So I've volunteered for the 34 Hr restart Study done by the FMCSA

The request I got was for regular route drivers who ran 500-600 miles on nighty regular basis. I just threw it in the trash, there isn't anything regular about trucking. Invalid, sweep stuff under the rug test. The caffeine deal I didn't hear about, they cut our caffeine off there will be a shortage in toothpicks again.

 

And yet every single day you enjoy the use of umpteen products and services that exist because of data obtained from using the same principals of study design on real world people who, like all of us, were not guinea pigs. Your reason and every other reason written about in this thread for why the study data won't be valid can be quite effectively managed and/or eliminated by good study design. Whether or not that happens is another matter entirely. But it is entirely possible to yield valid data from a study conducted on real world truck drivers if the study is designed and executed properly.

Now a question for the peanut gallery. Suppose the study reveals that there is no real benefit and possibly even down sides to the revised hours of service rules and as a result the original 34 hour reset rules will remain in place permanently? How many of you folks in this thread would be willing to stand up then and honestly complain that the study they did was invalid because of the drivers they used and how the study was conducted? Any of you? Anyone at all? Didn't think so.

 

Studies should be performed by disinterested parties. Doing these studies in-house will usually generate the results the originators wish. Any study should also be interpreted by those who don't have a vested interest in the outcome. I will be interested in seeing how this turns out. Although I can see some problems with their methodology, I hope that they will do their best to generate an unbiased report. For them to get a valid outcome, they will need to get a broad cross section of participants.

 

I signed up for it too. Talked to OOIDA guy about it, he didn't say anything about strict control or cameras. Would have FMCSA install an ELD, would have to wear some kind of wrist band gizmo and some app on a smart device have to look at it multiple times a day and push a button when you see a faint line or some such. Keep a record of coffee intake yes. Compensation: pay for fuel to get to the ELD install place. Think I will pass unless they can cough up about $10,000 for the 5 month study.

 

That's how you obtain a desired result. Control.
It will of course have nothing to do with the real world.
Let me send another email out to my reps.

 

Interesting that they would want you to respond to something on the cell phone when it is illegal in a commercial vehicle.

 

Me personally I could care less about HOS rules. I drive when i feel like driving i rest when i need to no accidents, tickets ect. I'm an adult i don't need some over paid government agency trying to justify their existence.

 

I-am-waiting-for-the-uniforms-to-arrive,-one-size-only-so-their-compatiable-with-the-one-size-fits-all-regs..--you-are-absolutely-correct,-if-you-are-tired-your-tired,-park-it.-doesnt-matter-if-you-have-been-driving-one-hour-or-18-hours.

 

you missed the point

federally mandated rules for HOS, which are based on concrete structure does not work in a fluid environment such as driving, and it can never work in such a diverse environment as trucking. cattle truck drivers, containers, reefers, oil field rigs all have completely different parameters of working

some sit all day and wait until zero hour to move, not conforming to a 14hr regiment, but the drivers are well rested

team operation, how is it that a team mate bouncing around for 10 hrs is more rested than i am sleeping soundly for 6-8hrs?

and regarding the actual testing, yes, many PRODUCTS are tested using controlled studies, (which is what i said in the other post) you can control how a deodorant or any other chemical application is used

trucking is not a chemical

 

No I got the point. So what discussion you want to have? Do you want to talk about this issue and the testing involved? Or do you want to just have a ##### and moan session about DOT and how truckers shouldn't have any rules imposed on them by anyone? Because those are two very different threads.

I have long said that trucking is an industry which requires generous amounts of flexibility by its very nature and we're forced to operate under a set of rules which have almost no flexibility. That's the way its always been and the way it will always be. Our options are adapt and find ways to remain profitable within those bounds or get out of the game and do something else. There will always be those who say we should rise up and get the rules changed in our favor. Let's just say I have little faith in that approach and leave it at that.

And truth be told, I'm not so sure I trust most of the guys on the road enough to let them run with no HOS rules. Some of them? Sure. But I think most would run till they drop if they could get away with it. I wouldn't want my wife on the road in a world where we simply trust every truck driver to police themselves and pull over the moment they're too tired to drive. Stone me if you must but that's how I feel about it.