70-Hour 8-Day Recap Calculator
Manage your rolling 8-day cycle and track available hours with precision.
Available Hours Today
5.0 HRS
Within rolling cycle limits
8.1 HRS
Duty hours per active day
+8.5 HRS
Gained back at midnight
13.5 HRS
Available after midnight recap
5.0 HRS
How to Use This Calculator
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Log Previous 7 Days On-Duty Time: Input your total cumulative on-duty hours (including all steering hours, fueling, loading, and inspection time) for the past 7 days, starting with your oldest day.
- 2
Log Completed 34-Hour Restarts: If you completed a valid 34 consecutive hours rest break on any of the past 7 days, check the restart box for that day. This instantly resets your rolling total accumulator from that day onwards!
- 3
Estimate Your On-Duty Hours for Today: Add your actual or projected duty time for today. This allows the calculator to accurately forecast how many hours you will have on your cycle tomorrow.
- 4
Analyze Your Available Hours & Daily Averages: Review your total available hours remaining today, midnight recap additions, and rolling averages. Adjust your schedules to maintain complete FMCSA compliance!
What Is the 70-Hour 8-Day Rule?
The 70-hour/8-day rule is a rolling cumulative limit designed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to prevent commercial truck driver fatigue on public roadways. Under daily FMCSA regulations, property-carrying commercial drivers are prohibited from driving a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) after completing 70 cumulative hours of on-duty time within any period of 8 consecutive days. This is a "rolling" window, meaning that at the end of each day, the oldest day's worked hours drop off your accumulator and are replaced by your most recent day's hours.
Understanding and managing this rolling cycle is commonly referred to in the logistics and trucking industry as "running on the recap." If a driver manages their daily schedules so that they do not exceed 70 on-duty hours in any 8-day block, they can theoretically drive indefinitely without ever taking a 34-hour restart. This digital 70-Hour 8-Day Recap Calculator automates this complex math, helping dispatchers and owner-operators project future available hours, prevent violations, and plan routes with precision.
60-Hour / 7-Day vs. 70-Hour / 8-Day Rules
Understanding which rolling cycle rule applies to your commercial driving operation is critical for maintaining DOT compliance. The FMCSA defines different cycle limits based on how many days a week your motor carrier operates.
| Cycle Rule | Carrier Operation | Daily Driving Limit | Rolling Cycle Cap | Reset Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60-Hour / 7-Day Rule | For carriers operating less than 7 days a week | Up to 11 hours daily driving | Cannot drive after 60 on-duty hours in any 7 consecutive days | 34 consecutive hours off-duty |
| 70-Hour / 8-Day Rule | For carriers operating every day of the week | Up to 11 hours daily driving | Cannot drive after 70 on-duty hours in any 8 consecutive days | 34 consecutive hours off-duty |
Rolling Cycle Guidelines
Understanding the FMCSA 70-hour/8-day rolling cycle rule is critical for maintaining continuous driver compliance and optimizing fleet productivity.
The 8-Day Window
Every midnight, the hours worked on the 8th day prior drop off your rolling total, instantly adding to your available cycle pool for the new day.
On-Duty Definition
All logged driving hours and on-duty non-driving hours (fueling, paperwork, loading, inspections) consume your rolling 70-hour pool.
34H Restart Reset
Taking a consecutive 34-hour off-duty or sleeper berth period completely resets your accumulator, restoring your 70-hour pool to full strength.
Pro-Tip for Continuous Recaps
To maximize your rolling efficiency and avoid stopping for 34-hour restarts, log your daily activities diligently. Keeping your average daily on-duty hours at or below 8.75 hours will allow you to work every day indefinitely!
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "running on the recap" mean for truck drivers?
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Running on the recap means managing your daily on-duty hours so that your rolling 8-day cumulative sum never reaches the 70-hour limit. If you average 8.75 hours or less of on-duty time per day, you will never trigger a 70-hour violation, allowing you to work every single day without needing a 34-hour restart period.
How does a 34-hour restart impact my rolling 8-day recap?
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Taking a 34-hour restart completely resets your 70-hour accumulator to zero. Once you complete 34 consecutive hours off-duty or in a sleeper berth, any hours worked prior to that restart are wiped from your rolling cycle, and you start counting again from zero hours on duty.
Does off-duty or sleeper berth time count toward the 70-hour rolling limit?
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No. Only time logged as "driving" or "on-duty non-driving" (inspections, loading, fueling, paperwork) counts toward the 70-hour limit. Off-duty, sleeper berth, and personal conveyance times are completely excluded from the recap.
What happens if I work more than 70 hours in 8 days?
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You are legally prohibited from driving a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) until your rolling total drops below 70 hours (which happens at midnight as older hours drop off) or you take a consecutive 34-hour rest break to reset your clock.
How do I know how many hours I gain back at midnight?
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At midnight, the hours worked on Day 1 (the oldest day in your rolling window) drop off. You gain back exactly those hours to use for your available clock on the new day. This is called your "recap gain."
Can I use the 34-hour restart option while on a 60-hour/7-day cycle?
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Yes. Both the 60-hour/7-day and the 70-hour/8-day rolling cycle limits can be completely reset by completing a consecutive 34-hour off-duty or sleeper berth period.
What is the 8.75-hour rule for running recaps?
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The 8.75-hour rule is a mathematical strategy for truck drivers to keep driving continuously without needing a 34-hour restart. If you log an average of 8.75 hours or less of total on-duty time (70 hours divided by 8 days) each day, your cumulative 8-day rolling sum will never exceed 70 hours, allowing you to drive safely and legally indefinitely.