Pitman Schedule: the 2-2-3 with Fixed Day and Night Crews

What is the Pitman schedule?

The Pitman schedule is a 2-2-3 rotation with one rule changed: crews are permanently assigned to day shift or night shift and never rotate between them. Four crews cover a 24/7 operation on 12-hour shifts — two day crews and two night crews. Every crew works the same 2 on, 2 off, 3 on, 2 off, 2 on, 3 off rhythm over 14 days; the day crews and night crews simply run it in parallel, mirrored.

Fixed crews vs. rotating crews

In a rotating 2-2-3, every crew swings between days and nights every cycle or two. Workers' body clocks never settle, and the swing week is notorious for fatigue. The Pitman variant removes the swing entirely: day people live on days, night people live on nights, and sleep patterns can actually stabilize. The price is fairness — night crews carry the permanent night-shift burden, so Pitman shops almost always pay a night differential (typically 5–15% on top of base) and many let workers bid into day slots by seniority.

Some departments run a middle path: fixed for a quarter or a year, then crews bid again. That keeps the stability benefit while giving night crews a horizon.

The hours: 60/24 alternating weeks

Every crew works 7 shifts per 14 days — 84 hours, averaging 42 per week. Aligned to a Monday start, that is a 60-hour week followed by a 24-hour week: the long week works Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday; the short week is just Wednesday and Thursday. You may see Pitman hours quoted elsewhere as 36 and 48 — that arithmetic contradicts the pattern itself; 60/24 is the only split consistent with 7 shifts per 14 days, and it is the same math as every 2-2-3 family pattern.

Who uses the Pitman schedule

Police departments are the canonical Pitman users — patrol squads where permanent days and permanent nights simplify supervision, court scheduling, and training. EMS agencies and hospital units use it for the same reason: specialized teams (night ICU, day clinic) keep their identity instead of dissolving into a rotation. Dispatch and 911 call centers favor it because permanent night dispatchers stop churning out. Manufacturing plants that adopted 2-2-3 but fought the day/night flip-flop frequently end up on Pitman within a year.

Pitman vs. 2-2-3 vs. Panama

The three names all describe the same 14-day rhythm of work and rest. The difference is crew assignment: 2-2-3 is the generic name, Panama is the same pattern by its regional nickname, and Pitman specifically means the fixed day/night crew version. If your workplace says "we run Pitman," expect a night differential and a bidding process; the generator above assumes exactly that setup.

Make yours

Set the first day of Crew A's cycle above, generate, and print — each squad gets its own copy. Planning ahead? The Pitman schedule 2026 page has the whole year pre-baked. All five patterns build from the same rotating shift schedule generator on the home page.