The dreaded HOS changes are right around the corner, and come July 1st, OTR drivers will be following a new federally-mandated sleep schedule. The FMCSA seems to think that there will be a smooth transition, but some industry and safety advocacy groups are expecting a bit of a bumpy ride.
When speaking during the kickoff event for Roadcheck 2013, FMCSA Administrator Anne Ferro said that “We think HOS reform is going to go smoothly; the vast majority of carriers and drivers are informed about the changes.” Despite Anne Ferro’s confidence, others seem to be less convinced.
In an interview with Fleet Owner, Steven Keppler, the executive director of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance said that even though his organization distributed over 75,000 information cards during the Roadcheck safety blitz alone, the CVSA has still be receiving calls from drivers and carriers looking for some clarification on the rule changes.
So if you don’t know the exact rules that go into effect July 1st, here they are again:
- Starting July 1, truck drivers cannot drive after working eight hours without first taking a break of at least 30 minutes. Drivers can take the 30-minute break whenever they need rest during the eight-hour window.
- The reforms will require truck drivers who maximize their weekly work hours to take at least two “night-rest” periods from 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. This “night-rest” requirement is part of the rule’s “34-hour restart” provision that allows drivers to restart the clock on their work week by taking at least 34 consecutive hours off-duty.
- Drivers can use the restart provision only once during a seven-day period.
Ferro also touched on the number of drivers that she believed would be affected by the changes, quoting a number that is perhaps a touch lower than what might be realistic. “We recognize that these [HOS] changes will significantly affect 7% to 10% of the driver population,” she said. “But we believe carriers are making adjustments to compensate for that.”
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Source: fleetowner
Chesley says
The new work week is 70 hours in an 8 days period not a 7days period isn’t it??
clint says
thats right……..but, u only get (one) 34 hour restsart in 7 days plus 2 sleep periods have to be between 1am and 5am…….otherwise U get NO reset…!!!!!!!!!
Truman says
I was confused on that as well. I figured it must be written wrong as if it was 70 in 7, we could work more (since we are currently stuck to 70 in 8).
Samuel Barradas says
You are correct, we took FleetOwner’s interpretation of the rules verbatim. I think they were confused by the new rule regarding restarts only allowed once every 7 days.
Mike C says
The people imposed these regulation are clueless. These laws passed by unelected bureaucrats will have a negative effect on the very things they claim to improve; namely safety and driver fatigue.
First off, the driver making making a longhaul run can usually run his 11 hours of driving in about 12 hours. That’s giving 15 minutes for a pretrip, 15 for fuel, and a half however r for various delays, bathroom breaks, and grabbing food to go. The 30 minute break rule won’t change how much that driver will drive, it will just make him sit for a half hour and make his day a half hour longer. If he’s tired, adding a half hour to his day will not improve safety!
Now let’s look at the stupid 1am to 5am period rule.
clint says
And helping to cut his/her paycheck………
Ed C says
The new HOS still allows a driver to be on line 3 for 11 hours, but they must take a 1/2 hour break by the 8th hour of being on duty. Your total time on duty/ driving will still be 14 hours including the 1/2 hour off duty period. The plus side of this, especially if you are a long haul driver is that the 1/2 hour breaks gives you 2 1/2 hours on your 70 hour clock!
Ed C says
I have already started using the new HOS rule so I don’t screw up after July 1. Here is what I realized; trip plan better, take my “30” between my 4th and 7th hour of being on duty, so I am not sweating a place to park. Remember it is not “driving time”, but on duty/driving time that is considered as a part of the 8 hours. I also wait until my 4th hour on duty, so as not to have take 2 30 minute periods in a day. The on duty clock is still only 14 hours long, so if you start at 0700, then you must be off duty by 2100. There is no extension of time, on the 14 hour day. But where it does help you is it gives an extension so to speak, on your 70 hour clock. Off duty time does not stop your 14 hour clock unless it is for at least 10 hours, but it does stop your 70 hour clock. Net result you have 2 1/2 hours more of on duty time at the end of your week!
joe says
the 30 minute break will not make your day longer, it shortens your day,the 30 minutes is part of your 14 hrs.
Jim says
So true. Nothing stops the 14hr clock. The 30min rule will take some of that 14hrs, not a major issue some days, but sitting at a dock running low will become a more frequent headache. I hope they don’t cancel the Safe Haven rule. It’s hard to drive 8hrs without a stop for a biobreak or something, and extending that to 30min isn’t the end of the world, just another example of some bureaucrat in an office somewhere making rules to tell drivers how to do our work. Not a good trend. IMHO
vinsanity says
The 30 does extend my day because I rarely work 14 hours. In essence it is a half hour wasted each day. It will take me a half hour longer than it normally would to go the same distance.
It adds nothing to my 70. Saying that is a real stretch.
Allen Harvey says
I take 15 min breaks and eat when I finish….so, it does make my day longer. some days I sit at shipper/rec all night no food or coffee in morning, then I have to find somewhere when I start to get coffee, that break wont count, because it is to quick of a break….
Mike C says
Now let’s look at the 1am to 5am. To the unelected bureaucrats who have never drover a truck, probably never worked more than 40 hours a week it seems so nice to make sure truckers get night time rest. What they don’t realize is that many truck drivers choose to drive at night to avoid traffic, and that truck stop parking is hard to find at night. These truckers that drive at night make it so there is less traffic during the day. So prepare for worse truck parking, worse daytime traffic, and more accidents as a result.
The only people I benefiting from these regs are tow truck companies, city, local, and statetreasures from all the ticket money. People who repair vehicles will get more work. Most import, the unelected bureaucrat who has never drove a truck will feel good and.powerful that he did some that in his naive little government parasite mind helped us little people. As you can see this will have an opposite effect!
clint says
Bottom Line…….Losses in your Paycheck if your a company Mileage Driver
hourly Drivers equals Loss in Company Revenue if on a Log Book!
clint says
The 30 minute take a break rule is part of the 14 hour rule….yes or no…….YES!
joe says
yes it is part of your 14 hrs
Jim says
This is good Mike. More rules for more trucks to park in the same timeframe, but no more parking or support for those trucks ruled off the road. I often wonder what happens to the billions trucks pay in highway taxes annually, federal, state, and local. I see more regulations, like the Truckers Report article about parking regulations, but I haven’t seen a whole lot of new truck resources under construction.
George says
Do the people making these rules, and that would be our government, realy think that the guy who has been driving coast to coast as fast as he can and most times straight through with little to no sleep, and yes he does know how to account for his time and yes he does know how to get around weigh stations, do they realy think those drivers are going to change. And don’t tell me that there are only a few who do THAT. Wake up there are plenty of drivers who don’t go by any of the FMCSA rules now. I have been a driver for over 40 years and believe me when I say your rules do not work. If you want rules that DO work and that CAN be enforced put some seasoned drivers on these committes, untill then don’t waste the paper you print the rules on, no one follows them. Sorry to be the one to say this but that’s how it is. You make good press releases though!
matt says
You cant make it anywhere following the rules. There is demands that need to be met! Not only by shippers and receivers but the demand of picking up and delivering loads in a timely fashion to be profitable and pay the bills!!!
mike says
in my line of work there is no such thing as late. You have to be there on time so the mail can be processed the put on other trucks that make the locals and if you are a miss so are they.
Dave says
You are so rite I went on the fmcsa Web site to apply for a job and it clearly states that all they want are 2 year college students or above that have no clue or ties to the trucking industry
Bill says
I’m sure the people who made this law have never driven or have been in a truck. At least one of the political Stooges, should have to do a ride along to see how they are screwing up a drivers ability to make a living.
larry harris says
You are probably one of the ones who get on the CB and announce that you’ve been up for 40 hours and the average American is listening thinking that we need more rules to get this crazy person under control.
richard says
For the restart doesn’t it have to be home terminal time? That is what it says on there web page?
clint says
Negative……34 hour restart can be done anywhere…….but i want mine at home not a truck stop……out and back runs are the only way i will drive now! Because of the Rule Changes
Tony Sanders says
7 days or 8 days. Probably a typo…
Outlaw says
Every driver should immediately become very familiar with those rules and follow them to the letter. There are going to be a lot of companies going bankrupt or there is going to be a lessening of solo drivers.
Hero says
Impeach Ferro!
Eddie says
Why can’t they just pick a set of HOS rules and leave them alone?!?
Hero says
Because every time the laws change, the ticket revenue goes up for a short time. It only makes good business sense. Every day I’m reminded of the old saying that goes, “A government big enough to give you everything you want is big enough to take everything away.” I feel I’m more of a hazard on the road because of the new laws than I used to be because now I’m forced to drive 11 almost straight through. No more stopping for a 4-5 hour nap through the dog leg hours of the afternoon and getting up and running the rest of my hours out. How about we all learn how to drive and quit catering to the washed up desk jockeys. This is the only industry I know of that conforms to it’s employees and not its employees conforming to the type of work that is required. Maybe I’ll go get a factory job and tell them I can’t stand on the line for 10 hours because I don’t know how and see if they’ll conform to me so I can keep my job.
D says
What about us team drivers who have schedules in which one drives days, and the other drives nights. Never figured that out now did they? This regulation is getting out of hand and it seems its the only industry that is always being told what is good for us. Screw these people who think they know what’s good for us. Now this law is going to jam up truck stops and parking areas all over the country because of a mandatory 30 minute break and the restart law. This is the dumbest law ever imposed by a bunch of beggars in suits. I hope this law makes traffic so ridiculous that these same lawmakers get stuck in traffic for several hours more, so they can realize how dumb they really are.
Randy says
D, I agree…. I am a team o/o and running several different scenerio’s our usually rolling 34 hr restart (truck shuts down for 24 hrs). If my team partner shuts down at 4am friday and I take over to deliver, we then shut down for 34 hr restart at noon friday. I figured it out at something like my partner will be down for almost 50 hrs. These cookie cutter rules need to stop.
Ron says
Those brilliant dummies have done drivers and carriers in again!
Figure it out yourself, Any 34 hr restart starting at 0200 till 1800 is going to require an additional 16 to 25 hours to include two 1 am to 5 am periods in the sleeper.
I’m sure all OO’s, drivers, and carriers will love this.
Ron Triano. OO.
heisone says
Now about 8 hours rule: if you stop after 7 hours of driving then you can take 15 min. The low require to take 30 min brake only if you drive 8 hours streight. Now brake 11 hours how ever you want bit dont drive 8 hours and you will save 15 min. Or usualy you can vombine your stop woth 15 min fuel. You dont have to waste any extra time.
Christopher Potvin says
I had a hard time understanding you because of your grammar, but I believe You need to reread the rules!
“May drive only if 8 hours or less have passed since end of driver’s last off-duty or sleeper berth period of at least 30 minutes. ”
The 8 hours is 8 hours on duty or Driving, or a combination of both! If you log in at 7am and start with a 15 minute pretrip and then go onto line 3/Driving You cannot drive anymore after 3pm unless you take you 30 minute break before then. BUT you have to careful where you log that 30 minute break because you cannot drive after a solid 8 hour of on duty/driving status. You could have 3 hours on duty and/or driving on the Logbook, then take a break and then put in another 8 hours of on duty and/or driving and then you MUST TAKE SECOND BREAK.
DOT is going to make a lot of Money because alot Drivers do not understand this. Stop getting advice on the CB about and research it yourself!
The FMSCA website even has a a handy cab bard that you can print out and put it right on your visor or somewhere handy where you can reference it all the time.
Here it is
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/topics/hos/index.htm
Mtndew says
Wrong answer the 30 minute break must be logged as off duty time. Fueling is on duty not driving time. As a hourly driver best bet is clock in for 15 minutes then off for half then back on for 10.25 hrs
robin says
okay here’s something you guys are missing regarding the 34 hour restart. The new law states that you are required to have “two periods between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.” using your home terminal time. Here’s the stickler… if you start your 34 hour restart at 2 a.m., it does not satisfy the 1 a.m. to 5 a.m. requirement so therefore you’re stuck an extra day and now you’re 34 hour restart just became 48 hours.
as for the 30 minute rest break BEFORE eight hours… I can understand their thinking but I think it would work better if they would’ve said AFTER eight hours on duty. conversely I have to agree with other comments that it just makes your work day 30 minutes longer, and that alone I think would add to “fatigue.”
The end result is going to be what the industry is seeing a specially last month where drivers are starting to say that they’ve had enough and get out of the business.
I’ve only been driving for four years, and I like driving but I’m tired of the BS.
Randy S says
@heisone — Sorry, but what you said is not correct. In order to reset the 8-hour drive clock you must take at least a 30-minute break. If you were to stop after 7 hours of driving and take a 15-minute break, you would be able to drive *at most* only 45 additional minutes before having to take a 30-minute break. (And even this assumes that you didn’t spend any on-duty time on your pretrip inspection before driving for the 7 hours. The 8-hour clock starts when you go on-duty, not when you start driving.)
Michael says
It’s 8 hours of consecutive driving, not 8 hours total driving.
Christopher Potvin says
Your driving time has nothing to do with it. It refers to being on line 3 or line 4 or both for 8 hours.
“May drive only if 8 hours or less have passed since end of driver’s last off-duty or sleeper berth period of at least 30 minutes.”
Edb says
What’s going to be an issue is the fuel island. Allot of companies have gone to electronic logs. 15 mins to fuel– then the guy in front has to take a 30? Good luck getting that truck to move! Look for even deeper than 3 trucks per lane at your next fuel stop.
The 30 min break is an idea that is supposed to give a driver “exercise” time. Allot drivers complain they never have time to walk. Can’t make that excuse now. But it will most likely give the driver more Facebook time. Lol. You know it’s true. So, drivers pulled off on the shoulder of all the highways across America to take a 30 min refresher break? Yea, that’s what it is.
Kevin says
They screwed the system up from the first change. To show just how efficient governments works, they have consistently screwed it up trying to fix what was not broke in the first place…
Scientific studies does not capture the man on the road by any stretch of the imagination..
After 32 years of driving myself, a lot of us are leaving the profession because of the stupidity brought on by clueless bureaucrats that know absolutely nothing about drivng a truck.
mike says
listen to this one. I was broke down the other day ,made my call in, and they told me relax a bit and we will be there .I said alright. Well while I was relaxing a D.O.T. cop pulled up behind me and asked if I had help coming. Any way while we were talking I asked him about these changes and he said that they weren’t even ready for them. He said he didn’t know what they were going to do about enforcing them. All I can say is keep your stuff together and your nose clean and should have no problem in the log dept. now as far as making them out correct. I would just make it look good then go from there.
Andy Welch says
Does the FMCSA have to make up new rules every year to see what they can come up with to screw with the American Trucker. Do they like call everyone to a meeting and say ok its that time again we need your ideas, and will be choosing the best ones. And the best one last time was you must take 30 minutes in between 8 hrs of driving. I laughed when I read that. In the real world you only have a handfull of drivers that can run a full 8 hrs without stopping to take a a break, come on be for real. I’ve been on the road over 18 years and I can’t recall ever driving 8 hrs straight without a good break. FMCSA needs to clean house and hire real people that have prior experience driving trucks.
JV says
It’s crap like this that made me go into safety. I got tired of the government costing me money. No more.
RST says
my fellow travelers…
I am shocked that Feds are missing OR Ignoring the larger problem that effects ALL drivers specially O/O who run from one load to another. Get there in the morning, Unload and reload in the same day!!! thats the goal!!!
Here we have driving straight all night, less stops, and stuff… just because we are trying to get there to plan our next day.
The problem is NOT the trucking companies, WE ARE put in situation where everybody around us enforcing, pushing, charging, scamming and we are bouncing to make our leaving trough the hoops. The problem IS a BROKERS!!! I know it may sound not relevant BUT… If you would get paid instead $1.00 per mile but in some areas or $1.50 more, for example. $2.00 PMile or flat rate. The rate that make sense and pays for fuel and your job well, so you DONT have to Rush, go-go-go all night to get there and rush to find a reload and rush to the next pickup because they close early today… Problem is the MONEY that we get paid, or let say that some crocked middle man will allow you to have, because he thinks that its enough for you!!! I have seen loads where broker have more per load than a trucking company!!! who is going to enforce that????? thats why we cant catch our tail, rushing, running, breaking laws and so on… there is no PEACE!!! that we need to drive safe, enjoy of what we do and make a leaving!!!
ALL those problems with safety and HOS will be illuminated if we will have enough money to fixt trucks, to sleep full 8-10hrs knowing hat we have enough resources for tomorrow!!!
in this industry money make only brokers!!! and GOV is supporting them full 100%.
as of right now, the BROKER decided how much he WANTS to pay you… or allow you to have from his fat table!!!
Thanks all…
A.
allen harvey says
I am with ya rst, pay us more we will run less miles….make it a 8 hr day at 1.25 a mile I will do that and be well well rested and paid more….theres already no parking unless you get done early. now get done 30 min plus later….crazy
Cliff Downing says
I am honoring the new HOS by taking the first week of July off. I have several things that need done, and it is a good time to do them and do my little “shutdown protest”. Couldn’t have come at a better time for this to go into effect…. the 4th of July week. I recommend everyone take the week off for observance of the holiday, get in a little R&R, and not worry if one thing gets picked up or delivered. At least they cannot say we are on “strike” or doing an illegal shut down. No sir, I am on vacation in observance of the birth of this nation!
RST says
Hello…
few days off will not do the job… big companies are forcing ” steering robots” to do the job. New drivers specially. They dont know the rules of the game yet, so they try and “dream” of freedom of the road, but they becoming slaves of the regulations from one side and company policies that punish them for every little thing from the other side.
strike is good idea and nobody will force you to work.
in general, strike never work unless its organized and in major quantity. Media loves it 🙂
time is coming that someone will have to stand and say, enough is enough… we are the ones who say no or yes. Some Ugly brutal dot “officers” who treat you like a sheep. badges with bad morals. Fight them where you are. Under badge they are sheeps :)) I met cpl of those of duty. Learn to talk to them straight, brave and demanding! The way my guys do. NO is the answer for them too. YOu dont owe them nothing, so, bouncing them back is good idea sometimes. Make them respect you. Again, depends on the situation. Idiots are deserve to be treated same way.
so, point is, all in our hands! Drive smart, do good, protect your rights.
my best. A.
Allen Harvey says
I’m with you Cliff. Fireworks here we come…if more truckers would stand Together, we can let them know how we feel. Keep an eye out on your miles, they will go down, because they will give you shorter hauls to make sure you get there…I cant even go 600 miles a day anymore. used to get 700 plus. I am more tired now, then I was back then. truck went faster, get there in less time, not driving all my 14 hrs to get miles. now with these slower trucks and must take 30 minutes after 5 hrs but cant exceed 8 hrs. do we pull over where we are if we haven’t had a 30 min break? they better start putting in more rest areas and truck stops…there have been times I drive interstate then I get on a 2 lane road for hrs. no where to pull off….this is absolutely dumb!!!!
Sue Ward & Dan Phelps says
I totally agree, but it will not happen.. Because we, as drivers will not stand together and say enough is enough.. I/we will also be off for the WHOLE first week of July and a couple extra days too.. Until we ALL stand together, NOTHING will change! Not our pay, our hours, or how we are perceived or treated.. We SHOULD be paid for EVERY hour we are in the truck or attending to anything related to our job..
Chris says
I’m gonna be the only one to say this. But I really don’t see the big deal. It’s only 30 minutes. Don’t we work enough already? Why does everyone wanna work more?
Christopher Potvin says
I don’t see it as a big deal at all. The big one is how they ruined the 34 restart. You can easily fit the 1/2 hr break in just about any where in your day. Remember that its only 30 minutes of off-duty or sleeper berth time. When I load or unload, I only log 15 minutes when I arrive and then 15 minutes when I check out, the rest is sleeperberth unless I have to be in the office or on the dock the whole time.
Charles says
On the dock or not, I don’t log it. I mean how would they even know if they weren’t there watching the whole time if even at all. 15 minutes and thats it no matter what. No since in wasting your time when you need to conserve as much drive time as possible other wise your just burning up more of your potential paycheck.
Les says
Chris, We want to make more money. More money. That’s all that counts. More money.
allen harvey says
you should make more money, used to get 240.00 a day now be lucky to get 180.00 a day. for a job I can die or go to jail for doesn’t seem very well….
Ron says
I can wait to see the stores,and factories not get their goods on time expected.the dispatcher has to call the reciever,and tell them they have a driver setting for is 34hr period,because of some Washington bureaucrats who have never drove a truck.Watch the stores,and factories scream to the government then !
joe says
we all need to that our 34 hr restart after 0200 so that all the loads delivered in this country gets delivered 1 to 2 days late!!! maybe then everyone will wake up and smell the coffee!!!
Ron Lappreau says
Does anyone remember when you drove ten, slept eight and there was no restart? Now you can drive eleven, sleep eight (as long as you were stopped somewhere for two hours) and there will be no usable restart for otr drivers who don’t go home every weekend. So what has really changed other than one additional hour of driving? Could that have been the real objective all along? Maybe the regulatory roller coaster we’ve been on has just been an intentionally staged theatrical distraction for the safety groups.
Pamela Eady says
It’s hard to understand some of these replies b/c of misspellings & missing words. But I really wonder why won’t they ask the driver what works? Who better to ask than the horse??
Charlie says
Fuss all you want. They will keep pushing until you push back. Let me know when y’all want to shut down for couple of days and I’m in.
Paul says
Does this include the drivers coming into the US from Mexico or Canada? I have tried talking to a few Mexican drivers, but I can’t speak Spanish, and they couldn’t speak English. So we were both at a loss. The Canadian drivers would talk if you could slow them down long enough to hold a conversation. I am sure the HOS rules will not be a problem implementing.
allen harvey says
yes when theyre in USA they have to follow USA rules…
Larry says
It states… “truck drivers cannot drive after working eight hours without first taking a break of at least 30 minutes”. Working and Driving is two different things within a certain time frame (11 hrs drive within 14 on duty). So are they saying 8 hours during drive time or On Duty time. On Duty is working. I may be sitting in a doc for a few hours which can mean work time (on duty). I know there is sleeper berth off duty not working. But my point is do they really mean drive time or working hours (on duty)?
allen harvey says
before 8 hrs after you start your clock….example start clock at 9 am have to take a 30 min. break by 5pm.
larry harris says
The half hour break during the first eight hours of driving will get me back home that much later.
Matt says
Most of you guys complain for nothing lol plain according to trip, restart break etc 8 years in and I love trucking , if you don’t like it you should find another job imo
Ray M says
And some of us complain about things that matter to our industry, such as this crap with the HOS…AGAIN! It’s not like a bunch of us haven’t been through this before. We complain because our lawmakers decisions usually hit us where it hurts; in the wallet. We complain because the people making these rules/laws that affect us have no clue about trucking. We complain because a majority of our fellow drivers, our compadres, our brothers and sisters behind the wheel, just sit back and roll with the punches instead of taking time out of their day to try and make this job, a job that you claim to love so much, a better job. We complain because we are told constantly that if you don’t like the way things are then write your political leaders, get involved, get out and vote, yet when we do it all seems to fall on deaf ears due to the lack of driver turnout or participation. It seems like the only way to get drivers involved in anything is to offer them a .29 cent hot dog for free and then they will run you over to get “what is theirs”. However, if you ask them to get involved in something that could potentially end up costing them hundreds or even thousands of dollars, they won’t do a damn thing. Why is that? Would it help if the ones that care enough about our industry to do something would offer the ones that don’t a free hot dog? Would you like that with chili and slaw? Whatever it takes, just get involved!
I mean seriously, we (OUR industry) keeps getting hit with something every time we turn around. If it’s not idling, it’s speed limiters. If it’s not speed limiters, it’s EOBR’s. If it’s not EOBR’s then it’s eLogs. If it’s not eLogs, then it’s HOS. If it’s not HOS, then it’s cell phone usage. If it’s not cell phone usage, then it’s how much snow is on top of our trailers, etc., etc., etc. Jeezus, when does it stop? Every time we turn around we are getting hit with something new – and it usually isn’t in our favor. When are drivers, ALL drivers, or at least a majority of us, going to start seeing the big picture and stand as one against these people? These people are clueless to what you and I go through out on the road just to make a living and it’s nothing but a slap in the face and a punch in the gut to keep being treated this way. Once the lawmakers tire of dealing with the current HOS rules, I’m afraid the next thing is going to be the banning of GPS units in view of the driver because it “could” be considered a video screen or because they aren’t accurate enough to keep a driver from driving into a low bridge. The sad thing is that they would probably pass that law, too because drivers would just sit back, as usual, and let it happen.
So, instead of sitting back and making comments about us complaining and telling us to find another job if we don’t like it, how about you take the same time you took to write this and start trying to make a POSITIVE contribution to our industry and your fellow drivers. And just for the record, the reason I complain is because I love my job, not because I hate it. I’m sure you’ve heard it before, “The squeaky wheel gets the grease,” so start squeaking dammit!
robin says
@ Pamela, to answer your question the FMCSA did hold a few public meetings including webcasts however, the ones that I watched the turnout [not surprisingly] was not very good.
but then again that’s the nature of the industry that unless your company is going to represent you they [FMCSA] know that the turnout will be small.
In my opinion, the best way to change the rules is to follow the rules to the letter with no shortcuts.
Allen Harvey says
Hello my fello truckin buddies…. 2 more weeks and new dot rules… no two 34 hr restarts in one week must take 34 hr restart in a set time slot or it will be longer for your restart, in some cases it is going to be 56 hrs for a 34 hr restart…if that isn’t dumb, this is going to hurt more drivers…we need to stand together and pull over. we have strict laws now, there are still accidents. Like the .08 blood alcohol/ .04 for truckers, you still have dwi’s. just more revenue for the state….with the trucks turned down to 62 and these new laws good luck on making a living. I’m already seeing the loads become shorter so they can assure ontime del….Canada has 16 hrs to drive 11 hrs, can anyone check to see if they’re having more accidents?
Tanker Driver says
Being a local bulk fuel driver, the 30 minute break is going to be a real hassle. We start from Central New York, drive to Canada to load, come back and deliver. This is my bread and butter, and on an average night, I can pull 2 of these loads and get back to the yard in about 14. Having to take a half-hour break, is going to cost loads. Also, being that fuel trucks are hazardous even when empty, we cannot legally be more than 100 ft in clear view of the truck! So now basically, since we only get 1 16 hr day (we have e-logs) I could lose 4 loads a week at approximately $150 each…time to apply to D.O.T. hahaha…also we have a lot of drivers that work nights. How are they supposed to take there “rest periods” between 1 and 5 am? That is their work time so that would be like telling a daytime driver that he has to be off from 1 to 5pm…great logic from these idiots. Can’t wait to see them bitch about their gas for their Range ROVER costing $5 or more per gallon because we couldn’t pull that 2nd load!
allen harvey says
tanker, if it isn’t taken between 1-5, then it could be up to 56 hrs for a restart….woot mo money mo money…..lost!!!!
allen harvey says
cant wait to see if the extra 30 min. puts us over our 14 or not make a load ontime cuz we had to take extra 30 minute breaks….if its a long haul 1- 1 1/2extra hrs of breaks….woot you go .gov
allen harvey says
it says log as you go, but when I fuel only takes 6 minutes not 15 and when I do drop n hooks doesn’t take a full 30 minutes either. loosing minutes by the day….they just want everything to be hauled on trains….train co’s have their hands in govs pockets. intermodal is hurting trucking too…if they would stop hauling that short stuff we would get more miles….
allen harvey says
ok…heres a scenario for ya… started this morning at 8:30 drove an hr got unloaded took 2hrs. that’s 3 1/2 hrs for you not keeping up. drove half hr to pickup waiting til 5pm to pick up, load not ready, hurry up and wait…technically I took a 30 min break yes waiting for shipper to take me? I’m off duty….
Ray M says
“But we believe carriers are making adjustments to compensate for that.” Seriously, that’s what you think, Annie? And what leads you to believe that trucking companies are “making adjustments to compensate” for you helping to screw truck drivers over?
Well, what am I thinking? If good time Annie says it true, then it must be true and I look forward to seeing my next check.
Outlaw says
There is a lot of pressure on drivers to drive safely and make on-time deliveries in all kinds of weather and varying traffic conditions while avoiding contrived accidents by unscrupulous people but drivers must realize that following the rules keeps you “safe”. Every driver should thoroughly study the HOS rules and implement them to the letter for three months … or until the FOOLS implementing this stupidity wake up. The insurance companies tells us that it is about safety but that is a FAT LIE … it’s all about control. I carry a Florida CDL and haven’t driven in about 4 years but I have been told that I must surrender my Class A CDL because I haven’t taken a DOT physical. I thought that it was only required if I was actively driving a rig. I paid for my CDL and now FLA wants to arbitrarily take it from me. Are they going to reimburse me for the money which I paid in which is a lot more than is required for a class D license? I guess it’s time to get a lawyer. If Fla gets away with this crap the rest of the states will do the same. Some of the “feel good” rules being implemented must have come from someone dropped on their head several times while they were an infant but, when fools make rules the rest of us get the shaft.
Jeffrey Moss says
As obesity is out of control for a lot of truck drivers in this country. Take that 30 minute break from working and take a walk to turn a negative situation into a positive. There is also going to be an even more premium on available parking with the consecutive 1 to 5 am breaks for restarts so trip planning will be more important than ever before. Be well everyone.
texas turtle (ret) says
I drove for 19years till the D.O.T changed one rule about heart health and I was Disqul for life
I saw three new sets of HOS rules and for me nothing changed, how you might ask?
well to Quote Sunny Pruitt “the person who said you can’t change the past,never had to do A Log Book”,the book says what you want it to say.run a loose leaf system,and think driver think..
That’s all I have to say about that, I gone 10-7
allen harvey says
well, I made my break at just under 8 hrs…I saw a few drivers pulled off on road, probably taking their 30 min break… gl2a, be safe…
matthew says
I never go off duty I just go straight the sleeper so the my graph says I’m either driving or in the sleeper
lui says
my fellow truckers,
can someone start a petition to remove at least the 1am to 5am rule please.
can someone start the petition at this site
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petitions