34-Hour Restart

Definition

The 34-hour restart under 49 CFR §395.3(c) lets a driver reset the 60- or 70-hour rolling on-duty clock by taking 34 consecutive hours off duty. The driver returns to full available hours after the restart. The 2017 budget bill removed the requirement that the restart include two 1-5 a.m. periods and the cap of one restart per week; today the restart can be taken as often as needed. Carriers should plan restarts strategically - using a restart unnecessarily early in the week can waste available driving hours, but waiting too long can leave the driver short on the back half of a multi-week run.