Smeno

Pitman schedule: the 14-day, 12-hour rotation explained

The Pitman schedule is a 12-hour rotation in which each crew works 2 days, has 2 off, works 3, has 2 off, works 2 and has 3 off, repeating every 14 days. Four crews cover 24/7; in the fixed version, two crews always work days and two always work nights.

Shift length
12 hours
Cycle
14 days
Average week
42 hours
Longest stretch
3 on / 3 off

Build your rotation

Crew
M
5
T
6
W
7
T
8
F
9
S
10
S
11
M
12
T
13
W
14
T
15
F
16
S
17
S
18
M
19
T
20
W
21
T
22
F
23
S
24
S
25
M
26
T
27
W
28
T
29
F
30
S
31
S
1
ADD··DDD··DD···DD··DDD··DD···
B··DD···DD··DDD··DD···DD··DDD
CNN··NNN··NN···NN··NNN··NN···
D··NN···NN··NNN··NN···NN··NNN
Day Night Off

The calendar only shows which crew works when. Describe your crews, roles, time-off and rules in plain English, and Smeno drafts a full schedule from this starting point, free. Check the draft before you share it.

Build the full schedule in Smeno — freeor add the Chrome extension

How the Pitman schedule works

Crews come in pairs. Crews A and B share the day shift: whenever A is off, B is on. Crews C and D do the same on nights. Each person works 7 shifts every 14 days, 84 hours, and never more than 3 days in a row.

  • Week 1: work Mon–Tue, off Wed–Thu, work Fri–Sun
  • Week 2: off Mon–Tue, work Wed–Thu, off Fri–Sun
  • Partner crew: the exact opposite days

Why police departments use the Pitman schedule

Pitman is one of the most common rotations in law enforcement and corrections, according to InTime and PowerDMS. Staffing is the same every day, shifts are predictable, and each officer gets every other weekend off as a 3-day weekend when the cycle starts on a Monday.

It also fits federal overtime rules for police. Section 7(k) of the FLSA lets public agencies pay law enforcement overtime after 171 hours in a 28-day work period, or 86 hours in 14 days. A Pitman crew works 168 hours in 28 days and 84 in 14, so the schedule itself stays under both limits. Agencies that use the standard 40-hour workweek instead pay about 8 overtime hours every other week, because weeks alternate between 36 and 48 hours.

Fixed or rotating Pitman

In the fixed Pitman, day crews stay on days and night crews stay on nights. InTime notes that permanent assignments are easier on sleep, while rotating spreads night work across everyone. In the rotating Pitman, crews switch between days and nights every two weeks, which makes it the same as a rotating 2-2-3 schedule. The calendar on this page shows the fixed version.

Pitman, Panama, 2-2-3 and 2-3-2: which is which?

These names describe the same 14-day rhythm, but sources don't use them consistently. Zelos treats Pitman and Panama as the same rotation, with Panama more common in manufacturing and Pitman in policing. Time Doctor calls Panama a different schedule with a 56-day cycle. InTime calls Pitman the 2-3-2, after its stretches of work, and PowerDMS writes it as 2 on 3 off, 2 on 2 off, 3 on 2 off.

When someone proposes a Pitman schedule, ask two questions: what is the day-by-day sequence, and do crews rotate between days and nights? Those answers define the schedule, whatever it's called.

Pros and cons

  • Never more than 3 shifts in a row.
  • Every other weekend off, Friday through Sunday, when the cycle starts on a Monday.
  • In the fixed version, night workers keep one sleep schedule.
  • Same staffing on every shift, every day.
  • The longest break is 3 days; there's no long stretch off.
  • 12-hour shifts: NIOSH links them to lower alertness and less sleep.
  • In the fixed version, night crews rarely see days unless you rotate people between crews.
  • Weeks alternate between 36 and 48 hours, which means overtime under the 40-hour rule.

Who it works for

  • Police patrol and corrections
  • 911 and EMS dispatch
  • Emergency medical services
  • Hospitals and healthcare facilities

FAQ

What is a Pitman schedule?

A 12-hour shift rotation with a 14-day cycle: 2 days on, 2 off, 3 on, 2 off, 2 on, 3 off. Four crews, working in pairs on days and nights, cover 24 hours a day.

Why do police use the Pitman schedule?

It gives equal staffing every day, predictable 12-hour shifts and every other weekend off. Crews work 168 hours per 28 days, under the 171-hour overtime limit that FLSA section 7(k) sets for law enforcement.

How many hours a week is a Pitman schedule?

42 hours on average: 84 hours every two weeks. Calendar weeks usually alternate between 36 and 48 hours.

What is the difference between Pitman and 2-2-3?

The rhythm of days on and off is the same. Pitman usually means fixed crews on days or nights, while 2-2-3 often means crews rotate between days and nights. Some sources use the names interchangeably.

Is the Pitman schedule the same as the Panama schedule?

Often, yes. Zelos describes them as the same 2-2-3 rotation under different names. Time Doctor describes Panama as a separate schedule with a 56-day cycle. Check the actual sequence.

Do you get weekends off on a Pitman schedule?

Every other weekend, as a 3-day weekend from Friday to Sunday, if the cycle starts on a Monday.

Related rotations

Sources