Sleeping on the floor

[Streakn1]

I'm curious about this, so I'm gonna ask! How many owners (team) out there would (or do) give up the bed in their sleeper to accomadate a customer's ride along courier? How many fleet owners ask their drivers to "give up the bed" for the courier? Would you as a fleet driver drive for an owner that requires this? Have you seen an increase in courier demands that they be provided a bed to sleep in while on-board?

As older Expedite trucks are being replaced with the new larger sleeper trucks, there seems to be less and less double-bunk sleepers. The older sleepers at least could accomadate a co-driver and courier sleeping at the same time. But what about now? If you're on a long run and you are supposed to be in the sleeper berth, how do you legally log as such if the courier is in the bed of the single bunk sleeper? Do you sit on the floor or up in the cab?

 

[Jefferson3000]

You already got a bunch of answers when you asked this just three months ago.

http://www.expeditersonline.com/forum/general-expediter-forum/29859-how-far-will-you-go.html

Personally, no courier sets foot in my truck. They drive their own vehicle to the destination following me.

 

[LDB]

As a solo it wouldn't be a problem while driving for me. In a team situation as a couple and only a single bunk in the truck the courier would have to know there is no bed space for them. My co-driver would get the bed to be as well rested as possible when taking over the driving. That's a safety issue and wouldn't be open for discussion. The courier would have to make do with the recline mechanism of the passenger seat.

 

[ATeam]

Since the How far will you go? thread was originated, I have talked with a number of owner-operators and drivers about this. Practices vary among them depending on sleeper design and space, and the preferences of the people driving the truck. Practices even vary with the same drivers in the same truck depending on trip length and how they are getting along with a particular courrier.

Diane and I require courriers to stay strapped in the passenger seat the entire time they are in the truck. If other owner-operators want to put a courrier in their bed, tuck them in at night, and give them a complimentary teddy bear, while the codriver sleeps on the sleeper floor, it is not my place to tell them otherwise.

While we are on the road, expediter trucks serve as our home, office and business asset that we use to generate revenue. Just as people entertain people in their homes differently, and just as office owners provide varying accomodations for their visitors, expediters vary in the ways they welcome and work with courriers in their trucks. What may seem right to one may seem wrong to another, but the important thing to note is it is up to the homeowner, office owner and truck driver to decide what is right for them.

Diane and I realize that our passenger seat only policy may make our truck less attractive to certain courriers and may cost us some loads. We maintain that policy accepting that fact. We would rather forfiet the money than put a courrier in our bed or on the sleeper floor. But for the drivers out there that would prefer to not forfiet the money, I say more power to them.

We have learned that problems and misunderstandings can be avoided in advance when dispatch informs the courrier ahead of time of our passenger seat policy. Making sure that information is shared in advance is now part of the process of us accepting a courrier load.

 

[greg334]

Well if someone wants to do a ride along on a load, they would have to be in the box - I have no passenger seat and will not allow anyone to sit in my sleeper because that is my personal space.

If I did have a passenger seat, I would still would have a problem.

 

[Streakn1]

Yes Jefferson3000, I did ask a simular question in that thread three months ago regarding this subject. In this thread my intent is to poll especially fleet owners to see what their requirements on this subject are. In the recent weeks I'm hearing more and more from fleet driver friends of how their owners want the drivers to sleep on the floor to accomadate the customer. So is this becoming the norm, or exception?

Just courious, so thought I would revisit this to see if thoughts are changing on this subject.

Excellent reply there ATeam!

 

[Bruno]

Telling a driver to sleep on the floor is something I wouldn't do. Now if I was offered a load by my company and was asked about letting a rider sleep in the bunk. I would 1st talk to my co-driver about it. If my Co-Driver said hey lets do the load then we would do it. I would also tell my company that the rider has to bring a sleeping bag because nobody is sleeping in my sheets.

 

[dieseldiva]

While we've done a lot of W/G loads, me thinks one like this is not for us. It's difficult for anyone visiting our truck to believe that our little dogs are actually quiet as they bark nonstop when their space is invaded. It is their space!!! They may be little but they're loud. Beyond that, I still don't see us accommodating anyone on a run, as some have already said, it's our home on the road, follow in a rental car if you like.

 

[pjjjjj]

You mean you guys get asked to allow the courier/person/shipper to travel with you along with their load, AND to give them a place to SLEEP????

 

[Moot]

I believe most loads that require a courier are WG loads. WG trucks are equipped with blankets, pads, straps and several rows of E-track. Some are even reefers. If the courier is riding along to keep an eye on valuable freight, what better place than in the box. Stop every 3 or 4 hours for a potty break and I really don't see a problem.

 

[dieseldiva]

You mean you guys get asked to allow the courier/person/shipper to travel with you along with their load, AND to give them a place to SLEEP????

We were offered a courier load once a long time ago, can't recall if it was a long enough run to require sleeping arrangements but the answer was no anyway.

 

[jaminjim]

Well I guess it would depend on what SHE looked like. A ride along would not bother me, as long as you stayed buckled in the passenger seat.

 

[pjjjjj]

We were offered a courier load once a long time ago, can't recall if it was a long enough run to require sleeping arrangements but the answer was no anyway.

I would GUESS so!
I'm with Moot.. let him ride in the freezer, I don't care HOW good looking he is! And never mind potty breaks, that's what they have peepans for.

 

[Bruno]

If the load paid $12,000.00 from Cleveland to LA. Yea I would sleep on the floor for 2 nights you bet. Money talks.

 

[P51bombay]

Seems to me that with regs governing sleeper size, accessibility, and occupant restraints that putting a codriver on the floor or anywhere else will violate FMCSA rules and there is also a reg about unauthorized persons in a CMV that may apply as well.

393.76

392.60

 

[Jefferson3000]

Seems to me that with regs governing sleeper size, accessibility, and occupant restraints that putting a codriver on the floor or anywhere else will violate FMCSA rules and there is also a reg about unauthorized persons in a CMV that may apply as well.

393.76

392.60

I guess when I get that 12K run from Cleveland to L.A. I admit I'd have to rethink it a bit. Until then, no extra riders in the cab

 

[dieseldiva]

If the load paid $12,000.00 from Cleveland to LA. Yea I would sleep on the floor for 2 nights you bet. Money talks.

Your trucks have enough space on the floor for a driver to stretch out and sleep?? Our sleeper isn't 'tiny' but I wouldn't want to try it.

 

[nightcreacher]

if I had a house on the back of my tractor like a lot of w/g trucks have.then i would have an army cot for the courier to sleep on. if that wasnt acceptable,then i wouldnt do the load,unless she slept naked.

 

[Streakn1]

Hey Night, you been dreamin again? LOL

 

[blackwood666]

What company wants someone to ride with them?
sounds like a liability in all my years never had a rider except my girlfriend and she had to stop alot and shop my entire check away, so she's out and riders **** some strange expedite companies, guess I love mine!
No Riders Yet!