Rotating shift schedules compared

Every schedule below has a free calendar generator. Figures are per crew, averaged over a full year.

Schedule	Shift	Crews	Cycle	Avg hrs/week	Weekends off/yr	Longest run	Longest break
Pitman (2-2-3) Schedule	12 h	4	14 days	42	26	3	3 days
Panama Schedule	12 h	4	28 days	42	26	3	3 days
DuPont Schedule	12 h	4	28 days	42	26	4	7 days
4 On 4 Off Schedule	12 h	4	8 days	42	20	4	4 days
2 On 2 Off Schedule	12 h	4	4 days	42	13	2	2 days
3 On 3 Off Schedule	12 h	4	6 days	42	17	3	3 days
7 On 7 Off Schedule	12 h	4	14 days	42	26	7	7 days
2 Days 2 Nights 4 Off Schedule	12 h	4	8 days	42	20	4	4 days
24/48 Schedule	24 h	3	3 days	56	17	1	2 days
48/96 Schedule	24 h	3	6 days	56	26	2	4 days
Kelly Schedule	24 h	3	9 days	56	17	1	4 days
24/72 Schedule	24 h	4	4 days	42	26	1	3 days
Southern Swing Schedule	8 h	4	28 days	42	13	7	3 days
Continental Schedule	8 h	4	28 days	42	13	7	3 days

Pitman (2-2-3) Schedule

Four crews on fixed 12-hour shifts. Each crew works 2 on, 2 off, 3 on, 2 off, 2 on, 3 off over a 14-day cycle, so every crew gets every other weekend off.

D = Day (07:00–19:00)
N = Night (19:00–07:00)
– = Off

Day	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14
Crew A	D	D	–	–	D	D	D	–	–	D	D	–	–	–
Crew B	–	–	D	D	–	–	–	D	D	–	–	D	D	D
Crew C	N	N	–	–	N	N	N	–	–	N	N	–	–	–
Crew D	–	–	N	N	–	–	–	N	N	–	–	N	N	N

Panama Schedule

The 2-2-3 rhythm with rotating shifts. Each crew works the 14-day 2-2-3 cycle on days, then repeats it on nights, giving a 28-day cycle.

D = Day (07:00–19:00)
N = Night (19:00–07:00)
– = Off

Day	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28
Crew A	D	D	–	–	D	D	D	–	–	D	D	–	–	–	N	N	–	–	N	N	N	–	–	N	N	–	–	–
Crew B	–	–	D	D	–	–	–	N	N	–	–	N	N	N	–	–	N	N	–	–	–	D	D	–	–	D	D	D
Crew C	N	N	–	–	N	N	N	–	–	N	N	–	–	–	D	D	–	–	D	D	D	–	–	D	D	–	–	–
Crew D	–	–	N	N	–	–	–	D	D	–	–	D	D	D	–	–	D	D	–	–	–	N	N	–	–	N	N	N

DuPont Schedule

Four crews on rotating 12-hour shifts over 28 days: 4 nights, 3 off, 3 days, 1 off, 3 nights, 3 off, 4 days, then 7 days off in a row.

D = Day (07:00–19:00)
N = Night (19:00–07:00)
– = Off

Day	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28
Crew A	N	N	N	N	–	–	–	D	D	D	–	N	N	N	–	–	–	D	D	D	D	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Crew B	D	D	D	–	N	N	N	–	–	–	D	D	D	D	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	N	N	N	N	–	–	–
Crew C	–	–	–	D	D	D	D	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	N	N	N	N	–	–	–	D	D	D	–	N	N	N
Crew D	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	N	N	N	N	–	–	–	D	D	D	–	N	N	N	–	–	–	D	D	D	D

4 On 4 Off Schedule

Four crews on fixed 12-hour shifts. Each crew works 4 days, then has 4 days off, on an 8-day cycle.

D = Day (07:00–19:00)
N = Night (19:00–07:00)
– = Off

Day	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Crew A	D	D	D	D	–	–	–	–
Crew B	–	–	–	–	D	D	D	D
Crew C	N	N	N	N	–	–	–	–
Crew D	–	–	–	–	N	N	N	N

2 On 2 Off Schedule

Four crews on fixed 12-hour shifts. Each crew works 2 days, then has 2 days off, on a 4-day cycle.

D = Day (07:00–19:00)
N = Night (19:00–07:00)
– = Off

Day	1	2	3	4
Crew A	D	D	–	–
Crew B	–	–	D	D
Crew C	N	N	–	–
Crew D	–	–	N	N

3 On 3 Off Schedule

Four crews on fixed 12-hour shifts. Each crew works 3 days, then has 3 days off, on a 6-day cycle.

D = Day (07:00–19:00)
N = Night (19:00–07:00)
– = Off

Day	1	2	3	4	5	6
Crew A	D	D	D	–	–	–
Crew B	–	–	–	D	D	D
Crew C	N	N	N	–	–	–
Crew D	–	–	–	N	N	N

7 On 7 Off Schedule

Four crews on fixed 12-hour shifts. Each crew works 7 shifts in a row, then has 7 days off, on a 14-day cycle.

D = Day (07:00–19:00)
N = Night (19:00–07:00)
– = Off

Day	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14
Crew A	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Crew B	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	D	D	D	D	D	D	D
Crew C	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	–	–	–	–	–	–	–
Crew D	–	–	–	–	–	–	–	N	N	N	N	N	N	N

2 Days 2 Nights 4 Off Schedule

Four crews on rotating 12-hour shifts. Each crew works 2 day shifts, then 2 night shifts, then has 4 days off, on an 8-day cycle.

D = Day (07:00–19:00)
N = Night (19:00–07:00)
– = Off

Day	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
Crew A	D	D	N	N	–	–	–	–
Crew B	N	N	–	–	–	–	D	D
Crew C	–	–	–	–	D	D	N	N
Crew D	–	–	D	D	N	N	–	–

24/48 Schedule

Three platoons on 24-hour shifts. Each works one 24-hour shift, then has 48 hours off, on a 3-day cycle.

W = 24-hour shift (07:00–07:00)
– = Off

Day	1	2	3
Crew A	W	–	–
Crew B	–	W	–
Crew C	–	–	W

48/96 Schedule

Three platoons on 24-hour shifts. Each works two 24-hour shifts back to back, then has 96 hours off, on a 6-day cycle.

W = 24-hour shift (07:00–07:00)
– = Off

Day	1	2	3	4	5	6
Crew A	W	W	–	–	–	–
Crew B	–	–	W	W	–	–
Crew C	–	–	–	–	W	W

Kelly Schedule

Three platoons on 24-hour shifts over 9 days: on, off, on, off, on, then 4 days off.

W = 24-hour shift (07:00–07:00)
– = Off

Day	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Crew A	W	–	W	–	W	–	–	–	–
Crew B	–	W	–	–	–	–	W	–	W
Crew C	–	–	–	W	–	W	–	W	–

24/72 Schedule

Four platoons on 24-hour shifts. Each works one 24-hour shift, then has 72 hours off, on a 4-day cycle.

W = 24-hour shift (07:00–07:00)
– = Off

Day	1	2	3	4
Crew A	W	–	–	–
Crew B	–	–	–	W
Crew C	–	–	W	–
Crew D	–	W	–	–

Southern Swing Schedule

Four crews on rotating 8-hour shifts over 28 days: 7 days, 2 off, 7 evenings, 2 off, 7 nights, 3 off.

D = Day (07:00–15:00)
E = Evening (15:00–23:00)
N = Night (23:00–07:00)
– = Off

Day	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28
Crew A	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	–	–	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	–	–	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	–	–	–
Crew B	–	–	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	–	–	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	–	–	–	D	D	D	D	D	D	D
Crew C	E	E	–	–	N	N	N	N	N	N	N	–	–	–	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	–	–	E	E	E	E	E
Crew D	N	N	N	N	–	–	–	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	–	–	E	E	E	E	E	E	E	–	–	N	N	N

Continental Schedule

Four crews on fast-rotating 8-hour shifts over 28 days: 2 days, 2 evenings, 3 nights, 2 off, then 2 days, 3 evenings, 2 nights, 2 off, then 3 days, 2 evenings, 2 nights, 3 off.

D = Day (07:00–15:00)
E = Evening (15:00–23:00)
N = Night (23:00–07:00)
– = Off

Day	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28
Crew A	D	D	E	E	N	N	N	–	–	D	D	E	E	E	N	N	–	–	D	D	D	E	E	N	N	–	–	–
Crew B	–	–	D	D	E	E	E	N	N	–	–	D	D	D	E	E	N	N	–	–	–	D	D	E	E	N	N	N
Crew C	N	N	–	–	D	D	D	E	E	N	N	–	–	–	D	D	E	E	N	N	N	–	–	D	D	E	E	E
Crew D	E	E	N	N	–	–	–	D	D	E	E	N	N	N	–	–	D	D	E	E	E	N	N	–	–	D	D	D