Is anyone surprised? Half baked regs always result in more dangerous operations. It will only get worse and will, sooner or later, result in injury or death. These are dangerous regulations and they make no sense what so ever.
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- Thread starter TeamCaffee
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Is anyone surprised? Half baked regs always result in more dangerous operations. It will only get worse and will, sooner or later, result in injury or death. These are dangerous regulations and they make no sense what so ever.
How is having to take a half hour break a dangerous regulation?
Some of this fascinates me to no end. You're under tyrannical regulations that not only require you to get enough sleep (imagine that) but also tell you WHEN that sleep must occur.
So, do you try to get the regulations relaxed to at least a tolerable level--- or do you write your legislative representative to DEMAND that everybody has to follow the same ridiculous regulations you do? I've seen way too much demanding of oppressive regulation for everybody for my liking, so much so that I daresay you won't be happy until they build enough prison cells to house every man, woman and child in North America. Then the guards can tell us all when to eat, when to sleep, what hours if any we can use the exercise yard and so on.
OK. I can't be sure, but I have a suspicion that some of this came about because certain truckers and trucking companies wouldn't police themselves, drove way too many hours with way too much weight and so on and so on, and made the government finally crack down on the industry for everybody's safety. If such a thing happens to vans, it may be because of the same reasons. Like it or not, your human body needs a certain amount of rest and sooner or later you will get it-- the only question being whether you stop at a rest-stop voluntarily or stop in a hospital. Or morgue, if your luck runs out.
Your van can only carry so much weight, beyond that you take serious risks. The door sticker gives the maximum safe weight, assuming of course that your vehicle is in good condition to begin with. Engineers being what they are, there's a safety margin in case you do go slightly overweight but that margin isn't as generous that it will allow you to run your springs to the bottom and start flattening your tires. The margin of error runs out somewhat short of that. Remember that your engine and tranny have to get all that weight moving, your suspension has to support it and your brakes have to stop it--- so, that door sticker is a wee bit more important than just a safety suggestion.
Think about it-- if we don't regulate ourselves, the government may have to-- and bureaucrats just love to over-regulate and make you press hard because there's seven copies and duplicate that----.
So, do you try to get the regulations relaxed to at least a tolerable level--- or do you write your legislative representative to DEMAND that everybody has to follow the same ridiculous regulations you do? I've seen way too much demanding of oppressive regulation for everybody for my liking, so much so that I daresay you won't be happy until they build enough prison cells to house every man, woman and child in North America. Then the guards can tell us all when to eat, when to sleep, what hours if any we can use the exercise yard and so on.
OK. I can't be sure, but I have a suspicion that some of this came about because certain truckers and trucking companies wouldn't police themselves, drove way too many hours with way too much weight and so on and so on, and made the government finally crack down on the industry for everybody's safety. If such a thing happens to vans, it may be because of the same reasons. Like it or not, your human body needs a certain amount of rest and sooner or later you will get it-- the only question being whether you stop at a rest-stop voluntarily or stop in a hospital. Or morgue, if your luck runs out.
Your van can only carry so much weight, beyond that you take serious risks. The door sticker gives the maximum safe weight, assuming of course that your vehicle is in good condition to begin with. Engineers being what they are, there's a safety margin in case you do go slightly overweight but that margin isn't as generous that it will allow you to run your springs to the bottom and start flattening your tires. The margin of error runs out somewhat short of that. Remember that your engine and tranny have to get all that weight moving, your suspension has to support it and your brakes have to stop it--- so, that door sticker is a wee bit more important than just a safety suggestion.
Think about it-- if we don't regulate ourselves, the government may have to-- and bureaucrats just love to over-regulate and make you press hard because there's seven copies and duplicate that----.
Where to you plan to park all these trucks? On the moon? Did you read the post where a driver was forced to take his break on the side of the road? How safe if that? It is also a fuel waster, causing ANOTHER deceleration and acceleration cycle, which costs money.
I would LOVE to hear how only one 34-54 hour reset in a week is good, but two are bad. THAT would be a FUN one to hear.
I for one will be made VERY sleepy by this FORCED rest period. Once I stop, I get sleepy. I do FAR better just driving. That will make our operation far more dangerous when I decided when I needed a break. I know my body, only I can safely decide what is right or wrong for my safe operation. Cookie cutter regulations are always bad. No two people are alike. Not to worry, you will be regulated soon too. Then YOU can join in the fun! When I am sleeping, and my wife stops for her break, it WILL wake me up as well. OH such fun this will be!
paullud
Veteran Expediter
There is more to it than just a break. It forces trucks to be on the road and go through major cities at peak times which will obviously cause more accidents.
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It is not like the 30 minutes comes out of the blue there is time to plan where to take it and there is a window
Just a waste time, fuel and money for no benefit. I wonder if our time "allotted" for running loads are going to be increased to allow for the lost hour(s) on our runs?
There is not enough parking for trucks now. Where are all the extra, SAFE, parking areas for the millions of half hour breaks? The side of the road? On and off ramps? Large trucks are not allowed to just park anywhere. Many places you can park are off limits to us.
paullud
Veteran Expediter
If I normally could get through NYC at 2 it isn't to bad, now add 30 minutes to that and see what happens. If I am doing a 34hr restart in Bordentown and could've left early to be through the city by 5am I am now forced to wait until the worst time, even if I am 45 hours into a 34hr restart.
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I just read the law..... Drivers have eight hours to plan break... There are tons of places that a driver to have a break. Especially in the straight truck
Just another nail in the coffin of a solo straight trucker... Unfortunately
Sorry layout I'm just playing good cop bad cop with you....
What happens when I get sleepy? Explain away why one 34-54 hour reset in a week is good but a second is bad. Too much rest? Who covers the extra time now needed? The extra fuel costs? There are many places in the country where parking for trucks, even straights, is scarce. We stopped at a truck stop last week, a large lot, NO parking spots open. We got lucky and one truck pulled out. There were no other LEGAL parking areas around. On long, cross country runs, that 1/2 break can be two hours, which could be enough to keep us out of another load.
I know, just playing back. The thing is that this fooling around IS bringing out many of the problems these very bad regulations are causing.
paullud
Veteran Expediter
I get your point and it doesn't seem like much but then you have to implement it in the real world.
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You're going to lose income especially a solo it will only be a couple bucks but it's a couple bucks that they can't afford
OVM, I'm not so sure about that half-hour rest break. That may or may not be a problem. One thing I'm sure IS a problem is this: Some of the 34 hour reset MUST contain the hours between 1:00 AM and 5:00 AM as a solid, unbroken block of rest. That is going to force a lot of truckers to park in too few places, further since many truckers take their 34 hour reset during the weekends I leave you to think about Monday morning rush-hour, when all of these trucks get rolling again shortly after 5 rather than having been able to get where they wanted to be earlier. The rules concerning the 34 hour reset are a joke-- no two ways about it.
Folks, I admit to being at a loss to explain how making everybody subscribe to these draconian rules helps anybody. The rules need to be changed to something that makes sense--- and making everyone march to this drummer ain't the way to get there from here.
Folks, I admit to being at a loss to explain how making everybody subscribe to these draconian rules helps anybody. The rules need to be changed to something that makes sense--- and making everyone march to this drummer ain't the way to get there from here.
And in the expedite business it makes the sprinter cargo max fellows look as a better alternative
DISASTER PLAN
1. In event of disaster, shoot rabbit.
2. When disaster concludes, acquire new rabbit.
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I see there are lots of places for trucks the park... The back of McDonald's the back of a marathon maybe places some people don't want to park but they will have no choice.
It's going to be more than a "couple" of bucks. It's going to be more than that in the added fuel costs alone. There will be lost chances for other loads as well.