Amendments to HOS
- Thread starter pellgrn
- Start date
I am not a driver yet. I do have a Class B w/HazMat and am planning on entering the expediting field very soon. I have been watching the headlines, articles, etc. about the HOS.
I know in expediting that the waits at pickups and deliveries are not long compared to some of the post on other forums about t/t drivers waiting several hours to be loaded or unloaded.
It doesn't seem fair that a driver can wait around, sleep in truck, etc.. and that time counts against his/her 14 hour day. I would think a lot of drivers would feel rushed or try to make up lost time and that seems it would be a danger on the road. I think that time should not be counted against the 14 hour day.
Sometimes I do take long trips (in family car) and have to stop to rest. It is amazing what a 45 to 60 minute nap will do for you. Why can't a commercial driver do that? It counts against the 14 hour day. Instead I bet a lot of drivers try and drive through that sleepy time so they can get the miles in. That seems more of a hazard than letting a person stop, take a short nap, wake up and walk around, then get back on the road feeling a bit fresher.
Just my thoughts from an observer of everything on this really great forum and others I have visited.
Apollo
I know in expediting that the waits at pickups and deliveries are not long compared to some of the post on other forums about t/t drivers waiting several hours to be loaded or unloaded.
It doesn't seem fair that a driver can wait around, sleep in truck, etc.. and that time counts against his/her 14 hour day. I would think a lot of drivers would feel rushed or try to make up lost time and that seems it would be a danger on the road. I think that time should not be counted against the 14 hour day.
Sometimes I do take long trips (in family car) and have to stop to rest. It is amazing what a 45 to 60 minute nap will do for you. Why can't a commercial driver do that? It counts against the 14 hour day. Instead I bet a lot of drivers try and drive through that sleepy time so they can get the miles in. That seems more of a hazard than letting a person stop, take a short nap, wake up and walk around, then get back on the road feeling a bit fresher.
Just my thoughts from an observer of everything on this really great forum and others I have visited.
Apollo
StayStrong1125
Expert Expediter
I dont see a problem with the way the rules are now. If anyone thinks they will go BACK to what they used to be they are sadly mistaken. The only think that MIGHT change is they will let you only drive 10 hours instead of 11. How does that help anyone? If you are too tired to drive 11 hours, then drive 10 and shut it down. It's all about time management and sleep management. These guys that shut down the truck in a truck stop or casino, then go in and spend 6 hours BS'ing around, and then complain about being tired are just plain unprofessional.
If you are smart, and I know many out there arent, you can make plenty of money and get plenty of rest under the current rules.
We all know what happens when the government starts trying to fix things. I think they should just quit messin around with it, or they'll screw it up more.
Wise man once say, "He who drives truck in white pants...soon drives truck in dirty white pants."
If you are smart, and I know many out there arent, you can make plenty of money and get plenty of rest under the current rules.
We all know what happens when the government starts trying to fix things. I think they should just quit messin around with it, or they'll screw it up more.
Wise man once say, "He who drives truck in white pants...soon drives truck in dirty white pants."
It seems the biggest push by CRASH & PATT is the requirement of those black boxes. They are suppose to start doing alot of reasearch to see if it is feasible. I thought they had done this already? Anyway, it seems the FMCSA is going to do it again.
Davekc
Davekc
Thanks for the comments,i think the black boxes will be in all commercial vehicles in the next 3-5 years also look for them in personal vehicles in the next 8-10.I have vans so we don't log [yet] accept for a couple states,most of the complaints i hear are from the expediters who run single.
The Gibster
Expert Expediter
Just an FYI from a street officer - this time an Indiana State Trooper:
Got stopped out of a pack of 18 wheelers last Friday (holiday weekend) by a troop sitting in the median on I-to EB @ E. St. Louis. We were completely legal so we weren't suprised when it was a 'random' paperwork and cargo check. We were on our way to a weekend bash and were empty and OOS, the troop acknowledged the random check wouldn't be any time at all.
When he returned to our truck we started conversing, and he asked if I had any questions of him. I asked a couple of 'common log book questions', he briefly answered them and then . . .
The Corporal said, "I wouldn't worry about it anyway, they rules will be changing again soon anyway"!
He had to jam-boogie to another call then so I couldn't get clarification. But usually the line officers and their supervisors have a pretty good read on what to emphasize and what to overlook for a while. He really seemed more interested in what I had in our cargo box than anything else.
Just FYI - for what it's worth.
Got stopped out of a pack of 18 wheelers last Friday (holiday weekend) by a troop sitting in the median on I-to EB @ E. St. Louis. We were completely legal so we weren't suprised when it was a 'random' paperwork and cargo check. We were on our way to a weekend bash and were empty and OOS, the troop acknowledged the random check wouldn't be any time at all.
When he returned to our truck we started conversing, and he asked if I had any questions of him. I asked a couple of 'common log book questions', he briefly answered them and then . . .
The Corporal said, "I wouldn't worry about it anyway, they rules will be changing again soon anyway"!
He had to jam-boogie to another call then so I couldn't get clarification. But usually the line officers and their supervisors have a pretty good read on what to emphasize and what to overlook for a while. He really seemed more interested in what I had in our cargo box than anything else.
Just FYI - for what it's worth.