Question about Canadian HOS

My apologies. I should have investigated first. Seems the rules have changed. See fmcsa site, under regulatory guidance, search for Canada and it will state that as long as you are in Canada, you can follow our rules. But you must be compliant with US rules at the moment of crossing the border.

 

As a canadian driver , you could have split your sleeper, deferred 2 hours, or booked off duty for 2 hours which would have offered you more flexibility for real world situations. Unfortunately, because you would have been going back into the USA, all of these canadian options would have render your US duty status as illegal because they may give the option to carry on with your day, but only in Canada. The options of hours executed in Canada cannot carry over for allowances in hours the USA.

 

You must have a 10 hr break before coming back into the States, you can gain 2 hrs when you come into Canada if you have taken enough breaks while driving in the US. The main thing you have to make sure of is that you show 10 hrs off in your 24 hr period (midnight to midnight)

 

That makes no sense at all, Canadian drivers have to follow USA rules, but USA drivers can't follow Canadian rules, who thinks this crap up?

 

On your rule #4 we do get hours back after 70 hours. But we start to get them back after only 7 days instead of 8 like in the US.

 

I was told by DOT if you use the split sleeper berth rule that the 10 hours has to be all in the sleeper berth ? ?? Ex 6@4 5@5. Does anyone Know for sure as it was in PQ. No ticket just a warning.

 

Yes, 10 in the berth.

Both stop the clock.

 

http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2005-313/page-4.html#docCont

 

My company is the same way. They make us take 10 off between shifts when we only need 8. It eliminates the problem of a driver screwing up and bring illegal. Me thinks it's a company rule.

 

Definitely a company rule to follow US regs in Canada. One simple reason for it that I can think of: if you follow the US regs while in Canada, you will still be in compliance when you cross back south without having to do any extra math. I've screwed up a time or two heading south when I had Canadian hours available, but was over the 70/8 rule.