My husband and I have always driven 5 hours on and 5 hours off.With the new "hours of service" just how will that affect us or will it?
Hours of Service
- Thread starter Falconlady13
- Start date
raceman
Veteran Expediter
That really should not change anything if you stay with five and five. I always ran that way when running team. I always thought that was the best break out. I never got board and I never got tired of driving. I also never got any sleep but that is another story and it is also why I have no more teams. I think you are just fine even with new hours. Assuming I am understanding your question. If not someone will set us both straight. No pun intended.
Raceman
Two Straight
owner
part time driver of one of my trucks and local TT
15mon.OTR Expediting
1 yr local Expediting
Raceman
Two Straight
owner
part time driver of one of my trucks and local TT
15mon.OTR Expediting
1 yr local Expediting
You can still run 5/5 or 5.5 /5.5 with the new HOS rules.We have always run 5/5 and as the Raceman says you are lucky to get 2-3 hours of sleep. If you don't want to run 5/5 you can run 10/10 but thats a long haul without a break,even though yesterday I did almost 11 as a single.
larrybadger
Expert Expediter
Not directly related to your question; but if anyone desires to add their input into the HOS discussion, the FMCSA is seeking public comments. The deadline for public input is March 10, 2005.
This link will take you to the DOT web site with further details.
http://www.dot.gov/affairs/fmcsa0105.htm
This link will take you to the DOT web site with further details.
http://www.dot.gov/affairs/fmcsa0105.htm
DocRushing
Expert Expediter
Under the new HOS rules Marda (Special K) and I -- while on long trips -- continued running more-or-less 5-and-5.
Our driving times did not change significantly -- except that previously (under the old rules) we more often had done 4 or 4.5 hours at a time (rather than 5 or 5.5 hours at a time).
The largest change is in the logging -- because the new rules closed an old loophole.
Under the new rules, as soon as either of us goes on duty the first time to pick up a load or to start moving "under dispatch" toward a pickup point, neither of us has an opportunity to log any time whatever on line 1 (off duty) until we either finish delivering the load or go off duty for the night (or other time clearly off duty -- completely relieved of duty -- overnight, for example -- not just on a meal break or snack break or shower break -- and not just waiting to get loaded or unloaded -- and not even waiting for a mechanic to finish working on a truck -- until the next "shift" or the next driving "day").
(The old rules allowed us to take time off-duty (line 1) for various reasons during the course of a trip or the course of a work "day.")
Again: The new rules forbid us to log any time on line 1 until the team becomes relieved of duty "for the day."
The practical significance is this:
While using that rule -- the sleeper-berth rule -- the leapfrog rule -- it's wise for the "sleeping" driver to log out of the bunk (from line 2 to line 4) not more than 1/4 hour before starting his next driving time (line 3) -- and for the "driving" driver to log into the bunk (from line 4 to line 2 not more than 1/4 hour after his driving time (line 3).
That is, it's wise to avoid logging more than 1/4 hour on line 4 from the bunk to the wheel and from the wheel to the bunk.
Sometimes we go (honestly) directly from the bunk to the wheel or vice versa without any time on line 4 -- or with a quick 5-minute swing through the plumbing.
But -- if we were to log too many straight transitions between line 2 and line 3, we probably would attract some undesirable attention from the enforcers or the carrier's own safety department.
Sooo -- manage your on-duty time very carefully -- and avoid giving away too much time on line 4.
Best wishes -- and do it safely,
Doc.
long-time old goat
company driver 4 years
moonlight part-time driver 7 years
small-fleet team driver 6 months
solo owner-operator 4.5 years
team owner-operator 6 years
small-fleet owner 2 years
volunteer worker aboard Mercy Ships 2 years
Our driving times did not change significantly -- except that previously (under the old rules) we more often had done 4 or 4.5 hours at a time (rather than 5 or 5.5 hours at a time).
The largest change is in the logging -- because the new rules closed an old loophole.
Under the new rules, as soon as either of us goes on duty the first time to pick up a load or to start moving "under dispatch" toward a pickup point, neither of us has an opportunity to log any time whatever on line 1 (off duty) until we either finish delivering the load or go off duty for the night (or other time clearly off duty -- completely relieved of duty -- overnight, for example -- not just on a meal break or snack break or shower break -- and not just waiting to get loaded or unloaded -- and not even waiting for a mechanic to finish working on a truck -- until the next "shift" or the next driving "day").
(The old rules allowed us to take time off-duty (line 1) for various reasons during the course of a trip or the course of a work "day.")
Again: The new rules forbid us to log any time on line 1 until the team becomes relieved of duty "for the day."
The practical significance is this:
While using that rule -- the sleeper-berth rule -- the leapfrog rule -- it's wise for the "sleeping" driver to log out of the bunk (from line 2 to line 4) not more than 1/4 hour before starting his next driving time (line 3) -- and for the "driving" driver to log into the bunk (from line 4 to line 2 not more than 1/4 hour after his driving time (line 3).
That is, it's wise to avoid logging more than 1/4 hour on line 4 from the bunk to the wheel and from the wheel to the bunk.
Sometimes we go (honestly) directly from the bunk to the wheel or vice versa without any time on line 4 -- or with a quick 5-minute swing through the plumbing.
But -- if we were to log too many straight transitions between line 2 and line 3, we probably would attract some undesirable attention from the enforcers or the carrier's own safety department.
Sooo -- manage your on-duty time very carefully -- and avoid giving away too much time on line 4.
Best wishes -- and do it safely,
Doc.
long-time old goat
company driver 4 years
moonlight part-time driver 7 years
small-fleet team driver 6 months
solo owner-operator 4.5 years
team owner-operator 6 years
small-fleet owner 2 years
volunteer worker aboard Mercy Ships 2 years
Broompilot
Veteran Expediter
Can I say or may I say CONFUSED. I can hardly wait to be asked let me see that log book. I thought I had my X$%^ together WOW. They are neat kept current usually with in three hours and with the previous days hours 7 days 8 days listed on the past days log. After reading Doc's response I just may be doomed. Everytime I think I got this log think understood a new dimension comes into play. I am all in favor of new changes confuse me some more at least it keeps me awake at night so I am to tired to drive the next day or vs/vs. Now serious if Doc says is it is fact, have a question that you need answered go to him, and I really do do a good job at my book keeping and most if it is from asking questions other wise it is just to danm confusing and written in a way to do just that CONFUSE the AVERAGE DRIVER so that the law can Catch you trying to be HONEST especially in this dept:
DocRushing
Expert Expediter
Broomer:
That chatter about the leapfrog rule applies just to teams -- unless a solo driver also elects to divide his on-duty hours with a time in the sack (at least two hours).
However, one point applies to solo drivers as well as teams:
The new rules do not allow us to log any time on line 1 (off duty) unless and until a driver is "relieved of duty" -- by delivering a load without another assignment or by reaching a layover point or by reaching the end of the day for an overnight layover while en route -- that is, no longer "under dispatch" -- at least no longer for that day.
I strongly dislike that rule, but that's the new rule, and that's how the enforcers and the companies appear to insist on it.
Do it safely!
Doc.
That chatter about the leapfrog rule applies just to teams -- unless a solo driver also elects to divide his on-duty hours with a time in the sack (at least two hours).
However, one point applies to solo drivers as well as teams:
The new rules do not allow us to log any time on line 1 (off duty) unless and until a driver is "relieved of duty" -- by delivering a load without another assignment or by reaching a layover point or by reaching the end of the day for an overnight layover while en route -- that is, no longer "under dispatch" -- at least no longer for that day.
I strongly dislike that rule, but that's the new rule, and that's how the enforcers and the companies appear to insist on it.
Do it safely!
Doc.
One option not mentioned is takng the 34 hour restart . This is one regulation Public Citizen ( who in reality is J. Claybrook , the woman resonsible for deaths of a couple of hundred woman and children killed by airbags she pushed for ) wants eliminated . If you get in trouble with hours take a day and a half off and restart . Both of you taking the full ten together can help too or the one taking the 5 sleeper can extend it to 10 while the other takes 10 .
All I can say is,well,I see for once I'm at loss for words.When I first got into truck driving it was with Caliber,a big truck,and my husband insisted on 10 hr.shifts.But once I found the "baby truck" that all changed.I have been pulled into so many "coops" so many times,I just want to run without a problem.We will fine-tune our 5 hr.shifts.I've met some really nice people in DOT but have met some really bad ones,who was out to prove a point.All comments and advice is really needed and wanted.