1st Week Of New Hours

romoore245 · Oct 8, 2005

Hello everyone,

As we finsh up our first week of the new hours of operation we were curious how everyone felt about the new routine. As for ourselves it has proved to have positives and negatives, we both enjoy the longer break but are not enjoying the long driving period as much. Robert seems to like the new arrangement very well and I of course will learn to adapt but do not like having more options than we do now. We had a very busy week with two long hauls 2500 and 1800 miles and two more average 700 mile runs so we had a hard test run. The important thing is that we are able to do the new schedule and wont be facing quiting like sadly is the case for some that wont be able to do the long shifts. So if everyone could give feedback on how their 1st week went we would love to hear about it.

Thanks,
Robert and April

TheGoodGuy · Oct 8, 2005

Glad to hear things went well for you guys on the new HOS.

We made our last team run in our "D" unit yesterday. Can't risk killing ourselves in the transition.

Will be selling it,and maybe getting into a Sprinter and drive it team. Either diesel will have to come down (price), or freight rates are going to have to increase before we venture out again.

RichM · Oct 8, 2005

I operated solo and had some difficult times with FDX dispatch offering me trips that I could not do due to the 14 hour rule. They did not seem to be aware of the changes.

FJK1954 · Oct 8, 2005

I too had to run solo this past week and did only two t-val runs, although they paid quite well, i still had the problem with fdx not realizing i had to break before i could deliver...both had to be bumped a couple of hours, but was no problem after they figured out why.

Have another for Mon. but seems they have figured it out to unload at hour 13!! only 470 miles so ill make in in 10 hours driving too.

If this stays this way it will actually be better for solo this way.Drive 10-11 hours, sleep all night, deliver the next morning,,i can do that all week long.

TeamCaffee · Oct 8, 2005

We also where wondering how everyone was doing with the new HOS rules. We started a week early and so far it has been a bumpy ride. We will make it there is no doubt but driving all night long is sure hard to get used to. It seems like we usually get loaded or unloaded in the day time, receive load offers, receive fleet messages and it is hard to get enough sleep. I am sure in time you will be able to sleep thru most everything or go back to sleep easier. Bob does seem to get a lot more time in the sleeper and sleeping but he feels like he more tired then he used to be with the five on and five off. I just seem to stay tired. May force us to go home more often and recover. Not looking forward to winter night driving either without a break.

TheGoodGuy · Oct 8, 2005

Just please don't go to sleep at the wheel....It just ain't worth it.

TeamCaffee · Oct 8, 2005

Dont plan on sleeping at the wheel!! We take more breaks now then we used to. Cannot always make the ten hours so we have to use creative logging so the person who is not tired can drive for awhile. It does seem to be getting easier and easier. It is just going to take time.

Big Redd · Oct 9, 2005

It seems that by the end of the week some of the dispatchers are trying to plan ahead. At least when possible. This week I've had T-Val and regular reffer loads and with a little thought I could budget my time out to make it work. One good thing about running alone for the last twenty years the 10 and 11 hour hops are just another day at the office.In some ways this may turn out to be a good thing...

geo956 · Oct 9, 2005

Quote:If this stays this way it will actually be better for solo this way.Drive 10-11 hours, sleep all night, deliver the next morning,i can do that all week long.

Quote: One good thing about running alone for the last twenty years the 10 and 11 hour hops are just another day at the office.In some ways this may turn out to be a good thing...

Question for the solo's....based on the above quotes, are you finding any difficulty with working in the 34hr restart?

Big Redd · Oct 9, 2005

Well in a word, no....

Tennesseahawk · Oct 9, 2005

And for you solos...

What are you going to do if you're offered a 200 mi run?

If you take it and finish it(say 5 hours work), the rest of the time is wasted unless they get you another run within a couple of hours. I hate to be a pessimist, but qualcomm and these new rules will add up to less work for singles.

rode2rouen · Oct 9, 2005

I do a run semi-often that is all screwed up with the new HOS.

I leave Cleveland,OH for Columbus,IN then down to Frankfort,KY and back to Cleveland. Total distance is approx. 880 miles.

In the past I would arrive at the IN drop and catch 4-5 hours of sleeper before the dock opened at 07:00, then run down to KY make the drop and head into OH before finishing my 10 hour sleeper period and heading to the terminal. Now I have to time things so that I arrive just as the IN dock opens then to KY drop and hit the sleeper for a solid 10 hours after I reach 11 hours driving.

Now that I think about it, another run (Cleveland to Brooklyn,NY and back to Cleveland) is screwed up too!! I used the same technique to avoid inbound morning traffic in NY/NJ.

The loss of the split sleeper really sux for these runs, but if the 2 hour sleeper/off duty period stopped the 14 hour on duty/driving period it would be a little easier to swallow.

Rex

TheGoodGuy · Oct 11, 2005

I'm sure you folks won't be the only ones doing some creative logging.

jaminjim · Oct 16, 2005

Let me see here. Ran real hard for about ten days in a row. Delivered around 16:00, went and got a hotel room. Slept great, leave room wait until 21:00 to pick up next load, only about 1100 miles and delivers at 21:00 hrs later. Gee who wants the first driving shift? New hours in a word, suck.

LDB · Oct 16, 2005

So far I've heard about 3 or 4 callers to satellite radio saying that while their logbooks show 10/10 shifts they are driving 5/5/5/5 shifts. I'm sure that is much more common than those few calls indicate. The new rules perfectly illustrate government doing what it does best, taking something working (for the most part) and making it worse.

Leo Bricker
OOIDA 677319
truck 4958
73's K5LDB
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.

lineboss · Oct 16, 2005

It seems to me as a single driver that it still takes 2 log books to run brighton mi. to cottondale al., if there's a return load to detroit it takes a 3rd book, showing 34 off and is still real tight.
Right now I'm stuck in Nashville TN on my B-day alone and no bar in sight.
CTX 107195 9894824094;-)

garman351 · Oct 17, 2005

I wonder how many people will have to get killed over this totally stupid new law? The public does not know the truck driver next to them is dangerious close to falling asleep at the wheel, just because they have to follow the new law! The public would be a little upset if they knew what is going on now!

All the games the Compnay's are playing with our fuel S/C, and the cost of diesel fuel?

Also a lot of these Company's glutting the freight business with more trucks at the cost of a lot of us going under, because their just is not enought freight to go around, especially during the slow times that is coming up!

Support (OONIDA)I hope I spelled that right, they are a big voice that represents us all, it's well worth being an member. Look at the (NRA) with it's members they dont get pushed around, "we all need to stand togehter that is what makes America great.

Be safe!

Garman351

Tennesseahawk · Oct 17, 2005

I can finally see the call for two logbooks, but not to be wreckless... just to get past this new bs rule. Running straight from MI to AL is on the verge of wreckless, depending on how many miles the run is. Returning right away is downright rediculous. Anyone who needs three logbooks to run is nothing but a cowboy!