moose
Veteran Expediter
to be published next weekend in the 2 Metro news outlets.
your comments!
New Hours Of Service for truckers.
On July 1[SUP]st[/SUP] new HOS came into effect that, further restrict the time professional drivers allowed to spend behind the wheel. The scope of the new regulations is to make sure truckers are alert while operating their rigs. Those new HOS will have a direct effect on everyone’s life, and understanding those effects can help readers better manage their time.
There are 2 new restrictions.
One been a requirement for a driver to rest for 30 min, once he has been ‘on the clock’ for more than 8 hours. In many cases professional drivers will have to take more than one break a day to comply.
The other one is a bit more complicated to explain. Truckers are required to rest for @ least 34 hours, if their work week exceeds the 70 hour. The new restriction mandated that a 2 consecutives, 1am to 5 am periods will be a part of the 34 hour break. We call it ‘restart’, as it is allow the driver to restart his 70 hour weekly clock. Only one restart a week is allowed.
Over time, those 2 previsions will reduce drivers productivity, which will result in more drivers, logistic services & equipment needed to move same freight. From now on, it will cost trucking companies more to operate, so consumers of transportations services will simply have to pay more. It is hard to determine what this will do to pricing on the store shelves, but you simply cannot expect to limit productivity without adjusting pricing.
Another interesting question is how the new HOS will change congestion. More trucks mean more traffic. But the nightly restart requirement will probably result in many more drivers taking their mandatory break @ home over the weekend. This will defiantly worsen Monday’s morning rush-hour. But also every morning rush, as most truckers keeps a daily cycle. We are simply going to crowd more trucks on the road @ the same time. The good news is that the transportation industry is very widely diverse. The new HOS will have different effects on every single operation.
What can you do about this?
Give yourself more time in the morning for the next few weeks, as the transportation industry trying to figure out how to better manage their time under the new rules.
Document how those financial & safety changes affect you personally. Communicate your loses with your peers, your representatives, and the federal Gov. a good place to submit a comment is directly @ the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration {FMCSA} website. It’s well-designed and easy to navigate. The FMCSA clearly asked for input and are staffed to read your comments.
If your business has a lot of trucks traffics, then you are well positions to help truckers comply. Truck parking is in great short for truckers; if all possible communicate with truckers ahead of time for parking solutions. Go over your costs of doing business with truckers, and see if improving your shipping & receiving hours can allow drivers more opportunity to do business with you. Sometime a simple staffing for a lunch break of a forklift can go a long way in helping truckers make the best out of their time.
But the most important thing you can do now is use extra courtesy toward truckers on the road this summer, as they all face new challenges.
Thanks.
****** ******,
***** ****.
*the writer is a professional Over the Road trucker & a small business Owner.
your comments!
New Hours Of Service for truckers.
On July 1[SUP]st[/SUP] new HOS came into effect that, further restrict the time professional drivers allowed to spend behind the wheel. The scope of the new regulations is to make sure truckers are alert while operating their rigs. Those new HOS will have a direct effect on everyone’s life, and understanding those effects can help readers better manage their time.
There are 2 new restrictions.
One been a requirement for a driver to rest for 30 min, once he has been ‘on the clock’ for more than 8 hours. In many cases professional drivers will have to take more than one break a day to comply.
The other one is a bit more complicated to explain. Truckers are required to rest for @ least 34 hours, if their work week exceeds the 70 hour. The new restriction mandated that a 2 consecutives, 1am to 5 am periods will be a part of the 34 hour break. We call it ‘restart’, as it is allow the driver to restart his 70 hour weekly clock. Only one restart a week is allowed.
Over time, those 2 previsions will reduce drivers productivity, which will result in more drivers, logistic services & equipment needed to move same freight. From now on, it will cost trucking companies more to operate, so consumers of transportations services will simply have to pay more. It is hard to determine what this will do to pricing on the store shelves, but you simply cannot expect to limit productivity without adjusting pricing.
Another interesting question is how the new HOS will change congestion. More trucks mean more traffic. But the nightly restart requirement will probably result in many more drivers taking their mandatory break @ home over the weekend. This will defiantly worsen Monday’s morning rush-hour. But also every morning rush, as most truckers keeps a daily cycle. We are simply going to crowd more trucks on the road @ the same time. The good news is that the transportation industry is very widely diverse. The new HOS will have different effects on every single operation.
What can you do about this?
Give yourself more time in the morning for the next few weeks, as the transportation industry trying to figure out how to better manage their time under the new rules.
Document how those financial & safety changes affect you personally. Communicate your loses with your peers, your representatives, and the federal Gov. a good place to submit a comment is directly @ the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration {FMCSA} website. It’s well-designed and easy to navigate. The FMCSA clearly asked for input and are staffed to read your comments.
If your business has a lot of trucks traffics, then you are well positions to help truckers comply. Truck parking is in great short for truckers; if all possible communicate with truckers ahead of time for parking solutions. Go over your costs of doing business with truckers, and see if improving your shipping & receiving hours can allow drivers more opportunity to do business with you. Sometime a simple staffing for a lunch break of a forklift can go a long way in helping truckers make the best out of their time.
But the most important thing you can do now is use extra courtesy toward truckers on the road this summer, as they all face new challenges.
Thanks.
****** ******,
***** ****.
*the writer is a professional Over the Road trucker & a small business Owner.
