Choose the applicable window first
Under 49 CFR 395.3(b), the federal property-carrier framework uses 60 on-duty hours in 7 consecutive days for a carrier that does not operate commercial motor vehicles every day of the week, or 70 in 8 days for a carrier that does. Confirm the rule applicable to the operation rather than choosing whichever balance looks larger.
The example below uses the 70-hour/8-day cycle, no intervening qualifying restart and complete records. “On duty” includes the duty counted toward that cycle, not only driving.
Work through the eight-day total
| Day in the example | On-duty hours |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | 9 |
| Day 2 | 8 |
| Day 3 | 10 |
| Day 4 | 7 |
| Day 5 | 8 |
| Day 6 | 6 |
| Day 7 | 9 |
| Day 8 | 5 |
| Total | 62 |
At the end of Day 8, the arithmetic is 70 − 62 = 8 hours before reaching the cycle limit. When Day 9 begins, Day 1 leaves the rolling window: 62 − 9 = 53 hours remain from Days 2–8. Before adding Day 9 work, the cycle arithmetic is 70 − 53 = 17 hours.
That is not permission to drive for 17 hours. The driver’s separate driving limit, duty window, required rest and other applicable conditions still govern the assignment. Any new on-duty time during Day 9 reduces the cycle balance.
Check the day boundary and missing work
Use the 24-hour period designated by the carrier for the driver’s home terminal, as described in 395.8(f)(8). Crossing a time zone does not independently advance the reporting day.
Before relying on the result, confirm the prior days, any work for another employer, record corrections and any qualifying restart. A mathematically correct sum of an incomplete record is still an unreliable dispatch input. HOS with ELD: A Daily Planning Guide. A Driver's Daily ELD Workflow.
Rolling-window questions
Do cycle hours return at the start of a calendar week?
The ordinary window rolls by consecutive carrier-defined days. It is not automatically reset by Sunday, Monday or a payroll boundary.
Can I copy the example when my carrier uses a 60-hour cycle?
No. Rebuild the worksheet with the correct limit and number of days. The method of checking complete records still matters, but the example’s totals belong to its stated assumptions.