How do you use off duty?

Off-duty time includes times when you are relieved of all duty and responsibility for performing work and are free to pursue activities of your own choosing and are free to leave the place where your vehicle is parked.



In the context of the trucking industry and Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) in 2026, "Off Duty" is a specific regulatory status used when a driver is completely relieved from all work responsibilities. To use it correctly, a driver must manually select the "Off Duty" status on their ELD interface once the vehicle is safely parked. This status is typically used for the mandatory 30-minute break required after 8 hours of driving, as well as for the 10-hour daily reset or the 34-hour weekly restart. While in Off Duty status, the driver is free to leave the vehicle and pursue personal activities. Crucially, if the truck is moved more than a very short distance (usually 1-2 miles depending on carrier settings) while in this status, the ELD may automatically toggle back to "Driving" or "Personal Conveyance," so it is vital to remain stationary unless using a specific authorized PC mode.

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Off-duty means absolutely no work You have to be completely free of all your work and on-duty tasks. Absolutely no company work is permitted when logging off-duty personal conveyance time. Things like fueling or taking the vehicle in for maintenance are not personal conveyance and must be recorded in your on-duty time.

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Sleeper Berth Provision Drivers may split their required 10-hour off-duty period, as long as one off-duty period (whether in or out of the sleeper berth) is at least 2 hours long and the other involves at least 7 consecutive hours spent in the sleeper berth. All sleeper berth pairings MUST add up to at least 10 hours.

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It's important to note that off duty time is distinct from sleeper berth time. While off duty time is spent away from the commercial motor vehicle (CMV), sleeper berth time refers to the period when a driver rests or sleeps in the sleeper berth compartment of the CMV as defined in sect 393.76 Sleeper berths .

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There is no need for a.m. or p.m. as each time represents each hour in a 24-hour day. For example, 03:00 = 3rd hour of the day, or 3 am; 14:00 = 14th hour of the day or 2pm; 18:30 = 30 minutes past the 18th hour of the day, or 6:30pm.

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Here are some specific activities which are considered to be on duty time: All time spent at a plant, shipping / receiving facility, terminal, or other facility of a motor carrier, unless you are in your sleeper berth or have been relieved of all work related responsibilities.

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