HOS! & Jan,4

[teacel]

As we all know Jan. 4th is right around the corner. Here is a copy of an article I read in the LL magazine: Rather than copy the article here is the link: http://www.landlinemag.com/todays_news/Daily/2003/Dec03/122403.htm

The article is the first on the page, titled: DOT asks discretionary enforcement for 60 days after Jan. 4 HOS change
Detailed information about the rule is at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov, and FMCSA will staff a toll-free telephone line around the clock beginning Dec. 29 to answer drivers’ questions. The phone number is 1-800-598-5664. If you aren’t exactly sure what to do, you may want to give them a call.

If I were a “C,” “D,” or “E” unit driver:

I would make a copy of the article and would carry it with me for the duration of the 60 days. Hopefully every officer in every state will adhere to the request of U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta. The reason for carrying a copy of this request is to show an officer that may write a citation as apposed to a warning. Maybe if a driver would show the officer a copy of the article in a respectable manner "just maybe" the officer will comply and give the driver a warning. GOOD LUCK!!!

 

[Christyrose]

Sorry, Teacel. The address you gave is correct but the connection would not work, because of the extra comma. Click on this one:
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/

 

[geo]

something i find interesting is 11 hours of driving time and
3 hour of on duty not driving add up to 14 hour's
but the one thing they left out is time off for breaks
aaa say you should take a few minutes off every couple of hour's
on a trip to see grandma and grandpa
but when they did new rule change i quest they though all driver's
were superperson's and for safety
if factory workers and office workers get a break in the morning and
afternoon and lunch hour's and work 40 hours and anything over 40 is over time etc and exmpt from regular rules that factory worker's
go by why should we be any different
we need to change this write all rep for congress and senate
state rep and dept of transportion and say you need to fix this
we need to take breaks and not have it count on drive time
as some drivers won't take breaks as they don't to waste drive time
for that day
as i think they didn't think this all the way out and needs
alittle extra work on this

 

[RichM]

George,you have made a good point.Since other occupations can take time off during their work cycle.We should be able to do,the same Next week I will be E mailing my local rep on this issue and I hope more of us will do the same.

 

[Larry]

A couple of things about other peoples time off. First, their required breaks are still counted as work time(except for lunch), for which hourly workers are paid. So if a driver takes the break, they should be paid for that time. The time off for lunch is not counted as work time and therefore they are not paid for that time. Therefore, drivers should be allowed that same break and not have it counted against them.

In the Detroit area, a lot of the factory workers have been working overtime in the plants. Not only do they receive time and a half or better, but none of them have restrictions placed on the amount of time they can work (or drive for that matter). A person can work a double shift in the shop and they are permitted to drive home, no matter how tired they are. At the end of the week, there is no requirement for them to take two days off before returning to work.

If we are going to pass laws "for the protection of the general public", then we ought to be passing laws that include more than just truck drivers!!!!

By the way, I wouldn't be to quick to suggest that by having a copy of the DOT's suggested discretionary enforcement policy is going to save a person from a ticket. The fact is, it is the driver's responsibilty to know the rules and to abide by them. To think that an officer is going to let you off the hook because you tell him that the DOT says he should probably won't get you very far.

Drive Safe

 

[teacel]

>By the way, I wouldn't be to quick to suggest that by having
>a copy of the DOT's suggested discretionary enforcement
>policy is going to save a person from a ticket. The fact
>is, it is the driver's responsibilty to know the rules and
>to abide by them. To think that an officer is going to let
>you off the hook because you tell him that the DOT says he
>should probably won't get you very far.
>
>Drive Safe

Maybe you didn't read the entire post, Larry. Nowhere in the thread did I suggest that by carrying a copy of the DOT's suggested discretionary enforcement policy is going to save a person from a ticket. No one is even suggesting that it isn't the drivers responsibility to know the rule. The fact of the matter is even the DOT is in a state of confusion and no one is exactly 100% sure of anything right now. Besides there are a lot of drivers that learn things at a much slower pace than others do. Just maybe the DOT knows this and is just maybe showing some compassion to the drivers for the next 60 days or so. I suggested drivers carry a copy and show the officer, because just maybe the officer was on vacation and/or didn't have a chance to read the article, for whatever reason. Here is a copy of the exact phrase of what I wrote in the thread. Also the article didn't say that the officer had to give a warning, and not a ticket. The article was asking that maybe the officer would consider a warning over a citation for a 60 day grace.

Maybe if a driver would show the officer a copy of the article in a respectable manner "just maybe" the officer will comply and give the driver a warning. GOOD LUCK!!!

 

[NEVERHOME247]

just my opinion. but i think the new and the old HOS are a joke. it isn't about safety. its all about harrassing the truck driver. it limits your earning potential. no two people are the same, only you no your limits when it comes to fatigue. and as a professional driver you should know when its time to park it. i've struggled for years to understand why average joe factory worker can work a double shift all week. get off work. load up the suv and drive from new york to la straight thru, and that is 100% ok. the american public would be outraged if they could only drive for so many hours and then take a mandated break. it s kind of like the states with split speed limits. does not apply to buses loaded with precious cargo. people would be outraged if the bus had to drive slow to get them to their destination. if only all truckers would be just as outraged over the crazy laws that are imposed upon us. we have the numbers to change what controls us. we just have to find a way to bring the numbers together to change the laws that govern our industry. but the sad and unforunate part is there are only a handful that can unite on any issue. so to all of you who vote. my hat goes off to you. maybe, just maybe. someday the rest of the industry will see the light. and say enough is enough. and join the fight to gain back control of the trucking industry...

 

[GroundHawk]

Its is all about them making money and harrasment. How many hours can a doctor work in an emerency room under normal condition--how many hours can a policeman work----how many hours can a captin of a freighter work? How many hours can a 4 wheeler drive? Isn't the DOT trying to make it safe for the 4 wheelers but WHO checks the 4 wheelers, Its all bullsh---- Hawk

 

[x06col]

I can't really see that it will change much as far as the way this expediter runs. I personally don't set at shippers or the other end very long. The front end wants to get rid of the freight as bad as the backend wants it. I feel it will help my business because there will be more stranded freight that the "big" truckload carriers just won't be able to get to because their drivers have burnt a lot of their 14 hours at one dock or another. Also, the ability to drive 11 hours will certainly increase my range for "direct" runs. I very, very seldom have to be concerned with going over total service hours for the day. The key for me is, how far can I get in one setting. Even for runs that will require a break because of distance the 10 hour break rule shouldn't be too big of a problem, we really only loose 1 hour in the big picture of a 12-1300 mile run because we can drive 11 hours before the 10 hour break. In sum I am looking forward to increased "hot" freight and not immediately, but,within weeks, increasing rates.

 

[geo]

called ooida and asked a question and got a ans if it wan't so out of
this world it would be a joke

the run i do for egl twice a day takes over 14 hours with the new rules so called and ask if i spent 4 hours from 1400 to 1800 in sleeper would i be able to do the run ok they said yes but
when you get done with the run you will have to spent 6 hours in
the sleeper before you are able to go in the house
so i will be parking the truck in drive way and sleep in truck
for 6 hours than go into house
this is how they see the new rules as taking 10 hours off and going
to house doesn't work as they seeit if you use sleeper berth
during the day
they have a few bugg's to work out
ooida said , they said (f dot)show me the problems and we will fix thing as we go

 

[D Green]

I sure hope x06Col is correct, I sorta figure that way, myself. The big rigs perhaps won't have as much time for a "partial"

But, I hedged by bet today. Bought a loose leaf log book. ;-)

 

[TheGoodGuy]

The old HOS rules were around for about the last seventy years, and I'm sure their just Chompin at the bit to change them again real soon.
The reality of the situation is that we are probably one of the most populated trade segments of the country with negligible political clout.

REASON BEING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!95% (BEING OPTIMISTIC) of our lower socio-economic brethern who ply the trade out here, (TRUCKING), DO NOT VOTE! If we voted 4 million strong for a particular candidate, things MIGHT JUST start changing FOR THE BETTER.

WON'T HAPPEN IN MY LIFETIME!