What is considered on-duty time?

On-duty time is defined in Sec. 395.2 of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. It includes all time from when a driver begins work, or is required to be ready to work, until the time the driver is relieved from work. On-duty time includes all time spent:

• Waiting at a motor carrier or shipper unless the motor carrier relieves the driver from duty;
• Inspecting, servicing, or conditioning a commercial motor vehicle;
• Driving;
• In or on a commercial motor vehicle other than:
  • Time spent resting in or on a parked vehicle, unless the vehicle must be attended under 397.5;
  • Time spent resting in a sleeper berth; or
  • Up to 3 hours riding in the passenger seat of a property-carrying vehicle moving on the highway immediately before or after a period of at least 7 consecutive hours in a sleeper berth;
• Loading or unloading a commercial vehicle, supervising or assisting in the loading or unloading of the vehicle, attending the vehicle being loaded or unloaded, remaining ready to operate the vehicle, or giving or receiving receipts for shipments being loaded or unloaded;
• Repairing, obtaining assistance, or remaining in attendance upon a disabled commercial motor vehicle;
• Providing a breath sample or urine specimen for drug or alcohol testing, including travel time to and from the collection site;
• Performing any other work for a motor carrier; and
• Performing any compensated work for a non-motor carrier.