Road trips are fun. Most of America can relate to the adventure of a family road trip. You stop when you can, view new sites, visit family or check out a new city. Long haul trucking is not a glorified road trip. And, being on the road for so many hours comes with rules and safety measures. When you spend so much time alone on the road, it’s important that you have enough sleep and don’t become a danger to other drivers on the road. This is why there is an 'hours of service' rule stating that drivers follow an 11-hour rule.

The 11 Hour Rule (For Your Safety)

It’s a simple rule to follow. Especially if you have an electronic logbook. Within your 14-hour driving window, you are allowed to drive a maximum of 11. Notably, this is done to save fatigued drivers. A long day of work is exhausting. Pair that with long roads and deadlines, and it’s a dangerous mix. That’s why it’s important that breaks are implemented. It’s very important that accidents don’t happen.

Hours of Service — Time Clocked

For some, this rule can be confusing. Actually, for most its confusing. That’s because your 11 hours doesn’t necessarily start as soon as you start driving. Whatever prep work you did before or the time you took to load up or unload, count as time towards your 11 hours of work. The same goes for any post-trip duties that you might do. It all counts. That’s what makes this rule tricky. Just remember that “work” means the same as “on duty”. Not just when you’re behind the wheel.

It’s healthy to take breaks while working. It’s hard to spend so many consecutive hours on the road. Spend more of your precious time on duty getting closer to your destination. With The Ugly Fix installed, you can cover more miles without stopping to fuel up (which counts towards your 11 hours). Save gas and time.