Hours of service - Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania has adopted Part 395 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs).

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) adoption of Part 395 applies to a vehicle or combination of vehicles used on a highway in intrastate commerce with a gross vehicle weight rating or gross combination weight rating, or gross vehicle weight or gross combination weight of 17,001 pounds or more (whichever is greater), or transporting hazardous materials which are required to be placarded.

The Public Utilities Commission (PUC) regulates motor carriers that transport property or household goods between points in Pennsylvania for compensation. The PUC adoption of Part 395 applies to vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating or registered gross weight in excess of 10,000 pounds, or a vehicle that is being used to transport hazardous materials of a type or quantity that requires the vehicle to be marked or placarded.

Exception: State and local government drivers performing snow removal, roadway maintenance, and traffic control support activities are exempt from the hours-of-service and driver log requirements in Part 395. A driver for a private carrier who is performing highway snow removal operations on behalf of the state or any political subdivision of the state may drive a commercial motor vehicle for up to 12 hours provided that the driver does not drive a commercial motor vehicle after having been on duty for more than 16 hours and the driver has not been on duty 70 hours in 7 consecutive days of 80 hours in 8 consecutive days.

Lightweight vehicles: The Public Utility Commission’s adoption of Part 395 includes a provision for light-weight vehicles. While those drivers are not required to keep logs, the motor carrier must maintain time records showing when the driver reports for duty, how long the driver is on duty, and when the driver is released from duty each day. The carrier also must have a record of the total time for the preceding 7 days for drivers used for the first time or intermittently. Carriers must keep records for 6 months.