Earn on your own schedule

Driving while tired or fatigued

3 February 2019 / Auckland

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Driving for extended periods of time without a break increases the risk of incidents related to fatigue. Research has shown that fatigue can have a similar effect on your driving performance as being intoxicated.
Important: The Uber Fatigue Management Policy described below is not a replacement for the NZTA’s work time and logbook requirements. As a P Endorsement holder, it is your responsibility to ensure that you continue to maintain your logbook and comply with the NZTA’s work time requirements.
Fatigue Management Policy
To help you comply with your safety obligations, the Uber app keeps you aware of how many hours you’ve spent online. 
Remember, driver-partners have a legal obligation to ensure that they do not drive while fatigued. This is your personal responsibility, and you should find this feature useful to help you comply with these obligations.
How does the Fatigue Management Policy operate?
Driver-partners in Australia who go online for a cumulative 13 hours must take a continuous 10 hour break (“driving hour limit”)
If the driving hour limit is reached for 12 days in a row, the driver-partner will be taken offline for 24 hours
If a driver-partner completes at least one trip per day for 28 days in a row, they will be taken offline for 24 hours
Fatigue Management Policy FAQs
Why does the Uber app take me offline for an 10 hour break?Down Small
Driving while fatigued poses a serious safety risk to you, your riders, and all road users. Driver-partners also have a legal obligation to effectively manage their fatigue at all times. 
What counts towards 13 hours?Down Small
The entire time between going online, through to the time you go offline, will be counted as time towards the Fatigue Management Policy. Time counted will include:
Time en-route and time on-trip.
Time driving between trips.
Time spent stationary, for example waiting in an airport queue.
When will the 13 hours of online time reset?Down Small
To reset your 13 hours of cumulative online time you will need to take an uninterrupted break by going offline for 10 hours. Any break shorter than this will not contribute toward resetting your counter.
How will I know when I reach 13 hours?Down Small
You can monitor the time you have been online in your Uber Driver app in your Trip Planner by tapping ‘See driving time’. This will tell you the total amount of time you have been online for.
You will be notified when you are approaching 13 hours of online time at 2 hours, 1 hour, and half an hour prior to the app taking you offline for an 10 hour break. If you are on-trip when you hit your 13th hour of being online, you will be able to complete your trip before being taken offline for 10 hours.
Will my app reset after a 24 hour period?Down Small
No. If you reach 13 cumulative hours of online time without taking an uninterrupted 10 hour break, the app will take you offline for 10 hours.
What if I drive on Uber Eats?Down Small
All time driving with the Uber app is included.
Examples of how the Fatigue Management Policy works in practiceDown Small
Example 1
A driver goes online at 12pm and drives for 4 hours. 
They then take a 1 hour break for an early dinner by going offline from 4pm to 5pm. 
They then stay online from 5pm to 2am, at which point they will have been online for a total of 13 cumulative hours without having had a 10 hour uninterrupted break. 
The app will take the driver offline for 10 hours. The driver will be able to go back online at 12pm.

Example 2
A driver goes online at 12pm and drives for 4 hours. 
Half an hour of this included waiting in the Sydney Airport queue. 
They then take a 6 hour break by going offline between 4pm and 10pm. 
They then go back online from 10pm to 7am, at which point they will have been online for a total of 13 cumulative hours without having had a 10 hour uninterrupted break. 
The app will take the driver offline for 10 hours. The driver will be able to go back online at 4pm.


Fatigue FAQs
What are some common signs of fatigue?Down Small
Some of the common signs of fatigue include:
Excessive yawning
Heavy eyes or excessive blinking
Stiffness or cramps
Wandering thoughts
Microsleeps (sudden, uncontrollable episodes of sleep lasting up to 10 seconds)
Fatigue negatively affects your driving by causing slower reaction times, lack of concentration, and poor judgment, which can all lead to increased chances of having a crash.
As stated in our Community Guidelines, sleep is the only true preventative measure against the risk of fatigue. You can help manage your fatigue by getting enough sleep before driving. Remember it is your responsibility to ensure that you continue to maintain your logbook and comply with the NZTA’s work time requirements. Visit the NZTA website to learn more about the NZTA’s work time and logbook requirements.
How can I manage fatigue?Down Small
Driving while fatigued poses a serious safety risk to you and riders, as well as all road users. This is why driver-partners have a regulatory obligation to manage their work time and maintain a log book. While our Fatigue Management Policy will be useful in helping you comply with these obligations, it is your responsibility to ensure that you continue to maintain your logbook and comply with the NZTA’s work time requirements.