📚 Guide by Safety Mom · Allstar Enviro Safety — The Hours Of Service is an online workplace safety course delivered by Safety Mom · Allstar Enviro Safety, Calgary’s Energy Safety Canada Authorized Training Provider. Self-paced, mobile-friendly, same-day certificate upon exam completion. Available across Canada.
🔗 Related Safety Mom courses & guides: H2S Alive Calgary · Standard First Aid Calgary · Oil Sands Safety Certs · Instructor: Arliss Levine, CRSP, CHSC
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE DRIVERS’ HOURS OF SERVICE ONLINE COURSE OVERVIEW
This online Commercial Vehicle Drivers’ Hours of Service course covers Canada’s Federal Hours of Service regulations. It is intended to help drivers and carriers understand and increase their compliance with the regulations.
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE DRIVERS’ HOURS OF SERVICE ONLINE COURSE TOPICS
- The history of Federal Hours of Service legislation
- The human body clock and fatigue
- When driving is prohibited
- Which vehicles the regulations apply to and which are exempt
- Logbooks and daily duty status categories
- On-duty limits and off-duty requirements
- Sleeper berth requirements
- Cycles, cycle limits, cycle resets and cycle switching
- Special permits for various vehicles
- Exemptions for emergencies or adverse driving conditions
- Out-of-service declarations
- Inspections
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE DRIVERS’ HOURS OF SERVICE ONLINE COURSE DURATION:
Approximately 5 hours
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE DRIVERS’ HOURS OF SERVICE TEST:
Testing conducted throughout this online Commercial Vehicle Drivers’ Hours of Service course is designed to reinforce the information presented. A mark of 80% must be achieved in order to receive a certificate of completion. Participants are able to repeat the course twice if the pass mark is not achieved. Supplemental materials necessary to complete this course can be accessed online.
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE DRIVERS’ HOURS OF SERVICE ONLINE CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION:
Upon successful completion of this online course, a certificate of completion will be available for download and printing.
To purchase courses for multiple users, please contact us directly.
COMMERCIAL VEHICLE DRIVERS’ HOURS OF SERVICE COURSE PREVIEW
Additional Safety Knowledge
Commercial Driver Requirements in Alberta
Alberta commercial drivers require a Class 1, 2, or 3 licence depending on the vehicle. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations and Alberta’s Traffic Safety Act govern hours-of-service, vehicle inspection, and cargo securement. Drivers of vehicles over 4,500 kg gross combined weight rating are subject to National Safety Code (NSC) standards including electronic logging device (ELD) requirements as of January 2023.
Hours of Service Rules
Federal HOS regulations for interprovincial trucking allow a maximum of:
- 13 hours driving in a 14-hour work shift
- 70 hours on-duty in any 7 consecutive days (or 120 hours in 14 days with a 24-hour reset)
- Mandatory 8 consecutive hours off-duty after each shift
- Minimum 10 hours off-duty in a 24-hour period, at least 8 of which must be consecutive
Alberta intraprovincial drivers follow provincial HOS rules with similar structure. Log falsification is a serious violation that can result in licence suspension and carrier CVOR downgrades.
Pre-Trip Inspection Requirements
Under Schedule 1 of the National Safety Code, drivers must perform and record a pre-trip inspection at the start of each shift. Critical inspection items include air brake system (drivers of air-brake vehicles need a Q endorsement), tires, wheels and fasteners, coupling devices, cargo securement, lights, and emergency equipment. Defects are classified as major (out-of-service) or minor (repair required within a set timeframe).
Hours Of Service — Defensive Driving Fundamentals
Safe commercial driving is built on the Smith System 5 keys: aim high in steering (look 15 seconds ahead), get the big picture (scan all mirrors every 5–8 seconds), keep your eyes moving, leave yourself an out (maintain 4–6 second following distance for heavy vehicles), and make sure they see you (signals, headlights, horn where appropriate). Oil & gas drivers add H2S awareness, rough-terrain skills, and load-specific hazard knowledge to the base defensive framework.
Content reviewed by Arliss Levine, CRSP, CHSC — lead safety instructor at Safety Mom · Allstar Enviro Safety Calgary, an Energy Safety Canada Authorized Training Provider.
