supplies for agricultural purposes from a wholesale distribution point of the farm supplies to a retail distribution point of the farm supplies within a 150 air-mile radius from the wholesale distribution point.

Alabama’s planting and harvesting season is April 1 of each calendar year to March 31 of the next succeeding calendar year.

Under Public Service Commission requirements, log requirements are also the same, except for retention requirements. The log is to be retained by the carrier for 12 months from date of receipt. The driver is to retain his/her copy of each daily log for 30 days which shall be in his/her possession while on duty.