How many hours do truck drivers drive?

For OTR drivers, how many hours do you drive per-day and per-week?

How many hours is a new truck driver expected to drive?

I've heard that some places will have you driving the maximum DOT limit, which is 10 hours of driving, then 8 hours sleep, then repeat with another 10 hours driving.

I wouldn't mind getting a fat paycheck after a few days of full-on driving like that, but doesn't it wear down on you after a while?

Comments for How many hours do truck drivers drive?

Average Rating

Click here to add your own comments

Mar 25, 2015
Rating

Ticket? NEW
by: NickV

You won't get a ticket for sleeping at all. As long as you log your 8 hours your legal to drive as far as the law goes. Your company won't care if you over sleep as long as you get your load delivered on time. Need to worry more about your license then your job kinda. Stay legal, log correctly and keep your nose clean. And as far as sleep you ain't making money if the truck isn't moving so it's best to just sleep and drive. If your not sleeping or driving your spending money and that's no good on the road

Mar 25, 2015
Rating

Hours NEW
by: Anonymous

What if you get ticket for sleeping 9:45hours instead 10 hours? will it get you in trouble with company?

Mar 25, 2015
Rating

Fat paycheck? NEW
by: NickV

You can drive up to 11 hours in one given day as long as you have the proper log of 8 hours sleep. And yes if you have a coast to coast load and it's possible to roll and sleep and roll again then yes that's what your gonna do. Especially if the load you have has a delivery date that doesn't have much wiggle room on time. I wouldn't get your head wrapped around making "fat paychecks" til you got about a year into it. I really didn't make much my first year and living on the road can be expensive.

Click here to add your own comments

Join in and write your own page! It's easy to do. How? Simply click here to return to Ask a Professional Truck Driver..