Logs, Randoms and 34's
- Thread starter layoutshooter
- Start date
I talked with Terry at FedEx. He states the following: If you have a CDL you are able to be called for a random drug test 24/7 365 no matter what your duty status. If you are doing a 34 hour reset you have to go on duty and log it. If you do not have enough hours to drive to the collection site you have to get a cab. If because of the lose of the 34 hour reset you are not able to run your load you will be taken off the load and you will have to do your reset. He said that this is NOT FedEx policy it is the regs industry wide.
Terry had sent me a PM last night asking what I needed to know. I asked him to call me, which he did AFTER consulting with the person at FedEx that handles the random test program for them. It was good of Terry to get back to me so quickly. We had a good long talk.
Desperado
Seasoned Expediter
like right now got a load picking up in NYC I've shutting off my phone and putter at 2145 pillow over QC getting up at 0545 leaving here at 0615 will turn on phone when i wake up dot says i need 8hrs in sb one rule can't over ride another so if I'm at home on VAC same thing if they want me after my sb time I'll be amble to do what they want but they are not going to run my life 24/7 and it would be their problem to prove i refused to take test but when they tell me to go in for a test I've passed for the last 25 yrs and just because some dummy's can;t understand that you don't mix work with anything else it upsets me
jaminjim
Veteran Expediter
Gee I hate to disagree with Terry or the big X but, the regulation clearly states that they can hold off on the test until you return from off duty. It is your Carriers policy that requires you to drop everything while at home to go pee in a cup. Read the link that I provided. The Carrier just doesn't give a rats patoot. But I am curious if they require their Dispatchers to leave there family reunion to make a deposit.
Just passing on the information that I was given.
jaminjim
Veteran Expediter
Terry is correct that you can be called 24/7 365 but that is not what is required. They only do it because there is no consequence to their bottom line. As far as an industry standard... well probably for O/O's. I wonder if Roadway or UPS waits until you return from off duty?
If this is an approach that works for you, I guess all I can say is go for it. It is not an approach that works for Diane and me and I encourage any expediter wannabees reading this to consider what you value and what you want to accomplish as an expediter.
If you value uninterrupted off-duty or sleeper time to the point that you go dark (Qualcomm under pillow, phone off) to get it, you will get exactly what you seek -- uninterrupted off-duty or sleeper time. But what does that get you in the long run?
In our truck, Diane and I stay in the loop. There are any number of reasons our carrier may want to reach us when we are off duty or in the sleeper and we would want to know about it. They include:
- The run we are now on may cancel.
- The pick-up or delivery time may change.
- An additional stop may be added.
- A new run may be offered as a pre-dispatch.
- An irate customer from our last load may be on the line with an agent and the agent needs information from us to resolve the issue.
- The shipper may call dispatch for special information about us that is not normally available, and dispatch needs our permission to give it to them.
- Dispatch may have special paperwork or specific routing to fax to us and wants to know what number to fax it to.
- A fellow expediter may be in a breakdown situation and we are being called to help by rescuing the freight and thereby freeing the driver to deal with the breakdown.
- A communications problem may develop with our Qualcomm or reefer and dispatch calls to alert us to it.
- We may be parked near a delivery several hours ahead of the delivery time, the consignee sees us and calls dispatch to say delivery is OK now.
- While we are under load but in the sleeper, a customer may want us to return to the pick up because they discovered something wrong with the freight that was loaded.
There are other reasons but these illustrate the point.
Expediting is not a business that lends itself well to putting a do not disturb sign on your truck. The more you try to do so, the less reliable and useful you will be to your carrier and customers.
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While it may be true that we can be called in for a drug test 24/7 365, I have yet to be called in to a clinic that was open 24/7 365. Diane and I have never been tested outside of normal business hours, perhaps because the nearby clinics are only open during normal business hours.
jaminjim
Veteran Expediter
The 24/7 365 was what LOS said that Terry told him. I only got randomed during normal business hours.
nightcreacher
Veteran Expediter
I've had plenty of drug tests,never after hours.Most cliniks are 9 to 5.Tri State wanted us to do one couple months ago.Collection place was 300 miles from where I was,so they didnt make us go.If your off duty you can be called for a drug test,but not an alcohol test,reason bein,alcoho; isnt illegal,drugs are.I guess if you were off duty,and they wantesd you to do a drug test,you could tell them youve bveen drinking,then you couldnt drive to the test,they say take a cab,that cost money,you just tell them to give you a comcheck so yuou have the money to pay the cabby.They arent goping to do this so they can just put you as unavailable for testing,and get you at a different time