Cross-border trucking requires strict adherence to distinct hours of service (HOS) regulations in the US and Canada. Motive helps drivers and fleets seamlessly comply with both countries’ ELD mandates, ensuring legal and efficient cross-border operations.
Overview
Cross-border drivers must comply with distinct HOS regulations for both the US and Canada. Motive simplifies this process with features designed to ensure seamless compliance when transitioning between these countries’ regulations.
Motive’s platform automatically detects border crossings and prompts drivers to switch to the correct HOS cycle, ensuring compliance with the relevant country’s rules. If needed, drivers also have the flexibility to select their cycle manually. Key features include:
- Automatic cycle switching: Automatically switches the HOS cycle when crossing borders, ensuring compliance.
- Manual cycle control: Allows drivers to select the correct cycle when needed manually.
- Enforced compliance: Prevents accidental violations by ensuring the correct cycle is applied.
- Clear log management: Provides real-time updates of available hours and log changes after switching.
By using Motive’s cross-border features, fleets can maintain compliance while ensuring smooth transitions between US and Canadian HOS rules.
Switching between US and Canadian cycles
Motive makes it easy for drivers to stay compliant when moving between the US and Canada or vice versa :
Automatic border detection
The Motive Driver App can automatically switch your HOS cycle when you cross the US-Canada border or vice versa, but only if:
- You have both a US and a Canadian cycle set up (one as primary and one as secondary or vice-versa).
- You start driving in one country and finish in the other during the same trip.
If these settings aren’t in place, the app won’t switch cycles automatically—you’ll need to change the cycle yourself.
How to manually switch cycles
Drivers can manually update their HOS cycle in the Driver App:
Open the Driver App.
Go to Logs.
Select the appropriate rule set (e.g., US Property, Canada South of 60°, Canada North of 60°).
Confirm the switch.
Viewing logs and hours
After switching cycles, the app recalculates and displays the driver’s available hours according to the selected rule set.
Switching cycle rules in Canada
To comply with Canadian regulations, certain conditions must be met before a driver can switch their HOS cycle :
Sufficient off-duty time
A driver must have accumulated the minimum required off-duty time before switching cycles. This prevents cycle resets until regulatory conditions are satisfied.
- To switch from Cycle 1 (70 hours in 7 days), a driver must take 36 consecutive hours off-duty.
- To switch from Cycle 2 (120 hours in 14 days), a driver must take 72 consecutive hours off-duty.
Enforcement in the Driver App
If the driver does not meet these requirements, the option to switch cycles is grayed out in the Motive Driver App. This helps ensure cycle switches only occur under compliant conditions.
Canadian HOS rules
It’s essential to understand how Canadian HOS regulations differ from US rules:
Driving & on-duty time
- Canada: Up to 13 hours driving within a 14-hour on-duty period, all within a 16-hour window.
- US: Up to 11 hours driving in a 14-hour on-duty period.
Off-duty requirements
- Canada: Requires 10 hours off-duty in a day, including at least 8 consecutive hours off-duty. The remaining 2 hours must be taken in segments of 30 minutes or more.
- US: Requires 10 consecutive hours off-duty.
Personal conveyance
- Canada: Limited to 75 km/day and must be unladen.
- US: No distance limit or unladen requirement.
Yard move
- Canada: Speed limited to 32 km/h (20 mph). Exceeding this threshold switches the status to 'driving'.
- US: No speed-based restriction for yard move.
Adverse driving conditions
Both Canada and the US allow a 2-hour extension for adverse driving conditions. The extension applies differently in each country: in Canada, the 2-hour extension applies to both driving and on-duty time, while in the US, it applies only to the driving time.
Deferral of off-duty time
In Canada, drivers may defer up to 2 hours of daily off-duty time to the next day. This flexibility is not available in the US, where off-duty time must be taken as required by the regulations.
FAQs
What happens if I forget to switch my cycle after crossing the border?
If you do not switch cycles when entering a new country, your logs may become non-compliant, risking violations. Make sure your cycle rules are set up properly (primary cycle as US, secondary as Canada or vice versa) to have Motive automatically switch cycle rules for you on border crossing when you begin a single trip in one country and end it in the other. If this configuration is not set up, you can switch cycles manually to remain compliant.
Can I manually change my cycle at any time in the Motive Driver App?
You can manually change your cycle, but only if regulatory requirements (such as sufficient off-duty time) are met. Otherwise, the option will be unavailable.
How does the Motive Driver App know when I cross the border?
The app uses location services to detect border crossings and automatically switches cycle rules when a primary and secondary cycle (e.g., US and Canada or vice versa) are configured. This applies when a single trip begins in one country and ends in the other.
What is the difference between the US and Canadian personal conveyance rules?
Canada limits personal conveyance to 75 km/day with the vehicle unladen, while the US has no such distance or load restrictions.
Why can’t I switch my cycle in Canada even though I want to?
You must meet specific off-duty requirements before a cycle change is allowed. If not, the Motive Driver App will gray out the option for you until you meet the off-duty requirements.
Share this with others