Amount of hours aloud to run in a CV?

dotcommark

Seasoned Expediter
I've noticed a few posts regarding cargo van drivers being forced by the carrier to shut down after so many hours. Is this just if they have a cdl? If I'm running for a carrier that doesn't require me to have a cdl do they ever force you to "break" while on the road?
 

cheri1122

Veteran Expediter
Driver
Regardless of whether you have a CDL, when you haul freight under the authority of any carrier, it would be wise for them to take steps to ensure that you get rest, don't you think?
Because if you're involved in an accident, and your paperwork [bills of lading, fuel & toll receipts] show that you haven't had enough rest periods, the carrier will be in trouble too. Big trouble.

Each carrier handles the issue it's own way, and the Safety person or dept at your carrier can tell you what to expect.
 

chefdennis

Veteran Expediter
It is not mandated by the DOT how many hours a driver in a Truck UNDER 10001 GVW can drive. Time and mileage limits are set my each company, usually as a hedge for insurance. Some will force a driver to stop after soo many hours or miles...others will allow you to driver as long as you are alive.

When you run for a company that does NOT limit your driving time or miles, they will build time into a long run and you will make up time as you drive based how how fast you are driving as to the speed they figured the run at. I have yet to not be able to stop and get whatever amount of rest I feel I need and still make my delivery on time if it is a long straight through run.
 

ebsprintin

Veteran Expediter
Depends on the company. It's a common topic. One of the major points of the current discussion is that that particular company won't notify the driver of a required swap until after the load is loaded and en route. You have to know how their system works and pretty much expect a long load to be swapped out from under you. The only way to know how your company operates is to ask.

Try searching "cargo van"+"rest break" for another in depth discussion on the topic.

eb
 

greg334

Veteran Expediter
Yeah, it seems Juju needs to focus on correcting OVM's spelling first ;)

Color not Colour

Armor not Amour

Check not Cheque

Center not Centre

Inquiry not Enquiry

:p
 

guido4475

Not a Member
The last company I was leased to did not care one bit how tired I was, they would offer me loads or beg me to take an other load after running 2,750 straight thru, and this was while I was in a straight truck.I can't believe they have not been shut down yet,even after a couple DOT audits.I wont run for a company that regulates cargo vans.Why, if they are not regulated by the dot, regulate them? What is the difference between a expedite cargo van running for 36 hours straight versus a U-haul running the same amount of hours? Or a motorhome? I guess the limit of time driven can be a benefit for the drivers who peter out after 250 miles.
 

greg334

Veteran Expediter
So Guido, the difference is if you smash into someone under a load and they have a good lawyer, even a green one, you can lose a lot more than the guy in the U-haul.

A jury may be sympathetic to the U-haul driver where they may not be a commercial driver.
 

Turtle

Administrator
Staff member
Retired Expediter
Why, if they are not regulated by the dot, regulate them?
Liability. The DOT regulates vehicles based on size and weight, to minimize catastrophic accidents, where most of them result in multiple deaths or devastating injuries. Carriers regulate cargo vans strictly for minimizing their liability, to keep insurance costs down, and to keep their safety rating high.

What is the difference between a expedite cargo van running for 36 hours straight versus a U-haul running the same amount of hours? Or a motorhome?
The difference is who has the deeper pockets, the U-Haul or motorhome driver, or the expedite cargo van's carrier? There are other differences as well.

I guess the limit of time driven can be a benefit for the drivers who peter out after 250 miles.
That's true. On the other hand, drivers who say they drive 18, 20, 24 hours straight, and are just as alert at the end of the trip as they were at the beginning, are just flat out lying, 'cause they're not, and they know it. OK, granted, they might not actually be lying, they might instead just be stoopid.
 

blizzard2014

Veteran Expediter
Driver
I did 2380 miles in 53 hours two weeks back. That is an average of something like 45 miles per hour on the entire load. I could have made that run in 46 hours had I not been up since 5 in the morning on the day when i picked it up at 18:00. Bolt gave me from tuesday 18:00 till friday at 13:00 to deliver the load, then the delivery time changed to 7 AM on friday; still plenty of time to do the load. I drove from San Diego to Winslow AZ and slept for 7 full hours, got up and drove all the way to Joplin MO. I slept there for 7 hours and then drove all the way in to Detroit with no troubles.

I can pull 1k to 1050 miles straight after a good seven hours sleep; but that's after i'm well rested. You have to know what you are capable of doing. I made it into Ford at 11 PM on thursday night and delivered early. I was dead tired when i stopped in Winslow AZ; I couldn't go anymore, so I stopped. Once again "self-regulation." Dispatch was king of panicing because I only did 550 miles the first day; but I had already planned out the trip down to the minute. I knew i'd be there Thursday night so that I could deliver early because I know what I can do and how I can get it done safely.

I have always had time to take breaks on all of my longer loads with my carrier; but that doesn't mean you can just goof off; I am like a military man when I am under a load. A man on a mission so the speak! Just like Guido!

Guido just carries a pair of handcuffs so he can handcuff himself to the steering wheel after he props his eyes open with two peppermint flavored toothpicks. Then he hooks himself up to a 2 gallon iv drip of redbull and has his radio blasting at 160 decibels to the Greatful Dead and Jimmy Hendrix. I'm not gonna attempt to describe how he can hold his bladder for 500-600 miles at a time "seeing as he has a diesel van and gets good fuel mileage" but he is like a machine. He pulls into the consignee with his radio blasting "he's a maniac, a maniac, that's for sure, and he's driving longer than he's ever drove before!"
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Yeah, it seems Juju needs to focus on correcting OVM's spelling first ;)

Color not Colour

Armor not Amour

Check not Cheque

Center not Centre

Inquiry not Enquiry

:p

If I were typing in Canada I'd be correct...:p

Keep in mind this IS an international web site....not just Amerigoof site.....you guys don't own everything yet...;)
 
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Jefferson3000

Expert Expediter
The last company I was leased to did not care one bit how tired I was, they would offer me loads or beg me to take an other load after running 2,750 straight thru, and this was while I was in a straight truck.I can't believe they have not been shut down yet,even after a couple DOT audits.I wont run for a company that regulates cargo vans.Why, if they are not regulated by the dot, regulate them? What is the difference between a expedite cargo van running for 36 hours straight versus a U-haul running the same amount of hours? Or a motorhome? I guess the limit of time driven can be a benefit for the drivers who peter out after 250 miles.

Carrier shut down? I can't believe YOU haven't been shut down by DOT, if you were running 2750 straight thru (as a solo). If you're a team truck, then that wouldn't apply anyways, as long you still have some left on your seventy. No one can MAKE you take anything.
 

geo

Veteran Expediter
Charter Member
Retired Expediter
US Navy
it's up to you to not run tried , i still run on 10 hour rule
and take 10 hours off

10 hours at a time and a break and every 3 to 4 hours take a break
 
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