Federal law limits the hours a truck driver may operate an 18-wheeler to help prevent driver fatigue. A truck driver hauling a load has the following restrictions: They may only drive a maximum of 11 hours total after having taken 10 consecutive hours off-duty.  They may not drive beyond the 14th hour after having been off-duty for 10 consecutive hours.  They may drive only if 8 hours or less have passed since the end of the driver’s last off-duty or sleeper-berth period of at least 30 minutes. (This is a mandatory break that applies unless certain exceptions apply.) They may not drive for more than 60 hours in one week or 70 hours in any 8 consecutive days. Drivers using the sleeper berth provision must spend at least 8 consecutive hours in the sleeper berth, plus a separate 2 consecutive hours either in the sleeper berth, off duty, or any combination of the two.