Hours of Service (HOS) of Drivers Regulations

This ICR is a renewal for a mandatory collection for reporting, recordkeeping, and disclosure. The Hours of Service (HOS) rules apply to both property and passenger motor carriers. The HOS rules set limits on the on-duty time and driving time of CMV drivers, and mandate the amount and frequency of the time off-duty that such drivers must receive. Two types of information are collected under this IC: (1) drivers’ daily record of duty status (RODS) (electronic records or, in some cases, paper logbooks), and (2) supporting documents, such as fuel and toll receipts, that may be used by motor carriers to verify the accuracy of the RODS and to document expense deductions taken in the determination of taxable income. The information is collected on an annual basis. The purpose of the collection of the RODS and supporting documents of the HOS rules is to provide the Agency with its most effective tool in combating driver fatigue. Enforcement officials at roadside employ the RODS and supporting documents to determine the amount of time a driver has spent off duty prior to the driver’s current duty day. They also determine the amount of time the driver has been on duty that duty day, and the amount of time the driver has been behind the wheel driving during the duty day. Enforcement officials examine the RODS for seven of the immediately preceding days to determine compliance with the HOS rules. The RODS are an invaluable tool used to detect inaccurate and falsified logs that facilitates removing fatigued, unsafe drivers off the road. Enforcement officials employ the RODS and supporting documents retained by the motor carrier when conducting on-site investigative reviews of motor carriers. The safety assessments that result from such reviews are public information, and many shippers routinely examine the assessments, as well as crash and regulatory compliance records, when selecting a motor carrier. The Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) requires States, as a condition of receiving grant funding, to adopt and enforce State CMV safety laws and regulations that are compatible with the FMCSRs and these include the HOS rules. States embrace the Federal enforcement scheme for regulating safety in the operation of CMVs, and work closely with Federal investigators in enforcing the HOS rules. Motor carriers also help FMCSA detect fatigued drivers. It is in their interest to be proactive in detecting inaccuracy or falsification of RODS by their CMV drivers to avoid the penalties resulting from such infractions. Replacing paper RODS with electronic RODS enhances the accuracy and minimizes the falsification of RODS. Motor carriers will continue to examine the supporting documents, such as fuel receipts, toll receipts, bills of lading, repair invoices, and compare them to the entries on the RODS. Comparing supporting documents to the RODS helps the motor carrier verify the accuracy of the HOS reported by their CMV drivers. Motor carrier use of the RODS and driver-supplied supporting documents enhances driver adherence to the HOS rules, keeps fatigued drivers off the road, and helps FMCSA protect the public. This ICR supports the Department of Transportation’s Strategic Goal of Safety because the information helps the Agency improve the safety of drivers operating CMVs on our Nation’s highways.

The latest form for Hours of Service (HOS) of Drivers Regulations expires 2022-07-31 and can be found here.

Driver HOS Information Collection Tasks

Federal Enterprise Architecture: Transportation - Ground Transportation