Plan with hours aging out of the cycle
Calculate available cycle hours without taking a restart.
How recaps return hours
Recaps are hours that become available when the oldest day leaves the rolling seven- or eight-day cycle. Count all on-duty hours from that day. Off-duty hours do not add credits.
Think of a shelf holding eight daily folders. At the next day boundary, the oldest folder leaves and a new one enters. The day boundary follows the driver’s home-terminal time zone.
Subtract the day that leaves the rolling cycle before adding the next day’s work.
Subtract the oldest day
At a glance · Follow the sequence
01
Before boundary
70 on-duty hours in the rolling total
02
Oldest day leaves
Subtract that day’s 10 on-duty hours
03
After boundary
60 counted hours: 10 cycle hours available before new work
Recaps change cycle availability. Check daily limits before driving too.
Check several days ahead. A large recap tomorrow may be followed by a small one. Include planned driving and non-driving work in each new total.
Recaps or a restart?
Use recaps if they provide enough hours for the planned trips and needed rest. Plan a restart if upcoming recaps leave too little capacity. Neither option is always better.
Pause and apply
Ten cycle hours return, but the fourteen-hour window has ended. Can you drive?
Read the reasoning
No. Recaps change cycle hours only. Daily limits must also allow the drive.