Plan the legal trip, not just the route
A phone map app gives you an arrival time as if you could drive straight through. A truck driver can't. The 11-hour driving limit, the 14-hour window, the 30-minute break after 8 hours of driving and the 70-hour cycle all decide when you actually get there.
Fort Route plans the trip with those FMCSA rules for property-carrying drivers built in. The arrival time on the route sheet already counts the rest the rules require, placed at real truck stops and rest areas along your route.
How it works
- Enter your current hours-of-service clocks as your ELD shows them.
- Plan the route, adding your stops and the on-duty time you expect at each one.
- Fort Route places each 30-minute break, 10-hour reset and 34-hour restart the trip needs at a real truck stop or rest area on the route.
- The route sheet shows your legal arrival time, with every rest and every stop counted.
On-duty time at a stop (0 to 4 hours per stop) counts against your 14-hour window and your cycle, as it does under the rules. A stop of 30 minutes or more satisfies the 30-minute break, because the rule accepts any 30 consecutive minutes of non-driving time.
If you're already resting when you plan, start the 10-hour break or 34-hour reset in the rest planner with the time you went off duty. When it's done, your clocks reset and route plans use the fresh values.
While you drive
Once you tap Go, the plan rides along with you. Spoken and on-screen reminders come 30 minutes and 10 minutes of driving before each planned break or rest, and again when you arrive at the planned stop. The arrival time on the navigation screen includes the rests and stop time still ahead, and "what's ahead" shows the next scale, truck stop and rest area alongside your next planned stop.
The hours pill on the map keeps your drive and shift time in view, and the clocks behind it feed the route plan. The rings, reminders and rest planner are covered in hours of service.
What the plan is and isn't
Fort Route is a planning aid; your ELD record of duty status is the legal record. Fort Route doesn't connect to any ELD, so the plan is only as current as the clocks you entered, and you should check them against your ELD before you leave.
Drive times don't include live traffic. A truck stop picked for a break can also be full when you arrive, since Fort Route has no live parking data. For the rules behind the plan, read the 30-minute break rule and the 11-hour and 14-hour rules.
Frequently asked questions
Does Fort Route read my ELD clocks automatically?
No, you enter your clocks yourself; Fort Route doesn't sync with any ELD. The plan starts from those numbers, so check them against your ELD before a trip. Your ELD record of duty status stays the legal record.
Where does the planner put my 10-hour break?
The planner puts it at a real truck stop or rest area along your route. The arrival time includes the full 10 hours, and spoken reminders play 30 and 10 minutes of driving before you reach it.
Does time at a shipper count toward my 14 hours?
Yes, the on-duty time you enter for a stop counts against your 14-hour window and your cycle. Each stop takes 0 to 4 hours. A stop of 30 minutes or more also satisfies the 30-minute break.
Which hours-of-service rules does Fort Route use?
Fort Route uses the FMCSA rules for property-carrying drivers: 11 hours of driving, the 14-hour window, the 30-minute break after 8 hours of driving, and the 70-hour cycle. It adds 10-hour resets and 34-hour restarts when the trip needs them.
Is the legal arrival time guaranteed?
No, it's an estimate built from the route and the clocks and stop times you entered. It doesn't include live traffic, and a long wait at a dock changes the day. Your ELD remains the legal record.