Drivers who operate in both Canada and U.S. jurisdictions need to pay attention and be compliant with the Hours of Service (HOS) regulations in both countries. Let’s break down some of the key differences between Canada and U.S. HOS regulations.

Drive Time

In Canada, you have up to 13 hours “driving” time in a day, after eight-consecutive hours as “off-duty.”  While in the U.S., you can drive to a maximum of 11 hours after 10-consecutive hours of “off-duty” time.

U.S. regulations stipulate that you cannot drive after completing 14 straight hours, while in Canada, you cannot drive after completing 16-consecutive hours.  

The U.S. regulations entitle a driver to have 10-consecutive hours “off-duty” with a 30-minute break after eight-consecutive hours when working. In Canada, a driver must have eight hours as “off-duty” before being able to drive.

Cycles

In the U.S., there are two duty cycles, 70 hours in eight days, and 60 hours in seven days. You can reset the cycle with 34 hours of consecutive “off-duty” time.  

In Canada, the two duty cycles are 70 hours in seven days and 120 hours in 14 days. The 70-hour cycle can be reset by having 34 hours of consecutive “off-duty” time. The 120-hour cycle is reset with 72 hours of “off-duty” time.

Deferral

There is a 2-hour deferral rule in Canada, where a driver can gain an additional two hours of driving time in 24 hours. This does not exist in the U.S. HOS.

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