34 Hour Restart

I'd give LogsRus a chance to comment on this.. this is her expertise..

 

Ok let me see if I got this right...I stole this from the FMCSA website:
Property-Carrying CMV drivers may not drive:

• More than 11 hours, following 10 hours off-duty.
• Beyond the 14th hour after coming on-duty, following 10 hours off-duty.
• After 60/70 hours on-duty in 7/8 consecutive days. - A driver may restart a 7/8 consecutive day period after taking 34 or more consecutive hours off duty

Basically, if I manage to put in more hours than 60 or 70 in that 7/8 day window...I have to restart before I can get back on the road. BUT, if I dont put those hours in during that week, then Im fine? What defines a week in the trucking world? is it any period of seven days or Saturday to saturday...or whatever?

 

LogsRus posted a good explanation. Yes, the 60/7 recap works the same way. 60/7 drivers have practically as many hours to work as 70/8 drivers.

The questions about load planning leads to a discussion of the driver turn-over problem in the irregular route truck-load industry. Turn-over rates of 127% have been experienced by some companies. Drivers work less than a year before finding another company that promises less layover, more home time, less frustration and better equipment.

Companies try to plan their loads and backhauls to operate their fleet efficiently and reduce driver turn-over. However, this is a service industry. The truckers do not create freight. It is a highly competitive industry affected by the economy, the weather, customer schedules, etc. If anything goes wrong with the load plan, the driver is impacted first.

In theory, larger companies are able to plan their loads, customers, and freight lanes more efficiently. The trend of buyouts and mergers continues as economists say that we need truckload carriers even larger than Schneider and JB Hunt. Irregular route drivers will always need to plan their activities within the hours of service of regulations. Often, they have a choice of loads so that backhauls and home time are more their responsibility than the company's.

 

Well since I've been stuck at home for 20+ years, I'm looking forward to those 34 hour restarts. I plan on catching a cab to someplace to do something. I'll figure that out as I go. I've never been able to bowl so that's one thing I'll do. I'll find bowling alley's all over the country, buy my own shoes and ball and just enjoy playing against no one in particular.

When my daughter is with me we'll go bowling together, look for a swimming pool and occasionally we'll check into a nice hotel just for the fun of it.

My mother thinks I should take the opportunity to develop some writing skills. I've always thought about it but never had the time without so many interuptions.

I think if more drivers were creative with that time they would be less stressed and frustrated with their jobs.

Suzi

 

It's really true that stress will kill ya. But it will kill others too! There are days when I want to hurt some little ankle biter. I HAVE to bite the inside of my cheeks, walk away and breathe.

It's all about priorities. Rest, relaxation and personal time IS a priority at least some of the time. Or at least it should be.

I think this is why entertainment seems to be so important in todays world.

Suzi

 

I know a driver that drives around in Chicago everyday....has to take pills every 3-4hrs just to make it through the day.