Who this is for: CDL drivers, fleet managers, owner-operators, compliance assistants
Hours of Service Rules for Team Drivers — CDL Compliance
Team driver operations allow two CDL drivers to share a single CMV, extending the truck's operating hours while each driver individually complies with their own 11-hour and 14-hour limits. The non-driving driver may log time in a compliant sleeper berth as sleeper berth time, which counts as off duty. Each driver maintains separate RODS or ELD logs.
How team operations work under HOS
In a team operation, two drivers share one CMV. While one driver operates, the other rests in the sleeper berth. Each driver is independently subject to all HOS limits — the 11-hour driving limit, 14-hour on-duty window, and 60/70-hour weekly cycle. The key benefit is that the non-driving driver can accumulate off-duty time (logged as sleeper berth) while the vehicle keeps moving, allowing longer effective operating distances per 24-hour period.
Logging time as a passenger in the sleeper berth
When a driver is not at the controls and is resting in the sleeper berth, that time is logged as "sleeper berth" — which counts as off-duty time. The resting driver is not accumulating on-duty time. This is what makes team operations effective for long-haul runs: while one driver accumulates their 11-hour driving budget, the other is accumulating off-duty hours. The drivers alternate, each restoring their driving capacity while the other drives.
Applying the sleeper berth provision in team operations
Team drivers frequently use the sleeper berth provision (49 CFR 395.1(g)) to manage their hours. The classic team pattern involves each driver completing a driving period, then resting in the sleeper berth for at least 7 hours (or 3 hours as the shorter paired segment) while their partner drives. The paired rest periods work together to satisfy the 10-hour off-duty requirement for each driver, allowing both to maintain continuous operation over extended distances.
Separate ELD records for each driver
Each driver in a team must maintain their own RODS or ELD record. Modern ELDs accommodate team operations — each driver logs in to the device and records their duty status independently. When one driver hands off the wheel, both drivers update their duty status. The off-duty (sleeper berth) driver records the status change to sleeper berth; the new driving driver records the change to driving. Failure to maintain accurate separate records is a recordkeeping violation for each driver.
Practical scheduling considerations for team operations
Team operations require careful coordination. Both drivers are tracking their own individual 11/14-hour limits and 60/70-hour weekly cycles independently. A team that has been running for several days will have each driver accumulating weekly on-duty hours at their own rate. Dispatchers must track each driver's hours separately. If one driver is approaching the weekly limit, the team may need to pause or bring in a replacement, even if the other driver still has hours available.
ELD setup for team operations — what to check
Modern ELDs support team driver mode, where both drivers log in to the same device using their individual accounts. When the handoff happens, the outgoing driver changes status to sleeper berth and the incoming driver changes to driving. Both duty status changes must be recorded simultaneously at the actual time of the handoff — not retroactively. If the ELD records a gap or an overlap in the logs because the handoff wasn't logged immediately, that's a recordkeeping violation for both drivers. Confirm with your ELD provider how team mode is activated and how handoffs are properly recorded on your specific device before the first team run.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a driver log off-duty (rather than sleeper berth) while a partner drives?
Only if the CMV is parked and the driver is completely relieved of all duty — not simply resting in the sleeper berth of a moving CMV. Time resting in the sleeper berth of a moving CMV must be logged as sleeper berth, not off-duty. If the vehicle is parked and the driver is free to leave the truck, regular off-duty time may be logged.
Do both team drivers share the same 11-hour limit for the day?
No. Each driver has their own independent 11-hour driving limit, 14-hour window, and 60/70-hour cycle. The team's total daily driving output can exceed 11 hours because the two drivers alternate — each individually complying with their own separate limits.
How do two team drivers synchronize their ELD records when they hand off the wheel mid-trip?
Both drivers must update their ELD status at the actual moment of handoff — not retroactively. The outgoing driver changes status from driving to sleeper berth; the incoming driver changes from sleeper berth to driving. Both changes must be recorded simultaneously on the shared device. Most ELDs in team mode allow both drivers to be logged in concurrently. A delayed or missed status change creates a log gap or overlap that is a recordkeeping violation for both drivers.
Can a team driver log off-duty — rather than sleeper berth — while riding in the back of a moving truck?
No. Time resting in the sleeper berth of a moving CMV must be logged as sleeper berth, not off-duty. Off-duty status in a moving truck would be a false log entry. The distinction matters because sleeper berth time counts differently than off-duty time in the split-rest calculations under §395.1(g). If the vehicle is parked and the driver is fully released from all duty, regular off-duty logging is permissible.