Cycle Rules

Hours of service (HOS) cycle rules help manage a driver’s total on-duty and driving hours over a set period. The Motive Driver App provides tools to track these hours and support compliance with federal and regional regulations

Overview 

The Motive Driver App helps drivers stay compliant by tracking HOS cycle limits in real time, ensuring that available hours and accumulated time are always visible. Key features include:

• Real-time cycle tracking: Instantly monitor your remaining hours and accumulated driving time, helping you plan your day and stay compliant with HOS regulations.
• Automatic rule switching: Seamlessly adjusts between U.S. and Canadian cycles when crossing the border, ensuring compliance with both countries' rules without manual input.
• Clear cycle clocks: Easily view your drive, shift, break, and cycle limits, making it simple to stay on top of your available hours.
• Configurable cycles: Supports Secondary Cycles and customized settings for specialized operations, allowing flexibility for unique fleet needs and regulatory requirements

Basics 

HOS cycle rules limit the total number of on-duty and driving hours a driver can accumulate over a set period, which is typically 60 hours in 7 days or 70 hours in 8 days (U.S.). The Motive Driver App:

• Tracks your accumulated hours.
• Shows your active cycle rule.
• Updates your available hours in real time.
• Alerts you when you approach or reach a limit.

When you reach your cycle limit, you must take a qualifying reset before driving again

Viewing cycle rules

1. From the Driver App home screen, scroll up the Status bar.

2. Under Your clocks section, view your active cycle rule at the top (e.g., USA Property 70 hour / 8 day). You can also view your drive, shift, break, and cycle clocks. 

Both on-duty and driving hours count toward your cycle total. Use these clocks to plan breaks and resets to avoid violations.

Switching HOS cycle rules 

If your operations require a different cycle rule:

1. In the Motive Driver App, tap Menu > Settings.

2. Tap Cycle Rules 

3. Select your new Cycle Rule from the drop-down. Tap Save.

Your available hours will update immediately based on the new rule. Check your accumulated time before switching.

Switching between U.S. and Canadian cycles 

The app automatically detects border crossings and updates your HOS cycle accordingly.

• The cycle rule changes to match your location (e.g., U.S. 70/8 to Canada 70/7 or 120/14).
• Your clocks adjust automatically.
• After crossing, confirm that the correct rule is displayed.

This ensures compliance without requiring manual changes.

Switching between Short Haul and Long Haul driving cycles

1. Go to Settings > Cycle Rules.

2. Tap the Secondary Cycle tab. 
3. Tap Cycle Rule.

4. Select USA Short Haul from the drop-down menu and tap Save.

5. Go back to the logs and select the day you want to switch your cycle for. 

6. Tap the three dots at the top-right corner. 
7. Select Cycle Rule.

8. Select the cycle you want to switch to and tap Done. 

Your cycle for the respective day is switched. 

Note: The cycles can be switched according to the Short Haul or Long Haul preferences for the respective days.

Using a Secondary Cycle 

Some operations use more than one cycle rule. To activate a Secondary Cycle:

1. In the Driver App, go to Settings > Cycle Rules.

2. Tap the Secondary Cycle tab and open the drop-down menu for Cycle Rule.

Note: Tap Clear Secondary Cycle if you do not want a secondary cycle for your logs.

3. Select your secondary cycle and tap Save to confirm.

Note: Always confirm that the selected cycle matches your operation before switching. Once the secondary cycle is added, the Drivers can start switching cycles on a Day Log (primary and secondary) for any current day or any day in the past.

Changing time zone

1. In the Driver App, tap Menu > Settings. 

2. Tap General. 

3. Tap to open the drop-down for Home Time Terminal Zone.

4. Select a time zone and tap Save.

Time zone changes affect all log timestamps and cycle calculations. After updating, confirm that your cycle rule and clocks are still accurate.

Disabling the 30-minute rest break exception 

1. In the Driver App, go to Menu > Settings. 
2. Tap Cycle Rules.

3. Under the section labeled Options, tap Rest Break.

4. Select No Rest Break Required from the drop-down. Tap Save.

For details regarding HOS cycle rules, reach out to the local DOT or FMCSA.

Texas 70/7 oil and gas cycle rule and waiting time exception

Enabling the oil and gas cargo type 

1. In the Driver App, go to Settings > Cycle Rules.

2. Tap to open the drop-down for Cargo Type.

3. Select Oil and Gas and tap Save. 

Note: This activates the waiting time exception. It allows fleets to log waiting time at well sites.

Managing waiting time in Logs

1. From the Motive Driver App home screen, tap Logs.

2. Tap the log of a day where waiting time is applicable.

Note: Waiting time is treated the same as Off-Duty time for HOS purposes, but is logged separately to help differentiate between standard Off-Duty time and time spent waiting at a well site.

3. Tap WT (waiting time) to record the period the Driver was waiting at a site. 

4. Once the waiting time is logged, it appears as a separate line in the HOS report.

Note: Waiting time does not affect Split Sleeper Berth pairing calculations. Since only Sleeper Berth duty status is used for Split Sleeper Berth pairings under the Texas 70/7 rule. Waiting time appears in the fifth line of the log to differentiate it from the standard off-duty status.

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