Safety & service
Hours of Service Rules for Delivery Drivers
A local route can still be subject to federal hours-of-service rules. The answer depends on the vehicle and the transportation being performed, not simply whether the driver sleeps at home or holds a CDL. Before accepting an assignment, know which rules and exceptions the employer has determined apply. This overview addresses ordinary federal property-carrying operations; passenger service, specialized exceptions, and state-only operations can follow different requirements.
Start with the vehicle and the movement
For federal safety rules, an interstate property-carrying vehicle can qualify as a commercial motor vehicle at 10,001 pounds or more based on the applicable rated or actual vehicle or combination weight, whichever is greater. That threshold is below the usual CDL weight threshold. Transportation entirely within one state can also be interstate commerce when it forms part of a shipment originating or ending outside that state.1
A small delivery vehicle is therefore not automatically outside the rules, and a local address does not prove intrastate status. Have the carrier confirm classification, applicable state requirements, and any valid exception. Do not copy another driver's logging arrangement without confirming that the vehicle and operation match.
Understand the ordinary driving limits
Under the standard federal property-carrying rules, a driver may drive up to 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty and may not drive after the 14th consecutive hour following the start of duty. Ordinary off-duty pauses do not extend that window. Drivers also may not drive after 60 on-duty hours in seven consecutive days or 70 in eight, depending on the carrier's operating schedule.2
Unless an exception applies, a driver must stop driving once eight cumulative driving hours have passed without at least 30 consecutive minutes out of driving status. The interruption can be off duty, sleeper berth, on duty without driving, or a consecutive combination. A qualifying 34-hour off-duty period can restart the seven-day or eight-day calculation.2
Know what short haul changes
The common 150-air-mile exception under Section 395.1(e)(1) permits qualifying time records instead of the usual records of duty status. Among its conditions, the driver must remain within the radius, return to the normal reporting location, and be released within 14 consecutive hours. The carrier must retain the required accurate time records for six months. Property-carrying drivers need at least 10 consecutive hours off between these duty periods.3
This exception does not erase driving or weekly limits. Qualifying short-haul drivers are excepted from the federal 30-minute driving-break requirement, but other applicable breaks and fatigue precautions still matter. A separate non-CDL short-haul provision has different conditions. Confirm the exact provision being used, and report any day that falls outside its requirements promptly.23
Make the record match the work
Build the day's plan around loading, inspections, deliveries, delays, and the return trip, with enough margin to finish lawfully. Tell dispatch about a threatened limit while there is time to arrange assistance. Accurate records make the remaining legal driving time visible; they should never be adjusted to make an overlong route appear compliant.
For Sigma Continental and any FedEx contractor, hours-of-service compliance belongs in daily route planning. Drivers should know whom to contact about an exception, an unexpected delay, or a record that needs correction. Legal availability also does not establish personal alertness. If fatigue makes continued driving unsafe, stop safely and notify the appropriate supervisor rather than treating unused hours as a requirement to continue.
Sources and further reading
Review current guidance and follow the training and procedures provided for your role.
- FMCSA — Hours of Service Exceptions
- FMCSA Motor Carrier Safety Planner — Property-Carrying Operations
- Original Safety Articles collection
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration via eCFR — 49 CFR 390 Point 5T Definitions
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration via eCFR — 49 CFR 395 Point 3 Maximum Driving Time for Property Carrying Vehicles
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration via eCFR — 49 CFR 395 Point 1 Scope of Rules
