Wow. You really should call Panther and impart your wisdom, because they're never thought of any of that stuff.
I have no complaint with not letting a tired driver continue. If you need to stop for a nap, then that's what you have to do. But we all know that transit times are figured on 47mph in Seville, and that it's known that you're not really driving 47 but closer to 67, and this allows you to lay down when you need it.
Actually, it only allows you to lay down when you need it in certain circumstances. If you need to take your break 13 or 14 hours into the trip, fine. But if you need your break 8 hours into a 16 hour run, and you don't at that point already have at least 5 hours built up on the 47 MPH clock, then you don't have the time to take a 5 hour break. They know you're driving faster than 47 MPH, but they will only go by the 47. They've been burned too many times by people who didn't have 5 hours built up, where the drivers said something like, "I'll have plenty of time to make it up later in the trip," and then they don't make it up, and deliver late, either because of traffic, mechanical problems, or they simply overslept.
The drivers that didn't do that were dullards, and the idea is to not take them on in the first place and eliminate the ones who slip through the cracks.
And how do you propose to cull the dullards and not bring them on? Keep in mind they've had intelligent, competent, professional drivers with perfect records for years, who then go down for a nap, oversleep, and have delivered late. It's happened enough that they are through giving the benefit of the doubt and won't risk it. For them, everything is about getting the freight delivered on time.
If you're not awake enough to do a 1200-miler, don't do it. Tell the carrier up front and either give it to someone who can or have it switched.
Sounds great, in theory. And I've done precisely that. But many have not. Even long-time drivers with perfect records who know their limitations will sometimes see that load offer, get a dollar sign woody, and think, "I can make it." And then they don't. There have been many times where the driver did, indeed, feel perfectly fine, good enough to make a long run, and then half way into it get sleepy. I know people, including myself, who have gotten sleepy an hour into a long run.
Everybody knows Panther is putting a van on every streetcorner in America, and the next van will appreciate the business.
Common wisdom isn't always the truth.
I'm sure Panther can work ETAs on their end, anyway, add 2-3 hours onto long runs, quote that ETA.
And then another carrier will quote the customer an ETA of 3 or 4 hours sooner, and they get the bid. You can't just add 3 or 4 hours onto a load with a lot of customers, because customers already know how long it will take. And customers don't care if the van driver needs a break, all they care about is getting their freight delivered on time, and if that means a team van or swap the load midway, so be it. Many customer request "deliver direct", which means no break. They want it there when they want it there, no adding on tot he delivery time permitted.
Between that and the time you build up by getting ahead of the projected speed, a nap is already built in, and they sure don't need to have a clock that begins if you move .7 of a mile as if you're in a big truck.
They don't start the clock when you move .7 of a mile, for vans or trucks. But even .7 of a mile will be looked at hard and heavy by a jury. If you're moving the van, you're not sleeping or resting. Panther learned that the hard way, too.
