off-duty drive time

Discussion in 'Trucking Industry Regulations' started by burke, Apr 11, 2015.

  1. burke

    burke Light Load Member

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    Mar 24, 2013
    orlando, FL
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    When on elog does anyone utilize off duty drive time? do you prefer to use it at the beginning or end of your duty cycle?
    Do you use it daily or only when necessary?
     
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  3. ATX

    ATX Light Load Member

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    Nov 21, 2012
    Savannah, TX (DFW Metro)
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    Company policy allows our drivers on E-logs up to 15 miles and/or 45 minutes of Off Duty drive time and then only as a Bobtail. I use it almost every day to drive 11 miles from the terminal to a truck-stop where I over-night.
     
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  4. not4hire

    not4hire Road Train Member

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    Calgary
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    Assuming your company allows it, and you are in compliance with FMCSR 395.8, personal conveyance (off-duty driving) can be used any time you are not OOS.


    Part 395
    HOURS OF SERVICE OF DRIVERS
    § 395.8: Driver's record of duty status.

    Question 26: If a driver is permitted to use a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) for personal reasons, how must the driving time be recorded?

    Guidance:


    a driver is relieved from work and all responsibility for performing work, time spent traveling from a driver’s home to his/her terminal (normal work reporting location), or from a driver’s terminal to his/her home, may be considered off-duty time. Similarly, time spent traveling short distances from a driver’s en route lodgings (such as en route terminals or motels) to restaurants in the vicinity of such lodgings may be considered off-duty time. The type of conveyance used from the terminal to the driver’s home, from the driver’s home to the terminal, or to restaurants in the vicinity of en route lodgings would not alter the situation unless the vehicle is laden. A driver may not operate a laden CMV as a personal conveyance. The driver who uses a motor carrier’s Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) for transportation home, and is subsequently called by the employing carrier and is then dispatched from home, would be on-duty from the time the driver leaves home.

    A driver placed out of service for exceeding the requirements of the hours of service regulations may not drive a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) to any location to obtain rest.

    http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/title49/section/395.8?guidance


    I used it several times per day sometimes; especially when over-size to go for a meal, shopping, hotel, etc.
     
  5. Cowpie1

    Cowpie1 Road Train Member

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    Kellogg, IA
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    I use it occasionally. Nothing regular. Many times it has been to bobtail to and from home after dropping a trailer in town if I don't want to drag it out to my house. Sometimes to run to the store to pick up something. Basically, I use it within reason and don't abuse it. Guess that is why no one has ever said a peep about it in the 3.25 years I have had e-logs in the truck.
     
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  6. KANSAS TRANSIT

    KANSAS TRANSIT Road Train Member

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    Jul 28, 2011
    Glasco,Ks.
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    If doing a 34 hr. reset in a town with little or nothing in the way of a TS I will use it to get something to eat, shower, motel, etc. BUT, I never "leave" that town.
     
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  7. Scalemaster

    Scalemaster Heavy Load Member

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    Mar 13, 2011
    Midwest
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    "Any time"????? Actually, no.

    The only 2 authorized uses of "off-duty driving" are:​


    1. [*=1]commuting to and from home to terminal and back
      [*=1]to and from en route lodgings - short distance

    Anything else would be line 3 - drive time.​
     
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  8. double yellow

    double yellow Road Train Member

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    Aug 28, 2011
    State of Jefferson
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    So if I unload in Long Island, have no dispatch, I can off duty drive to get a shower or meal? Even if the closest one with truck parking is 70 miles away?
     
  9. not4hire

    not4hire Road Train Member

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    Calgary
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    "Any time" as in, "time of day", or multiple instances (more than once) in a single day, not restricted to beginning or end of day as per the question in the op. The reference to otherwise being compliant was inherent in my post.
     
  10. not4hire

    not4hire Road Train Member

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    Calgary
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    You're going to get some "yes" answers and some "no" answers. In my opinion, if you are talking about departing from your last drop (i.e., customer) then it is no, unless you would be returning to that customer to re-load, making that location your de facto "en route terminal". I think a lot of guys do go on personal when they leave a customer, but that action is one of re-positioning, in my opinion. If you are talking about departing from a terminal to which you will return, then it shouldn't be a problem.

    The FMCSA should re-write this rule and remove the ambiguity that seems to confuse so many drivers. The Canadian version is much simpler (and contained in the actual legislation, not a "guidance" document).

    Canada personal use rules:
    • they don't care where you are coming from or going to
    • no load and/or no trailer
    • cannot be under an out-of-service order
    • can drive a maximum of 75 km (46.5 miles) per day -- that's the only part I don't like, some more miles would be desirable
    • must record the odometer reading at beginning and end of personal use
    • cannot do anything that would be considered business use, i.e fuelling, truck washing, service, etc.
     
    Last edited: Apr 14, 2015
  11. RickBlack

    RickBlack Bobtail Member

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    Apr 15, 2015
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    I use it but beware on the parameters they have you set up on. Our safety people only allow for 1 hour so it automatically goes to driving after 1 hour of off duty driving.
     
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