Hours of Service reform has been on the to-do list for years now. Ever since the Electronic Logging Device (ELD) mandate went into effect, the need for serious reform has been highlighted even more. Now, we have official confirmation from the head of the FMCSA that the agency is indeed moving forward with attempting to fix the HOS rules.
FMCSA Administrator Ray Martinez spoke on Monday at the Omnitracs User Conference in Dallas. During the speech, he gave the first official confirmation that the agency would be moving ahead with HOS reform. According to Martinez, the FMCSA will publish a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM).
The agency had previously published an advanced notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) concerning HOS reform. ANPRMs however are sometimes used to test the waters and gauge public reaction to a general idea. With a NPRM, the FMCSA will move one big step closer to HOS reform being a reality.
During the public comment period on the ANPRM, the FMCSA received over 5,200 comments, mostly in support of HOS reform. FMCSA will take suggestions from those comments, from research, from policymakers, and from industry stakeholders to come up with a proposed rule.
While Martinez didn’t make any concrete promises about areas of HOS reform, he did hint that the agency wants to introduce increased flexibility for on and off-duty time – one of the more popular talking points in the ANPRM comments.
According to Martinez, reform efforts are supposed to happen on “a very aggressive time line” that would see a NPRM published by March. But a DOT official told Overdrive in January that the partial government shutdown may have put a speed bump in the road. According to the official, because many DOT employees were furloughed, no work was getting done. And even once the government reopened, the DOT workers then had to run through their backlog of work.
Source: overdrive, truckersreport, truckersreport
Jonathan henson says
Take away the 30 min break mandate.just do 14 hrs drive or on duty wich ever and keep the 70 hr
David says
This still pushes drivers to make mistakes. Keep the 70 and let me decide when i drive my 11 hours in a day.
Jeff says
Maybe the 7/70 NOT the 8/70 as we have now
David says
I like that idea
Tami says
No I want my breaks
Mark says
What’s to stop you from taking a break? For me taking a required 30 minute break is a waste of time.
Cheryl says
That’s great for you, but don’t force all of us that don’t drive the same as you do
Todd says
Agreed !!!
Martin E Neltner says
Wrong thinking you need rest dude
Robert Hall says
yes
Max says
one can only hope
Bruce Hart says
XXX NOT One of the Guys is a Truck driver that are Making the Rules for Thousands of Truck drivers… Thats not good thats BAD….
Katie says
You are right Trucking is the only industry regulated by the federal government that is run by politicians and not actual people that do the job
Jeff says
Not thousands of truck drivers probably more like millions of truck drivers.
Jorge Tapia says
Totally agree
Snaylrider says
You misspelled ‘Millions’
Jared says
Most legislators have not worked regular jobs in an area that they legislate. Maybe run for office if you wanna change that?
Randy says
Amen brother
Mark Jett says
Eliminate the 34 hr reset rull or require it at 140 hrs instead of 70
Paul says
Really ,get rid of 34 hour reset to make it 140. You don’t like making money, or just want a reason to stay at home with your mommy more?
Lonnie says
If you actually read what he said he said have the 34 he reset required at 140 hours instead of 70 which would mean you would be able to stay out longer and make more money. So before you go talking down on what someone is commenting you might want to make sure you are reading and comprehending what they are stating. It really doesn’t matter what any of us drivers recommend the bottom line is that they are going to change it however they seem fit. Then tweak it to their liking. So no point in continuing with this useless babble. We will just suck it up and keep on trucking.
Russ says
There is no REQUIREMENT that forces any reset @70 at present – but Iike the concept of forcing companies to give the driver home time every 16 days 70+70 a mandatory reset as long as the company couldn’t force it while you’re 1000 miles from home
Tami Potirala says
Lol you don’t have to take a 34 as it is
Mark says
34 hr restart at 140 means you would not get your full 70 hours back for nearly 2 weeks. Up until 140 hrs you would only get back a rolling single day of hours. I’d rather get my 70 back sooner than later. Stupid idea.
Tifa says
Lol, you didn’t get what the guy was asking. He said eliminate the 34 hours reset or make it required after 140 hours instead of 70.
Sevun says
He said REQUIRE it at 140 not raise it to 140.
bill smith says
I think you misread the suggestion
Snaylrider says
Paul, The 168 consecutive hour restriction on the use of the 34 hour restart has not been enforced since 2014. so adding a new 140 consecutive hour restriction on its use….seems superfluous. IMO, the reason for changing the HOS rules in 1995 was simply the people in charge at the time didn’t understand the purpose of HOS rules that WORKED for 60 years.
If you study the HOS rules in your FMCSR, you’ll notice that ONLY Property-carrying drivers were thought to need a change; Busdrivers were deemed perfectly safe under the old rules. SMH
Justin says
He is not stating to have the reset in 140 hours as in the 168 hours rule that no longer applies. He is stating that have the rest requirement after working 140 hours as in two 8 day/70 hour periods. 140 hours would be pointless for restart requirements, that would mean you could restart every 5.83 days. It would take a minimum of 5 days running a full 11/14hour day. the 168 hour rules capped how often you could restart.
Right now the regulations states 70hours/8days or a restart. if it went to 140 hours/14day(2 weeks) it would cut two days off the current regulation if you are recapping. This would be a good thing for operators. If the full 140 hours were ran consistently it would allow an operator to work ten straight day of 11/14 before a restart.
Matt says
He said at 140hrs… meaning 2 weeks before doing a 34hr reset
Pablo says
How would doubling the time to reset benefit the drivers?
michael lundborg says
Judging from your statement, your either an FNG or a large company driver. Maybe both.
wptrkdrvr says
its not required anyway
Sincere Gilbert says
Yea. Definitely not required.
Tim Jones says
This statement seems to be part of the problem, people not knowing the “rules”,there is NO rule stating when or how often a 34hr reset HAS to be taken, you can run on recap hours forever if you work between 8-9 hours every day.
Jeff says
That’s exactly what I do. I go out a month at a time and drive all 30 or more days by running my recap. If you want to make money just dont be on duty being everything driving and on duty not to go over 9 hrs a day I actually drive 8 to 9 hrs a day the come that 8th day I start using recap and just drive and never have to take a 34hr reset.
Sevun says
People don’t know the rules and regulations, I didn’t know that there was no real required reset I thought as long as you work with sense about it you would be ok. thanks for your help
Sevun says
That is what I have done often two weeks and little longer
Peter says
How long it’s gonna take h to get to a shipper/receiver??
Ginger says
I run 9 – 9.5 hrs per day & have no problem with recap
The Good says
I run without an ELD, or Paper, I never pull in at any whore house, and don’t have any problems.
Superdriver says
If you don’t go over 10 hour on recap you will never hit 70.
Chris B says
The 34 hour reset rule is not a requirement after 70 hours. It is a tool to be used voluntarily if needed. This is a common misconception. You are free to continue driving, keeping in mind that the 70 hour clock is a “rolling” clock, so your hours from 8 days ago drop off every new day.
Larry says
Chris B is 100% right. Ppl need to learn the rules 1st before they try to speak intelligently about them.
Sevun says
Thanks
Tracy Davis says
Except to make money you have to keep rolling. If you keep rolling you use the 70 hours quickly. Then you have zero hours to roll in to your click because yoy used the 70 hours too fast.
Michael says
Mark Jett
March 1, 2019 at 6:12 am
Eliminate the 34 hr reset rull or require it at 140 hrs instead of 70
This does nothing for the driver, everything for the company. Companies would use this as an excuse to keep drivers out, decreasing their quality of life. Drivers should get home every week if they want.
Malcolm Newcomb says
Restarts ARE NOT REQUIRED. It is an available option!
Shannon W Sanders says
Amen
mousekiller says
Only if the drivers let them do it. There is a good chance they will just shrug their shoulders and do as they are told to do like good little minions..
Jeffrey Kowal says
BS it took the freedom out of driving to rest when you are tired and run when you felt good I never cheated on the log just go back to the old way eliminate the 34-hour restart and split the log book the way you used to in the good old days I think the only reason they made the 14-hour rule was so. Didn’t have to count hours
Bullzeye says
The 14 hour rule is supposed to get the drivers to drive the same hours everyday. On 14 off 10. Start at 6am work until 8pm. Start 6am tomorrow. But it doesn’t work. I might deliver today at 3pm and not get my next load until noon tomorrow. Then I’m running until 2am, break until 10am. You just can’t regulate the hours. There is no right way.
Joseph says
The problem with the hours is everyone is on the road at the same time. Aka meams to much traffic!
Joe h says
I feel that it’s a driver’s responsibility to shut down when tired and to drive when not tired
Driving is not a joke and some drivers need to grow up and realized when they are tired not allowing dispatchers or companies to push them past their tiredness
I also feel that the regulation of mandated sleep time and shut down time is wrong it endangers both the driver and public
Not everybody sleep time is able to be calculated by somebody sitting behind a computer that has no idea about how to drive a truck
A I agree with this statement unless they’re going to regulate the shippers and receivers as well and make it mandatory that they take us in and have sleep areas for when we run out of hours
Sean says
Trucking companies should follow the railroads..go back to pay by the hour and regional drivers…relay tge loads just like railroads. This is why companies can’t keep drivers. 40 hour week and overtime and home daily, using the 3 shift schedule. Better health for drivers, less turnover. Even the buses do a better schedule using this method.
Rob says
8 hrs in sleeper, 1 hour off duty, 15 hrs on duty per 24 hrs. Keep it simple. Silly Willy FMCSA!
Joe says
34 hrs stuck in a parking lot is not going to reset anyone. Upset yes, reset no.
Sean says
go to the 64 hr reset.. in other words the same number of hours as a standard weekend..
Even Google concluded that it was more efficient to have more people work less than fewer people working more.
Tim says
And we know Google’s right on everything!!!!
Donald Mickunas says
That might work in some instances but I wouldn’t like it at all. Keep in mind the many varieties of trucking each with its own set of requirements plus all of the different drivers each with a different style of driving.
David Smart says
What! He’ll just let us stop the 14 hour clock, so we can have something to eat, or nap for 15, or load or unload.
Ken says
The 34 hour reset is only voluntary now. Why change it
Thirty8 says
I will believe it when its done
Jake Tijsma says
You wont like it
Griz says
Why don’t they start by paying attention to the study that shows ELD’ s actually increase accidents?
Some runs do go close to the wire, and you take more chances when that bloody thing is giving the count-down of death.
Michael Sutton says
The count down clock is what they are referring to. Allowing you to stop the clock to take a nap. Logs have been a part of this industry for over 20 years. Paper and electric should be mirrored images. The problem is flexibility and that’s what they’re talking about.
mousekiller says
Logs have been around since the late 1930s. nothing new .
Johnny Mangum says
You are so right that driver not very smart. Sounds like mouse killer is the one who has it right left door shut.
Harley says
Yeah and for 20 years the Industry has been on a “Down Hill Slide” getting worse EVERY Year!!!
Sher says
It has been on the down hill slide because look at the quality of drivers..hos has not changed but the way loads are scheduled has. Thank greedy corporations and mega carriers that have no regard for human life but care only how much money they can line their pockets with.
Johnny Mangum says
Flexible 14 hour clock to offset wait time
Animal says
Then make the shippers and receivers pay for that wait time. Dont give it to them for free. If they delay then make them pay.
Ginger says
Shippers & receivers pay now but companies don’t have to send it on down the line…
Shannon W Sanders says
That’s the problem right there. Too many idiots who feel the “right” should be theirs to cheat the clock…
Darrell Wayne says
You drink the cool aid for sure! You’re one who will do whatever your federal masters tell you to! The federal government has no business regulating anything except that which is mandated by the constitution.
Angela Lesmeister says
You are so right
Experienced Trucker says
No they DON’T. That’s BS.
Trey says
I run the same way now as I did with paper. I’m not putting your freight over my life and safety. You lobbied for this now suffer the consequences for backing something you knew nothing about.
Pablo says
Amen brother
James says
Well said.
James Sullivan says
Couldn’t agree more! If you were legal on paper, you’re still legal. And SAFE!
Mark says
They have never been behind the will for 18hrs and lay down for 3hrs and get up and work 18 more hrs straight I think they just need to leave it alone and because 14hrs a day 7 days is anoth
Rod says
You it said it , most want the next new thing or toy and have no idea about it.🤣
Joe h says
Totally agree
Sevun says
Well put brother
Jeff says
AMEN they wanted it now deal with it snowflakes❄️ I never did like them and still don’t
Gator says
HOS has been around for many years and the ELD doesn’t change the rules it just makes it harder to cheat.
James Sullivan says
Also, if you have to cheat…. you’re not very good at trip planning
Safe Driver says
What about your first week out when you don’t have the first day or two of recap hours? What do you do to get by that? I always have about 5 hours on day 8 that I loose on that first week out.
Jeffrey Kowal says
BS it took the freedom out of driving to rest when you are tired and run when you felt good I never cheated on the log
Harley says
Never TRUST The Government!!!
Johnny Mangum says
Oh how true
Rich says
ELDs are not the problem. I had more problems grabbing the paper log and keeping it current back then than I do now. I didn’t run illegal just behind current duty status. Now it’s press a button quick and it’s done and I’m on my way in less time. Taking a 30min break isn’t a big deal either. It’s not mandatory to take a 34hr restart as long as you know how to run a recap (which with the advent of the ELD is a lost tool to new drivers just like a manual transmission is Greek to them as well). The 14hr clock is the real issue. The ticking down of this clock is what drivers use as an excuse for flying thru the truck stop, running down the highways and the streets leading to the truck-stops, shippers and receivers at death defying speeds. Hazmat loads can use “Continue to Safe Haven” to get by this. There is leniency for Hazmat and it should be across the board. Truck-stops get filled up and then you are at the mercy of wherever can find a spot that may or may not be safe and may or may not be legal. More and more municipalities are setting city ordinances inhibiting truck parking of any type. No matter if your out-of-hours or in danger of running out. Making shippers and receivers accountable or carriers enforcing stricter detention time penalties which would cause them to get drivers in and out of their docks quicker. If they don’t pay then don’t haul their load. Make them unload it and find another load. If it’s a receiver pull away from their dock and sell the load to get your money back. It’s worked for me at places like Safeway and yes even Wal-Mart. It’s not their stuff until it’s unloaded, received, and signed for. Educate yourself, that’s your strongest weapon.
Sevun says
Well said and if we could get everyone to stick together we could get it done
Dpollock says
I would love to know what “continue to safe haven” is. I haul DOD, mostly explosives, I’ve never heard of that one!
Turner says
It’s in the book, look it up hazmat loads are allowed extra time I think around 30 minutes to get to proper parking.
Angela Lesmeister says
Amen
Scorpio says
That’s right
claudette n vaughn says
The problem is that the companies need to learn how to dispatch the loads better. These companies that are’t used to ELD have been running there drivers illegal for years now they have to learn to run them legal.
Rodregus Porter says
I totally agree with that valid statement
Jeff says
No they don’t have to learn it they just falsify your slogs from there computer at there desk I know cause they done it to me, Needless to say I don’t work there anymore
mousekiller says
I never had a problem telling a dispatcher NO. I am not moving. I am not nor have I ever been job scared.
mousekiller says
I don’t see how you can blame the ELD. I have been doing this truck driving thing for over 50 years. the ELD is no more than a record of your time and what you do, the driver makes the decisions to drive when tired or sick or roads are dangerous . The driver is the one to make the decisions good or bad. Not the ELD. Poor or stupid decisions by the steering wheel holder is the main cause of accidents. These drivers are afraid to stop when the ELD says they have 3 hours left. Don’t feel good. Put the money ahead of safety. Yes, the ELD influences them in some decision making with a clock showing them the MAX hours left to work. The driver then decides to push. The driver behind the wheel makes all the decisions. Not the ELD. If the ELD makes them do stupid stuff , guess drivers should not wear a wrist watch either. The ELD is an electronic log. It does not drive the truck..Lets not forget that common sense has been leaving the bodies of so many for the new drivers today that may be the focal reason for some issues we have today. When drivers of today get stuck on a mountain top or on a historical bridge or the boardwalk because the GPS said to go there , That too is the problem. And they want 18 year olds now behind the wheel of a CMV.? They can’t drive their rice burner car .
Hillbilly says
That is no lie all driving is is common sense alot of the driver and old drivers don’t have any
Gentoo says
I mostly agree with mousekiller. he only thing is that the large companies put lots of pressure for drivers to run the clock down. They especially do this to new drivers but they try it on all drivers. This was a major issue with me as I would start looking for a place to shut down when I got down to about two hours. The next safe place after that may be three or four hours away. Also, when I got tired, I pulled over and rested. They didn’t like that either but as mentioned, I operate the truck, not some desk jockey.
Leonard says
You either drive for yourself, for a really good company, or you are very delusional. No matter what they come up with, most drivers are not going to like it.
Rich says
So what do you think the answer is?
Andrea Lewis says
18 year olds can have firearms in the military and lose their lives or come home hurt permanently so why can’t they drive a CMV.? #GetReal
Rich says
Wrong post. This about HOS
Malcolm Newcomb says
A very small % of 18 year old are qualified for military service these days. Do you want those who aren’t out there with you in an 80K lb missile?
Ginger says
No
mousekiller says
There is NO similarity between military and getting a CDL. the biggest difference is the TRAINING, the gun is able to kill from thousands of feet away. A truck has to make contact. The training is completely different than getting a CDL in the comfort of a classroom. The truck is not shooting back at you.
Mark says
Thanks for the good, and well thought out post/comment. I completely agree with you. Ultimately the driver is responsible for making every decision. Oh I’m a little tired, I think I will pull over, and take a nap, but my ELD says I got 4 hrs of driving left. The GPS says take this left, but the sign says no trucks over over 15t !! Now they want to cut 18 year old kids loose, with 80,000 lbs of semi truck, trailer, and cargo. This is a bad idea!! It has been proven over and over, that today’s youth do NOT make good decisions!!
John says
I drove at 17. With no cdl. That is how I learned. I was not unique. I know many more who learned the same way.
Phil says
I’m right there with you. I’ve been a Diesel pilot for 43 years, and did a stint as an instructor, writing the curriculum and overseeing the other instructors at a commercial driving school. About 1 out of 10 were naturals, the rest were…Something else. What I see on the road now couldn’t find their own ass with both hands, largely, and aren’t aware if class C driving rules, never mind class A rules. Anyway, the industry will be largely automated soon, making all this a null point.
Aaron Wright says
Perfectly said… I’ll just second your motion…
Drivers wife says
The one thing you seem to be forgetting is with that clock not doing one you’re on duty, if your load cancelled and it takes a few hours or if you’re at a shipper or receiver that takes a few hours that you could be resting, your clock is still counting down putting more stress on the driver trying to make a living.
rick Brown says
ur 100 percent correct
Tommy says
I agree with drivers need to make better decisions. However, I’m not sure what you do in this industry but obviously you don’t have many appointments. Theres absolutely no reason for an ELD. Hire better more responsible people and problem solved. I don’t need an ELD to tell me I have to take a ten hr break at a receiver. Until this is all on the same page it will be a constant mess. FMCSA and shippers/receivers need to realize they created a problem. I guess your ok with paying to park everyday also, another problem the ELD created. You all thought it was great when it caused rates to go up but now that the mega carriers have imported enough drivers hows that working out. It was never about safety, simply leveling the financial playing field. If your not able to offer any better service than an 18 yr old getting paid crap wages then you can’t negotiate your rates now can you.
Rod says
Trucking going to always have baby sitters if their not wanting paid to much but if so,then you will just have to deal with a baby monitor in your truck
Jim Getten says
And you forgot that given the reduction in driver numbers brought about by retirements (mine after 42 years) and a general lack of interest in doing the job, the mega carriers are being forced into doing what all us ‘old school drivers’ were never able to get them to do – substantially raise wages and pay drivers for their time. When I first saw the idea behind the ELD mandate I was pissed off and set my retirement date (November 2017) and swore I was done with trucking. I NEVER accepted the idea that a time clock was better able to decide when I should drive or park. As I sit watching the day-to-day operations of carriers across America and follow the money, it is obvious that the ELD has made trucking worse for some but pay-wise it has made it much better for most. A commonsense approach to HOS and the allowance for flexibility in the 14-hour rule will solve most of the big issues the ELD has exposed. As always, the government can’t legislate or mandate personal responsibility or common sense but I have come to believe that an electronic form of HOS recording has helped truckers much more than it has hurt them.
Jamie Price says
That’s A BIG 10-4 RIGHT THERE!
Eroc says
In Re: Jim Getten
Sir, You hit the nail on the head!
mousekiller says
Jim Getten, Now we need to get the FMCSA to understand we are people not robots. Robots is what the mega carries want. A do as your told kind of drivers.
Don says
I agree with what you are saying. I was just talking about that. They want 18 year old drivers because they have no experience and they get more Government subsidizing for students. That’s right ( it’s a Money thing not a Safety thing). It’s always been about the Money. If it was about Safety they Highway departments a States accountable for the the road conditions the maintenance and the closings of all the rest areas. Not being able to park in a scale house that is supposed to be a safe haven!
Not to mention the reason they want 18 year old drivers is they don’t have to pay them for experience. It also raises their accident and unsafe stats so they can regulate us more! For being deregulated the trucking industry is the most regulated business in the world! The drivers need to do what I know they won’t and that’s stand up for themselves! The ELD is a computer! It cannot as you stated make anyone do anything! That’s right. When it comes to your Broker, dispatch, or boss telling you you must drive when your sick or tired and you do it your stupid for it! There is a whistleblower hot line for a reason! Start making them accountable! If you drive sick or tire and cause an accident! It’s not the other people I mentioned going to jail or prison. It’s you the driver. They are still going home to their families. They will stick together and say they told you not too! You then are accountable for it with no leg to stand on! Get smart, drive smart and unrestracted. Know your limitations and be safe! The D.O.T. Is in it for the money not the Safety as they have always been!
William says
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Lacnutn says
I agree with most everything you said.
I have used ELDs for 10 years and feel no threat from them. I would like to adjust hours of service to what suits my specific driving needs but doesn’t everyone.
Maybe that is an option for the future instead of a one size fits all,… allow livestock, Refer, line haul , etc to have varying rules.
Johnny Mangum says
You’re right again
Gooch says
Mousekiller you said it common sense is gone.GPS is a useless tool Rand McNally took care of 98 percent of the journey telephone takes care of the rest. I have been driving since 1978 no GPS then and not today.
little trucker says
your argument on ELD doesn’t make any sense. drivers work for big companies. Big Companies lobbied to have ELDs as a track record for that reason. CONTROL!!!!!! Therefore if a driver doesn’t follow the rules, the ELD records it and the big companies have a proof to fire the driver.so, if a driver doesn’t know what else to do in life, guess what ?? will do anything to keep their job ….do you get it??? I am 100% independent O/O so I don’t have that kind of problems. I drive when I want , I go anywhere I want and I get the rate that I want otherwise I park my truck at home. however, we are all in this industry and if we don’t help each other we all go down. today they are screwing to drivers, tomorrow they will screw with you, so is your choice ….either you stand up for the right thing or we all will pay the consequences tomorrow.
Rich says
Mousekiller, do you recall the tickers that used to sit on the dash back in the better than now days. I remember something like that in the trucks my dad drove. If I remember correctly that was a form of ELD.
Sevun says
Amen to that brother
Dpollock says
Totally agree, the rules are the rules, whether using paper or eld. The eld is actually easier than paper. The only ones complaining about eld are the ones that used paper for cheating and now they can’t. For the ones that don’t like the rules, unfortunately we have to have rules, a certain percentage of people, drivers are going to do stupid stuff. The rules protect them and everyone else from their stupid decisions. What I would like to see is a simplified HOS, maybe a straight 14hr day driving and/or on duty, get rid of the 30min break and change the split shift from 8hr sleeper to 4hr sleeper, keep the 70hr week, I don’t really want to work more than 70hrs anyway.
Philip Dyar says
I do some what agree with you ,BUT now the dispatcher has a hand in it because they can pull it up and see if you were moving or sitting the problem with this is there not in the cab with you so all they see is you have 2 hrs on your drive clock and your just sitting why. You say I have found a safe place to park shower food good stuff , Them yes but you have 2hrs you could have been almost there.Yall know where this is going to right everyone of you that has been doing this for years has had this same conversation . so I leave you with that thought yes drivers have the word but there’s a lot of fingers in the pie and now they can see us as before they couldn’t..
mousekiller says
Cheating. That is not the truth. Yes some did but that was not industry wide. If drivers today could Adapt the ELD to adjust the clock they would now.. Remember how we had the ability to stop when we wanted with no penalty?.The number of times we needed? NO PENALTY..We could move the 1/4 hour clock either way forward or back. Do that many times a day when we stopped the truck you gained time to work. Simple easy and it worked.It was NOT cheating is was using the HOS as it was then..WE WERE TRUSTED as an industry until the new breed of driver came on the scene and that changed everything. .As far as law enforcement goes . paper logs were only one kind. Paper and pen. Not like today with 20 plus different kinds, brands of ELD. The Eld is not a new idea. In years gone by say to the early 70s the bigger carriers wanted a way to track their trucks. However the technology was not as good then as today. Now it tracks the truck and the drivers work day.Not a new idea.Just over kill
Ted scercy says
Well said I have 50 years under my belt 42 states I am all about safety
CORNELL M JONES says
Believe me FMSCA knows ELDs cause more accidents, however;they have been lobby by the mega carriers to continue because it cut down the mega carriers competition and that is more important than drivers safety it’s called capitalism. Money over humans.
Jeff says
I been running since 01.I hate these ELD logs.Truck stops are full and people are shooting and fighting for a spot.Dot is gonna have to put parking in all 48.Or the problems will continue
Gypsy Mother Trucker says
Absolutely!!
Samuel R. Gallezzo says
Any rule that’s made or changed won’t be done for drivers. Best to buy a large tub of vaseline at Costco. Practice teaching for your ankles.
John says
Stop the clock/spit sleeper
Doug Wilkerson says
the initial hours of service was started in the 1930s worked amazingly well for decades then govt and lobbyists that know little about trcks or transportation became involved been going downhill ever since ! several attempts and lots of taxpayer money for studies to improve the situation have not helped! go back to the basics and return towhat worked !i started in 1974 just retired had a wonderful career ! Just hoping that someone in govt is actually smart enough to hold shippers and recievers more responsible lol !
Charles Blackmon says
We should be able to stop that 14 hr clock when we are at shippers that take hours to load, its unfair that it starts to cut into our drive time making us miss our much needed money
Dpollock says
Charles, as I mentioned above, I would like to see the split shift go from 8hr to 4hr, that would help for the long down times at shipper/receiver. I used to haul out of Colton Ca, for Wally World, you could easily sit for 4hrs, one time I had to sit for 12+ hrs but I had all my time back by then 😉
Jeff says
Mark. The reset is 140 hours now if you want it to be because it’s not mandatory.
I have meet Martinez. You will see positive changes coming.
We have an administration that is trying to fix things.
At least we could give them a chance.
W900A says
Believes it when I sees it.
Bob the builder says
I think the 34 hour reset it too small, give me 48 hours instead so I can spend 2 full days off with my family without my dispatcher giving me greif
Jake Tijsma says
As always they giveth and taketh away. Yes we need more flexibility in the 14 hr rule and yes we need the mandatory 30 min brake to disappear but from here I see a sheep in wolf’s clothing
rocket says
all the 30 minute break does is put you closer to rush hour traffic……get rid of it, I agree
mousekiller says
HOW does it do that?
James Sullivan says
Not if you know how to trip plan there’s nothing saying when you have to take that 30 minute break only within the first eight hours that gives you a lot of time to avoid rush-hour traffic if you trip planned properly
little trucker says
do you drive a lift or uber?
Gary Piatt says
If you never cheated on paper logs then you should be running exactly the same under ELD.
The HOS rules didn’t change one iota.
Dennis Lee says
The completely made up 14 hour safety clock rule is the single problem. One still has to take their 10 hour break WHENEVER your numbers add up. Without the stupid clock rule, NOT ONE COMPANY would need an exemption.
TIMOTHY DENNIS says
Stop the clock , when you’re loading or unloading.the shippers and receiver’s. Don’t care that that clock is ticking away. And the 30 min. Break rule should not be required. We take brakes when we feel the need that we need to
Jody says
They need to have it when you’re sitting at a shipper or reciever to stop the 14 hour clock.
Ks says
Tic tac tic tac tic tac. This is the only thing ELD is doing and its danger!!!! Get it finally.
Mark says
Delicious little candys.
Oh wait, did you mean tic toc? 🤣
James says
We are USA WE KEEP AMERICA moving but we not getting paid enough specialy in florida lets get together and stop working for 1 week.
Chris says
I’m ok with the 30 just go back to the old way 8 an 10 that still allows for a productive day as long as you keep your left foot shut you can make your money
Experienced Trucker says
Unless company insurance requires 62, 65 mph.
mousekiller says
The left door shut I think you meant.
Hernando Aristizabal says
We need our people in there not some political jackasses that take money from unknown entities to screw us over.
Just like we are all getting together and sticking up to the FMCSA, we need them out of office and get truckers in there, start a vote people lets get these jokers out of there.
Smart Trucking should be in there.
Ronald Wells says
Is very simple people, just allow people to either drive or work it doesn’t matter within their 14 hours after that you have to take a 10 hour break end of discussion. You have to take a mandatory 30 minute break also. This allows people to work or either drive without having to rush and possibly hurt themselves or kill someone.
Dan says
E logs are a Joke, They have Made Drivers More Aggressive as We all Race the Clock? Also,Eliminate the Ridiculous 30 Minute Break…We Know When to Eat or use the Restroom. I Have Been OTR For 40 Yrs and elogs have made the Highway, Even More Dangerous. As long as Non Drivers Make the Rules,We All Lose!
Steve says
Straight and simple 15 hour work day then 8 hours down if your tired put it down anytime you need to for an hour with no employer interference
Michael says
It would be better for the industry if we got rid if the hos. Doing so would save the industry billions of dollars in compliance costs and I doubt we would see any difference in safety. One reason we have many of the current rules is because of the ATA and a handful of major carrier’s. They determine rules for the entire industry and those rules often have a negative effect on most of the industry. ELD’s are only the latest example.
Andrew H says
Yeah but there’s another article here about letting 18 year olds drive. Would we really want that new pool of drivers running unregulated?
bno says
I seen that too. I think most 18 year olds are not responsible enough to be out on the road unsupervised. If they did this you would want them to team with someone a lot older but me personally I don’t want to put my life in the hands of some 18 year old. Think of how you were at 18. Would you trust your young self behind the wheel of a 80,000 lbs vehicle
Dorothy says
18 year olds can drive tanks amongst other militay vehicles in the worst of conditions. We consider them responsible enough to goto war and get killed or maimed PROTECTING OUR COUNTRY but we cant trust them driving a big rig? WHUTEVER
Aaron King says
Main reason is because people were just cheating the system. There has to be rules because if not you will have guy’s running 20 hours and sleeping 4.
James Sullivan says
As long as they are paying per mile they should never even consider getting rid of the hours of service. Start paying truck drivers a salary they deserve and not pushing continuously beyond A reasonable amount of time to get the loads from point a to point B safely I hired Don with a salary company and cannot tell you the amount of stress that it is relieved of my back !
Big Rev says
Micheal, if we got rid of the hos. That would be a nightmare. Shippers would want you to run nonstop to the receiver. That’s great and all until you realize you picking up in Miami and got drops in Texas, California and Washington state. They would pull that crap every day. Now you got some driver that will take that challenge until they get to Oregon and hit a bus full of school children. Yes they need to fix his but if you get rid of it, it will be utter chaos.
Josh peterson says
They need to make something where if stuck in a back up of any sort that our times completely stops on duty and driving period needs to stop counting because you can sit in a back up for hours.!!!
Sevun says
Yes indeed Thursday four hours west of Birmingham
Rc1234 says
To date,everytime they have “fixed” HOS, it has only gotten worse….just sayin’
Experienced Trucker says
👍
Jeff says
I wouldn’t expect anything different every time as I’ve said for many years anything to government puts their hands on falls to shit this is proof in the big companies are loving it just like putting babies behind the wheel. There is no driver shortage that is what the government thinks because of the big companies buying more trucks that they don’t need then they cry about being short drivers DUH they can’t give the drivers they have a good paycheck or fulfill the promises they say or tell two recruits they bring in all it is is to drop the rate down and run over operators out of business so they can become company drivers
Experienced Trucker says
Unless company insurance requires 62, 65 mph.
dkbean says
if insurance requires it it is a competency problem. 65 is a fuel saver only
Jeff says
I don’t know why you mentioned 62, 65 mph trucks because that was not mentioned before in the article that is a BS speed end it does not say fuel I have proved it throughout my years I run between 70 and 75 mph and get 7 mpg but the snowflakes will more than likely slow all the trucks down because of safety they say just like the ELD‘s they say was for safety which now the snowflakes found that it is it true if they would listen to the drivers they might accomplish something we tried telling them that for years now But they wouldn’t listen they have to find out on their own they need to leave the trucks speed at least the speed limit make these megacarriers speed their trucks up that would be better safety then running 55 and 60 mph down the road that is nothing but an accident waiting to happen what a bunch of snowflakes
Roy says
I guess this snowflake is curious if you ever verified what MPG you would get at 65? 8 mpg? That would be ‘better’ than 7 mpg @ 70 which is exactly the point of the fuel savings mpg..
This topic isn’t rocket science, it has been proven by old fruckers like me for years. Slow down, relax and drink in the dollars at the end of the month.
Jeff says
Roy, Yes I have verified my mpg that’s the only reason I mentioned it is because I was told by Maintainence also my own loging of it I was getting the same within a .1 or .2 mpg at 65 mph is I did testing a new truck at 70-74 mph so you can say what you want I have proved it several times so I know
James Sullivan says
Insurance requirements are not what’s limiting the speed of the trucks it’s the HEC trying to balance the playing field so the larger crap companies can keep up
David Laverty says
Reduce the 10hr off to 8hr, and do away with the 30 minute brake. and all would be good.
Roel Trevino says
I think the ELD has a a joke it has caused my to drive in really serious weather, that I shouldn’t been driving through.. because after the 3hours is up it start taking your drive time which is really.. you can’t even take a 4 hour sleeper birth like we use too.. cause it eats your time up.. bad move on the ELD.. very dangerous stuff.. if the government wants more money for us.. then just take it like they do everything else
mousekiller says
QUOTE (I think the ELD has a a joke it has caused my to drive in really serious weather, that I shouldn’t been driving through.)
How does it make you drive when roads are bad.? YOU are steering the truck controlling the truck. YOU make the decision to drive on bad roads not that ELD. If you feel that way you and others like you should find a different kind of employment. Does a time clock make you work faster, do more work. Make more hamburgers ? No it doesn’t it is a time keeper just like the ELD.
Stephen Schneider says
Here’s an idea. Get rid of the seventy in eight. Everyday should have ten hours to drive. The fourteen available is ok. Get rid of the mandatory half hour break. Getting out of the truck at fuel stops or rest areas, hitting the bathroom or snacking fulfills the purpose of a break. You’re more productive after a break.
The real fatigue issues come when a driver in a daytime routine, finds themself in a nighttime delivery where sleep patterns are disrupted. The loss of restful sleep is never made up. You stay tired the next day. Power naps that don’t count against the fourteen would help.
The old days of split breaks were very beneficial. Go back to something like that, especially with teams.
Lastly stop taking curvy, poorly lite, hilly two lane backroads to save a few miles. Stay on interstate roads. The time and exhaustion saved far outweighs the constructive miles. It is truly more safer and faster.
Ed gibson says
Go back and read we’re there getting their advice…policy makers and industry stakeholders NOT from the people who have to abide by them get your Vaseline or ky out your going to need it again…
Gwin says
“…the FMCSA received over 5,200 comments, mostly in support of HOS reform. FMCSA will take suggestions from those comments, from research, from policymakers, and from industry stakeholders to come up with a proposed rule.”
Learn to read. It makes you smarter.
Jeff says
That means the big companies that don’t have a clue
Rod says
Money talks and drivers just can’t understand this that why things are the way they are, you need focus on all principlables of the subjects with great interest and it’s got to be benefit for all.
Clint says
True
Chris Jemelka says
8hr +2. 5+5 extend 14hr rule. No 30 break
Hammer down says
They need to quit putting our lives in jeopardy just to make them money
Jacob Leclair says
Just my opinion but I feel the 30 min break if not completely eliminated, changed to happen within the “HOS work day” what ever they change it too. If they at least give us that it will definitely increase schedule flexibility. As far as what I feel might be worth exploring is allowing for multiple split sleeper birth thresholds. Instead of (2/8 8/2 with a log pause coming after the IN SLEEPER 8) maybe try 5/5, 6/4, 7/3 8/2, for split options. Change the log pause trigger threshold from 8 hrs down to a minimum of 4 hrs of sleeper birth to trigger a log pause. Not going to win a popular award with next idea but drivers do need a cap of working hours before enough is enough. The 34 hr reset should stay but should come after 100hrs instead of 80.
Jim says
Eld is ok
Freight will get there when it gets there .
ALAN says
And the big wigs running this thing have never held a CDL license in their life. Kinda fishy I think
DeMarcus D Duncan says
The old way of 8 and 10 was much better. There is to much pressure especially with inexperienced drivers fighting that clock. I don’t mind the eld I just hate not having any flexibility if I need it.
Pete Ybarra says
The main issue here is not one board member of the FMCSA has ever had a CDL nor ever driven a truck. They are the ones making up the rules for something they know nothing about. Research board members names to see your surprise.
Jack says
Public input? Why? Public has nothing to do with trucking. Input should only be from trucking concerns ie: drivers, owners, O/Os, unbiased experts that work with the trucking industry! LEO doesn’t even need to be involved! Their job is to enforce what rules come out! Get it right this time!
Adam Adair says
You want safe give us a 10 or 11 hour drive clock for a rolling 24 hour period no on, off or sleeper. Its drive or not driving. No 70 hour clock or 34 hour resets. It makes life simple. We can stop to avoid rush hours. If we need a nap you can do that as well. Bad weather shutdowns have less effect as we can roll as soon as it’s safe to drive not waiting for a reset.
Big k says
Let’s just face it.trucking sucks.if you don’t like the rules.get out of trucking.remember it’s going to be there way.not ours.nothing will happen.its all b.s
rocket says
I’d much rather take my lunch when I’m done……..all it does is push you into unwanted traffic!!
mousekiller says
How does the ELD push you ? We would like to know how the electronic device that records your time MAKES you do anything? does it tell you when you have to pee too?
Johnny Mangum says
It looks like to me we need a trailer full of pacifiers the elds are not driving you are. If it’s unsafe get off the road whats more important the freight or your Life.
James Sullivan says
Plan! It’s really not a hard thing to do
Bruce Hart says
XXX NOT One of them is a Truck driver that is making the Laws for Thousands of Truck drivers. Thats not good thats Bad…
Andrew H says
Wait, Omnitracs… Aren’t they the same company that my company used to use their phone AOBRD software that never worked? Yeah I’ll trust them…
Eugene Semrad says
The guroos who run the FMCSA are table top truckers there isn’t one of them who has driven a semi truck to make a living, put them behind the wheel of a semi truck and then they might know what reality is. They think 9 to 5 then go home…
Keith says
Ideal HOS
13 HRS DRIVING
30 MIN BREAK AFTER 8HRS COMBINATION OF WORK/DRIVING
MAXIMUM 14 HRS ON DUTY BUT CAN BE EXTENDED TO 16 HRS IF 2 HRS REST TAKEN DURING SHIFT WITH MINIMUM 30 MINS BREAKS
SPLIT DAILY REST EQUALING 10 HRS OR STRAIGHT 10HRS REST PERIOD
36 HRS WEEKLY REST IF HOME (OUT OF TRUCK)
OR 24 HRS IF IN TRUCK BUT 12 HRS MUST BE PAID BACK IN FOLLOWING WEEK (48HRS = 36HRS + 12HRS PAID BACK)
Andrew says
Those are just the Canadian HOS exactly minus the 30 min break
Scott says
8 hours off minimum per 24 hour period. Minimum 2 hour blocks are all that count towards your 8 hour rest. The rest of the day is yours to operate as you see fit, driving or on duty. No 70/8, no 34 restart. Done. Let’s get back to work.
Timothy York says
Going back to that would work for me. I don’t really need a 10 hour anything.
Josh Smith says
Great idea!
Gypsy Mother Trucker says
Perfect.
Sam says
Why clock keep ticking if I am off duty all should stop local driver shouldn’t belong
Ezequiel says
Eliminate the clock of DEATH (ELD) is useless and dangerous.
Floppin Frog Trucking says
WHY ?? HOW ?? DID WE GET TO THE POINT IN MY 35+ YRS OF HAVING BREAIN DEAD IDIOTS CALLING THE SHOTS WHO HAVE NEVER BEN IN THE JUMP SEAT AND CAN’T EVEN, SPELL T R U C K. I think these are law school,dropouts. Calling the shots and are being paid. By the major companies. Rememder DOT CAN’T FIX STOUPID enough said
Fuel Hauler 1964 says
I’ve never had any trouble with ELD’s. I’ve been using them for probably 20 years. They help keep you and your company honest. What the real problem is, is that companies don’t pay a fair wage so drivers feel compelled to push the limit or break the law in order to make a decent paycheck.
There are outfits out there that do follow the rules and pay their drivers a fair wage. The real solution is not to drive for these companies that want to cheat their drivers out of a fair wage.
David says
Just something we have to learn to deal with out here I personally don’t think it was about safety I see drivers doing more stupid stuff today than I have in a long time and I find myself racing the clock constantly looking at it to see how much time I have left on it to drive I would rather be driving out here with drivers who fudged on there paper logs an took a nap so they are not tired as to being out here now an you can’t take a nap because you’re racing that clock but hey the ones doing this knows best we just have to figure it out God bless an have a safe day
Jason Wells says
ONE PROBLEM THE FOLKS AT THE TOP MAKING THE RULES NEVER EVEN HELD A CDL. NOTHING EVER COMES GOOD FROM THE RULES. THEY ARE NEVER FOR HELPING THE DRIVER BUT RATHER ADDING MORE RESTRICTIONS FOR YOUR SAFTEY. DRIVERS CAN’T FIND PARKING TO COMPLETE A 30 MINUTE BREAK SO THEY PARK IN THE FUEL ISLE. HOW CAN RULES BE INFORCED IF NO PARKING IS EVEN AVAILABLE TO COMPLY? RIDICULOUS…
MARK THOMPSON says
Actually they can find parking. 30 minute breaks are most often done during the day. There is plenty of parking but they are to fat and lazy to park in a designated parking spot and walk.
Vulcan Transport says
That’s right, and one more problem at night,no parking available,lot of company drivers unhook from his trailer to save parking to others!!!!
Jack Schitt says
I don’t think the problem is HOS or ELDs in my opinion the problem is people.
1. Drivers don’t trip plan. You can’t finagle your logs much anymore.
Solution: plan your trips!
2. Shippers, receivers, and lumpers have no idea a truck driver is on a federally regulated time clock.
Solution: Require that anyone that works in a warehouse has training so they understand taking several hours to unload a truck when a driver is waiting on it to be unloaded is unacceptable. Introduce laws that include consequences employers would rather avoid for running a professional driver’s clock out of time and not letting them reset on their property (this is already in place, I have read).
Mike says
For me it’s the 14 hour window that’s the problem. That forces e to drive sleepy some times. It’s a beat the clock game. Just get rid of it and limit total drive time within 24 hours. Or, we can can be limited to a total of 14 work hours within 24, but don’t force us to do it all in one shot. Allow the clock to stop when were not working and we can restart it when we come back on.
How about rules that regulate shippers and receivers and how much of our time they can waste.
Also, how about different sets of rules for different type of drivers. A class 8 wrecker driver needs different rules than a long haul 18 wheeler driver, etc.
Anthony Calderon says
These non experienced trucking fuctatds will not change anything that will actually matter to us and makes sense only what sounds and looks good on paper the worse is yet to come
Rod says
Everything and everywhere the government knows
whats happening, just like here on social media so putting it like that let real intellengent knowledge for what would be of true interest be showed how your input could benefit the problems as well as the cause.
Michael says
They just need to do away with ELD’S and go back to paper logs.since they started these ELD’S, theres been more accidents,because drivers are rushing to get further down the road before time runs out.finding parking is worse now then before the ELD’S,thats why you have more trucks parking on ramps and parking lots and wherever else they can park.the ELD’S are the biggest mistake the government has ever made.their not preventing accidents,their causing more.one day they will realize that.
James Sullivan says
How? How is a digital clock more dangerous than a paper one? All I see here is someone that used to cheat, and make illegal runs.
Gary Piatt says
How did the ELD create these problems?
The HOS didn’t change one bit.
Oh, you mean drivers could cheat, lie, violate the HOS with paper logs?
Billyjack says
Me and another driver were talking. The Government is making this HOS remake to sound like they are helping the drivers out but in reality it might be because of all the havoc that the new HOS have caused the shippers and receivers and the cost of not getting their freight delivered as they would like might be the main reason for the HOS change.
MARK THOMPSON says
DING! DING! DING! Of course that is the reason. You didn’t actually think they would listen to the drivers did you?
Old Timer says
I couldn’t have said it better myself! 🙂
Christopher says
What needs to change is all the threats and timelines from shippers and brokers. There should be know pressure on driver’s about having loads refused .
Michael says
Nothing will be done about the ELD. It is here to stay. But there needs to more flexibility so that drivers are not forced to shut down in bad situations. Also, until the parking situation is looked at seriously and something done, you can’t have all drivers working on solar in the sunshine.
Rick H. says
Everyone needs to wake up, the ELD’s are the big issue with HOS. The big issue with HOS & ELD’s is there are no type of laws or rules about the big corporations that hold up drivers for hours and hours at a time to load or unload freight, the government should step up and make a law that says no company can hold a driver for more than 1 1/2 hours at a time as this is enough time to load/unload. If a company holds you longer then there should be a law that says they can’t make you leave their property if you have to shut down for a HOS reset no matter who the company is. Also there should be laws passed to allow drivers to park in any parking lot that has room for trucks to be out of harms way for the purpose of a rest brake without the worry of being towed, the world wanted us to be on ELD’s to monitor our hours of service a lot better but how about doing something to actually help us out.
Randy says
8/15 like the old days was better…18 yr olds driving! NOT! The government is run by a bunch of dishonest politicians who really could care less about this industry…when they retire they draw their salaries….we have to hope and pray we saved enough to survive
David Lee Johnson says
Thee thing with trucking today is thee stuff that is coming out of, what is called schools is things that are hard on at swift, prime, pam,c r England, so fourth. Thank goodness I am retiring soon. March be 32 years out here.95 % or more, most of this stuff out of schools are only out here for a paycheck. In thee meanwhile these professional cdl holders, are not and never will be trucker’s. Trucker’s are dying off or retiring because of what is coming out of suppose to be schools. I am sorry if I have stepped on any toes I like that 34 hour restart, I sure hope it stays.
bno says
The reason these people keep changing laws is to justify why they get paid. Think about it every 3 to 5 years they change something. When I started it was a split time then it became the 8 and 2 next was the 14 hr rule then they came with you must have two 2am to 5am rule for restarts. At first I thought it was to write more tickets because after you figured everything out they would put a new twist to the game. Its like the NBA with wilt Chamberlain he was so dominating that they had to change the game. When I started with Werner in 01 they said this was going to happen then with the elogs. They were testing it out for the government back then. It’s the future and their is no going back the cat is out the bag. So I think the next move is for the shippers to have their own trailers and switch them from driver to driver so the freight doesn’t stop like the top companies all ready do. So coast to coast trucking will go away like the dinosaurs
Calvin says
Hope my fuel time counts as home time
Harry says
The bigger issue is the insipid proposal of allowing 18 year olds (with their tesosterone-addled minds) drive this equipment. There’s nothing wrong with the ELD. As to hours of service, the real issue is the 14 clock. all of the other limits work well. But after 11 hours of actual drive time, we should be required to shut down for 10.
Pacman says
It’s all about the $$$, more rules, more inspections and etc. They’re the game inventors and we’re just like pawns playing it. Only the game does not cost c. 25 anymore.
Todd says
Do a 14 hour day, do away with 30 minute break. And keep the reset. Don’t have a 11/14 rule. Plus have a split sleeper or when the brakes are set and you need a rest period clock stops.
Joe2boltz says
I’m out here since 1977. Its still a mess.
Last real trucker says
Martinez messes this up I’m taking over the industry and drivers cant take anymore and I’m gonna drain the fmcsa swamp and get drivers in there and get this industry turned off its ear bsm and ooida let’s do this
John Geiger says
About time, just hope it’s realistic and good for all, not just what the big companies want and everyone else has to conform to.
Krzysztof Wojtal says
Make off duty time not going against your 14 hrs, like it used to be in early 90’s when I started driving, it will solve all the problems.
Tony Johnson says
No 1 they need people over this crap that has actually drove a truck none and that includes Martinez has ever even held a CDL and ELds are a joke give us paper back and let us be in control
Buck says
Let’s just change to everybody gets paid by the hour the richest company wins and has the most drivers
Truck driver says
ELD do not make the road safer. Little cheating with the paper was better. Drivers getting mad and nervous because the time is pushing them.It doesn’t matter what they will tell you, at the end it’s all about the money. Somebody is making big money, and they don’t care about you.
Vulcan Transport says
Let’s park our trucks,to see what happens!
ShortRound says
Billyjack is right,it is about commerce.
They (the FMCSA is trying to appease the shippers and recievers) which is where this whole eld debacle started. If it was actually about safety every truck on the road today, plus personal vehicles should have an eld on board. Having been involved in this industry for 40+ years I think that really nothing has changed. If we truckers would have ran compliant on paper logs when the new hos were implemented we wouldn’t have had this mess and expense that we have today. We did it to ourselves. What a bunch of idiots we are. I am totally against striking but if they (FMCSA) can’t come up with something that actually works for everyone involved, I for one think April 12th would be as good a time as any to just shut the trucks down for one day. The govt shutdown lasted what (34 days I believe) over a damn fence! And what did they accomplish? Maybe we need to hold the govt’s feet to the fire on this issue.
Brian says
I have no real problem with the HOS rules as they are written. First time in my 25 year career I could say that. I wish they would just leave it alone. These 2 bit shippers and receivers with no respect for drivers time will have to jump through their rear to adapt, or they will find it harder to get their freight moved. The mega carriers and low life truck owners who pimp their drivers out to those same customers will find it hard to keep drivers. The chickens were coming home to roost. Karma is a beach. I hope the DOT doesn’t screw up the show.
As for the rules forcing you to drive stupid, that is a bs copout. If you drive stupid it’s on you. If you allow yourself to be pimped out by a low life company or a mega carrier it’s on you. Grown ups take responsibility for their decisions, and learn from the bad ones. But if you’re stupid, that can’t be cured.
Russell Brower says
Your are absolutely right every driver is the captain of his truck there is nothing that they can put on your trailer that is worth you risking your life for. If they need it there todsy and you can’t get it there legally they should have ordered it sooner
Johnny Mangum says
Yeah someones finally got it right.
Gary Piatt says
Absolutely agree with you friend.
James Sullivan says
So after reading all these comments and replies, I’m convinced the industry has to be more strict on who can hold a CDL. If you can’t abide by the rules, get a different job! Drive safely, enjoy the scenery, don’t put anyone’s life in danger just so you can drive faster/farther than the situations determine. Sure, sometimes it’s frustrating getting stuck behind someone going slower than you want to go… but be patient and when it’s safe, go around running up to sniff his butt won’t help anything. Getting there is the objective… getting there before the guy in front of you is only your overinflated ego! I wish the cops were more strict on tailgating and illegal lane changes! We need to get these fools off the roads! As far as ELD’s. They only record… you are in control of the truck. If you are constantly getting stuck in rush hour traffic, not finding safe parking… that’s your own doing not the recording device.
Eusebio Carrillo says
Well Drivers here it go’s Eld is here to stay Hos rule cut the sleeper time to 8 keep 14hr rule be able to stop Dot clock at least. Then on the 30min.break tos it out it’s lost time. keep the 34 and 70/8day rule and we be OK.
Vonda S Roberson says
Great another person who has never driven a truck going to say what is best for drivers. Here we go again with losing more money. He cares nothing about truck drivers. Stupid penicil pushers need to stop messing with drivers.you want to fix it.start paying us off the hub,and force companies to pay more than 0.42 a mile
Eusebio Carrillo says
forgot 11hrs rule leave it be.
Russell Brower says
I run a 60hr/7 day ELD, And still drive over 3,000 mile a week and home every other night. I hsve been on an ELD log for 8 yrs and all i have to say is i now hate it when i i have to actually use a paper log due to a breakdown and a replacement truck is given to me with no ELD in it. ELD m as make life easier
bill smith says
Your right. In so.e ways they are easier. Hell in all ways they are easier.
TT says
18 year olds should not be allowed to have a Class A.
Red says
I’ve been through a few of these changes to the h.o.s. before. I can’t wait to see how they make it worse this time.
Joseph says
They need to get rid of the 14 hours. Give us more time to drive. Give the container divison help in the ports and pretty much just leave us alone.
Don Jay Barnes says
I’m afraid ELD is here to stay, I’ve been doing this for some 35 odd years, it CAN be delt with, everyone has a point, some good, some not so good, you need to let what you think be known, in time it will work out, but everyone will NOT be happy with everything, got to take the bad with the good!
Joe h says
I feel that it’s a driver’s responsibility to shut down when tired and to drive when not tired
Driving is not a joke and some drivers need to grow up and realized when they are tired not allowing dispatchers or companies to push them past their tiredness
I also feel that the regulation of mandated sleep time and shut down time is wrong it endangers both the driver and public
Not everybody sleep time is able to be calculated by somebody sitting behind a computer that has no idea about how to drive a truck
Dana D Jones says
Thank God, about time.
One Bad Apple says
Back in the day when drivers were plentiful, companies and dispatch had much more leverage to force a driver to violate the HOS. If you didn’t want to, you would be replaced or relegated to the bottom of the heap. This in turn was blamed for causing many fatal accidents so the liberal politicians felt they could to do something to get more votes. Hence, millions in staged studies, stricter HOS and a “take no prisoners” approach to enforcement and ELDs. It is actually the greed of trucking companies driving it all. ELDs have taken the “human factor” out of the equation. Being forced even more and with many more drivers operating when rational thinking tells them they shouldn’t. And even when they should, like to get past a metro area in the evening instead of forced to at high accident 8:00 am. These are the reasons, I believe, there are now more trucking related fatalities and more general accidents! Personally, in the last two years I’ve more close calls than in the previous twenty or so because of too many trucks in a hurry!!! They got their votes AND more people killed!!!
The Sheepification of America!!!
Urban Cletus says
Eliminate 30 min break
Replace 11/14/70 with 14/16/84
Replace 10 hr break w/ 8 hr break
AND the biggest adjustment needed:
Any break between 2:00 hours and 7:59 hours extends the 16 by that same amount of time. You can extend your 16 up to two times. After two extensions an 8 hr break is required at the end of the extended 16
El NoCeapo says
Us rules areawful ..needs to be more inline with Canadas … plus on a 10 hr reset we should be aloud to move the truck up to 10miles at any point during that reset …sometime things happen and you need to move…plus a 2/8 split would be nice …a single 2 hr break followed by your remaining 8 later when you shut down.10 hrs in the middle of nowhere is painful… the deduction needs to be biased on real drives not political text book drivers who never sat in a truck.
Nathan Smith says
Wolf in sheeps cloths. They don’t say what they are considering to change. I see an incab camera requirement rule coming next, for all trucks. I’m an owner operator and feel it’s all about invasion of my freedom too run my business as I choose. Paper or ELD makes no differance. It’s just a way of tracking. If you get in an accident they can make it your fault even if you were parked. Thank you ambulance chasing lawyers. They need more operators but they get steering wheel holding drivers and don’t know why they crash. Duh! How about more regs for cars. If you pull a double shift at any other job you still commute 45 minutes or more to go home. Just say’n. Argue all you want. We need a truck driver ,that has driven a cdl truck, to give us actual representation in a place where it matters. No one, of importance, in the fmcsa has ever driven a truck. Till then we’re all screaming at a wall. No one is listening.
Will.i.a.m. us xpress says
If u can’t drive overnight what r u doing u can’t drive 11hours a day? Sometimes u don’t need 11 hours it’s all about recaps so u don’t have to take a 34 biggest waste of time ever just 3 10s and 5 8s is fine just don’t make me have to sit for more than 24 hours get rid of 34 hr so we can all drive 7 10 hour days/nights
D Jeffers says
How about treat us like adults instead of children and give us an opportunity to make our own schedule with no limits to time spent driving, resting, or anything else. Require an off duty break at any time, however at least once in every 8 hours. Regulations are government control and Government control means time and money wasted for both the driver and the Government. DOT should check trucks for safety as they do now but forget logbooks, ELD’s or any other control over the life of a person. I don’t think anyone will agree because the government will be giving up control of our lives.
Rich says
You are right on . If any change 12 on 12 off
Derek says
Take away the 30 min required rest break leave the 34 reset alone and bring back the 5&5, 6&4, 8&2 split sleeper. Also GET RID OF ALL OF THESE EXEMPTIONS IF THE RULES ARE GOOD FOR OVER THE ROAD THEN THEY ARE FINE FOR BULL HAULERS TOO
Ron says
I graduated high school at 18. Then I immediately drove by myself from South Carolina to Alameda Ca. Then a few days later landed on the deck of the USS Enterprise off the coast of Subic Bay. A few weeks later I was working on the flight deck running hooks behind our jet aircraft and my friends at 18 yrs old were laying under attack aircraft in after burners supporting the Nam war. I am sure I could drive an 18 wheeler at 18 because I was RAISED properly as a kid. Also Electronic logs were in place when I started driving in 1996. I have never found that a problem. My problem is the current HOS rules. My body can operate better with 4hrs of rest then I can easily drive for a while then when I get tired I like to find rest until I feel ok to drive again. 4hrs driving and 4 hrs rest works great for me.
Samuel R. Gallezzo says
Any rule that’s made or changed won’t be done for drivers. Best to buy a large tub of vaseline at Costco. Practice teaching for your ankles.
Samuel R. Gallezzo says
ELDS DO NOT INCREASE ACCIDENTS.
Duck says
They certainly don’t help
bill smith says
Your correct.
Clayton Condon says
I been reading a lot of the comments hasn’t any thoughts on the 8-2 split sleeper berth rule I use it all the time and still make money everyone thinks that you got to run out the 14 rule before you take your break if I’m at a shipper or receiver for two hours there’s my first break then later that day I do my 8 hour break. Doing a 8 break in the sleeper stops the 14 clock resets it to when you started the break
Alex says
Nobody sleeps 10 hrs. I’m usually up and ready in 6-8 hours of sleep. Thankfully boss can tweek eld to make me run after 7-8 hrs in the sleeper. 🤗. Also take away the damn 30 min break.
Ken Miller says
Eliminate the 30 minute break, allow us to work 70 hrs in 7 days period, 10 hrs a day is enouph get rid of that stupid 8 day rule
Peter says
To be fully transparent, I am not a driver, but I DO have a tremendous amount of respect for the challenges you have. We are a smaller carrier (20+ trucks) and so we wear a lot of hats including regulatory compliance. My experience is, and I think you can see it with the many comments attached, is that everyBODY is different. There are some drivers where the 70/8 and 14/11/10 regulations work well for them and they can run under them and be safe. There seems to be many others of you, however, that experience an increase in unsafe driving conditions when you are forced to take a ten-hour break straight. There truly isn’t one set of regulations that can make everyone safe all the time if they follow them which is why flexibility is important. That means trusting drivers to make their own best decisions…and our government tends to have trust issues with any of us making our own decisions. My hope for the industry is that we can show unity across all drivers and other functions in the industry for the common cause.
Adarus says
Take the damn 30 min Break out
And also make the 34 hrs reset not mandatory please. Thanks
Dante T. says
I just want to know if I will now be allowed to take a nap when I’m tired or to avoid traffic and still make my delivery on time?
Huey says
And for the 30 minute break you can drive 6 hrs and do a 30 or a 7 hrs and do a 30 as long as you do a 30 in 8 hrs so if you stop in the middle of nowhere that’s you fault.It doesn’t say you have to drive 8 straight hrs then stop for a 30
Sean says
This is the only sentence in that article that drivers need to know . . . “FMCSA will take suggestions from those comments, from research, from policymakers, and from industry stakeholders to come up with a proposed rule.”. How many of you think they will consider any of the suggestions submitted by drivers???? This, along with 18-year old “apprentices”, and the industry is headed for disaster.
Es says
They do not care what the drivers. Think
Its the STAKE Holders. ..if they could they would put robots in the trucks . it’s all about money for these. Pricks
stephen collins says
Just eliminate the 14 hr rule….nuff said.
BWT says
14hr days. Doesn’t matter driving or on duty. But to be honest, it’s a shame we have to be monitored and limited. I can go much longer. A person should be able to choose when to shut down. ( Stop when tired )
Rick Sinks says
I started trucking in 1982 I graduated an been doing it the same way ever since I fill out my logbook the same way .there is only two people in this world that can tell me when to sleep and that is Good and myself that’s it no one else. and I started when I was 18 and have never been a fault in a wreck. 2.3 million miles
Rick Sinks says
I’ll garuntie 18 teen years old from the county life has more smarts than any of these people they bring to our country we the people not them
Rick Sinks says
I’ll garuntie 18 teen years old from the county life has more smarts than any of these people they bring to our country we the people not them NO ELD. NO hours of service change leave it like it was in the 1980s
Jeffery Lee Smith says
Well since everyone is putting in there 2 cents, here’s mine & its free, there’s been for as long as I can remember ( been driving for 15 yrs) there’s been a huge debate over what is good & bad about the HOS. Let me ask anyone a question, if you worked a regular job & your boss wanted you to work some overtime would you?? Sure most of us would, no matter how long it would be. Your being paid by the hr overtime = time 1/2 . So if you look at this we are ALLOWED 70 HRS / 8 days, 14 hrs in a day, 11 of these hrs we can drive. Somewhere in there a 30 min break ( when we are told to take 1, yea i did not like it either) so why not give us room to be what we are, truck drivers. Here’s what I mean…..NO 70HR RULE, NO MANDATORY 30 MN BREAK, ( unless you want 1 for however long) you can work/ driver up to 14hrs A DAY, then rest/ sleep 10 hrs & when stop for what ever reason the clock stops. Keep in mind this is in a 24 hr day. At the end of a 24 hr day/night & a 10 hr rest your clock rests. Think about it would also allow you to make better $$ because of traffic problems/ weather conditions. Now before you just shoot it down think. If anyone had that to work with & most drivers are not going to drive a straight 14 hrs without stopping this would stop racing a clock, when you stop the clock stops
Joe says
I would like to be able to stop the clock and take a nup I would like to get rid of the 14 hour rule
Duck says
How about we run what we want to run sleep when we need to sleep. I don’t mind the 80k weight limit or the inspections for safety but I think forcing drivers to run 14 consecutive hours forces them to drive when they are tired. Being free to stop and sleep when you are tired without worrying about making deadlines within the HOS in my eyes is safer. I also think that cdl schools should actually train a person to do more than just pass the skills test and pre trip. New drivers should have to be with a trainer for at least 3 months that doesn’t drive but sleeps when the trainee sleeps and rides while the trainee drives. I think they would learn more this way as long as the trainer is a veteran driver.
pete says
Good luck, it’s a bunch of bureaucrats with ZERO experience in truck driving making the rules
Rob says
They need to do away with the 30 Completely it does nothing but run your 14 time down and drives should be able to log off why there at a shipper and stay off till there loaded not running any time off need to got to a Straight 14 hour drive n on duty
Harold Carter says
Why keep it simple do away with 30min break make it to where you can stop 14hr clock due breakdown like a tire blowing out or a traffic problems that’s a start
Eric says
They should just go back to the old rules drive 10hrs off 8hrs there was nothing wrong with the hours before
Ray says
Q: what is the protocol if the ELD’s go offline? Do they have an option B solution. Actually had this happen with Qualcomm, no joke.
Tony says
When you eld is on the fritz you are required to carry a book of loseleaf logs to accommodate for your eld being down. But you must report your information to your safty department as soon as you can.
Nathan says
Our rulers should take a look at the shifts that hospital nurses work and realize that life critical work is done across the country every day on schedules that do not remotely resemble the HOS rules.
rickey luper says
need to go back to split sleeper time,let drivers run how they need to
Rick says
The problem is not trying to cheat, but the running 14 hour clock. Loading and unloading, traffic issues that.are out of your control or even a blown tire. The clock keeps going. 30 minute break is a damn joke. It needs to go too. They are gonna have to address the running clock issue.
bill smith says
If I must have a babysitter…then I prefer the TX HOS. 12/15 8hr break no 30 min rest and going off duty stops all clocks.
Onofre says
That’s stupid wasting hrs of time in shipping then you tired get on road that is no safe ….waiting and hurry up
Tony mccrary says
To all the perfect trk drivers that say they never cheated a paper log . 2 things .either you never used one or you’re a liar . Have a good day.
Richard Costa says
ELD FOR LONG HAUL SEEMS OK BUT REFFER DRIVERS SITTING FOR HRS AT SHIPPERS AN GROCERY WAREHOUSES HAS TO STOP ELD PUTS DRIVERS IN TOWNS WHEREVER THE CLOSEST CELL TOWER IS MILES AWAY FROM HIS LOCATION ..NEEDS TO GET BACK TO BASICS no more of this beat the clock stuff
David says
8 3/4 on duty = 70 in 8 days , now count the 30 min + loading and unloading time . Now some say they run with recap, that’s fine if you’re not o/o but, in the event you run over one day , you’ll be taking a short day to get back on. Going thru any major city at rush hour will cost time and mileage. The restart will zero your 70 clock after any 34 off. It’s no longer on the 168 hr rule, if noted on the log. There’s days where I could run 12 – 14 hrs and feel just as pert as when I started and there’s those days that I’m tired after 6-8 hrs. We know when we’re tired better than any one else, so give us some credit. Now, you hear SAFTY SAFTY SAFTY, how safe is it when we have drivers that can’t speak,read or understand English, as I understand it you must be able to speak , read and understand English inorder to be qualified to receive a Cdl license. It’s very important to navigation over the roads , while the signs are in English. As to the 18 year olds , I’m quite satisfied there are some that could be fine, gee whizz , we have 30 + year olds that couldn’t drive a bull moose to water ! I believe that most of the big carriers want younger and or inexperienced drivers be cause they’re impressed by the big hype they put out ( trucking is best thing since sliced bread ). Us older dogs know better, our biggest problems are ; over regulation ,under paid , shippers – receivers,away from loved ones , short on available parking and those idiots in 4-wheelers , just to mention a few .
Keith says
Here’s an idea 9 out of 10 times when we get to a shipper or a receiver we’re stuck there give us an option to stop our clock I mean most of us are sleeping while being unloaded anyways. But if we’re in a door and we go off duty and it takes 4-5 hours to unload by the time we wake up we’re all out of time. Give us an option to stop that from happening.
Albert Ferguson says
The worse it is for drivers, the less people want to drive, the less drivers on the road, the fewer trucks on the road, the more MONEY COMPANIES CAN CHARGE PER LOAD! Duh! But, as a strategic industry, they can only play this so far, and the rest of the economy starts to complain. The reason for the HOS rule re-think by the feds. Elect a TRUCKER TO THE WHITE HOUSE!
mousekiller says
Come on people. When reading some of the posts by some so called drivers it is no wonder there are so many accidents on our highways. I don’t understand why so many truck drivers don’t know the difference between the HOS and the ELD. Know so little about the industry they chose to work in. Why some think the HOS is new? Just this version .It was just changed. HOS is the hours you can work at your job of being a truck driver that does not punch a time card to do the job .Pretty simple huh?. Sort of like doing piece work in a factory.. ELD is, to put it as simply as I can, An electronic logging device to record your daily activities. NO different than a paper log does. It has the clock showing you how many hours ( HOS) you can work legally and when you have to take that forced 30 minute break, then how long you have until you have to shut down.It does your thinking for you.no need ( you think) for a road atlas or how to spell the name of a town and what is the abbreviation for a state.? Now for the real truth. The ELD does not cause accidents, Nor does it force you to drive when tired or weather conditions dictate a shut down for safety. You ,the driver chose to do it or refuse to do it as the driver. That decision is made by the driver and the driver alone that cannot or will not make decisions for themselves. If you blame the ‘ELD you really need to leave the trucking industry. You are the unsafe decision maker guiding a dangerous missile on our highways with out enough common sense nor the ability to make a safe decision.. When we read about the 30 or 40 trucks involved in a big pileup on slick roads it was a bad decision of the drivers to be there in the first place. The decision to follow too close or not to slow down in fog or dangerous conditions was 100% on the driver. NOT the electronic device we lovingly call the Electronic Logging Device. You complain about the potential liability of the autonomous trucks being unsafe, Now it is the robot drivers that let the ELD think for them.YES you are if you blame the ELD for you inability to make a sound safe decision when the reasons for decisions are in your face.Stop blaming the ELD for your inability to think for yourself. Far too many lack that ability today and blame everything and every body but themselves . Wake up drivers. If you cant think for your self please leave the industry. You are making all truck drivers look bad and the fmcsa is putting all of us in the same box.
larry l almont says
your right
Travis L. Werner says
The FMCSA should overhaul itself,instead of trying to make subjects out of all of us who are out there trying to live our own lives,instead of being govt. pawns !
D says
When will you silly truckers grow a pair and shut down???
Torrain Benton says
They need to please get rid of the 70 hour hour rule because we need to be more consistent on making money and help pay taxes better
Gentry Newsom says
You folks have screwed me with these frivolous laws and I’ve decided to do anything but trucking it has no incentive to make money anymore the drivers don’t perform pre-trips anymore they sit in the truck and watch the eld & when ten minutes are up they take off. Its a shame that non- truckers are making rules that are foolish & I think are civil rights violations to Americans that are just trying to make a good living….I won’t miss the scales/cops or greenhorn drivers at all so keep thinking your doing somthing good for somthing you have never done…fools! Never under estimate the power of a group of fools they feed on each other’s delusional ideas! Until it’s ruined………Gentry
Courtland says
No only do we need hours of service reform. There should also be laws in place on the amount of time warehouses are keeping drivers tied up on their docks. It makes absolutely no sense for a warehouse to keep any truck on their dock for hours at a time.
Ri ma says
Mouse killer, how do you figure that?You need to wake up and smell the roses. We are not robots driving over the road. Are you a driver, do you actually drive a truck over the road for a living? If you did drive or do you drive, you would know that there is no way you can plan for every little obstacle that comes around, like snow storms , rain, accidents that stop traffic, breakdowns, those 2-4-6-8- + plus hour delays in getting loaded and unloaded, breakdowns so on and so forth. BUT THE CLOCK IS STILL RUNNING ON THE ELOG. Not only that but, just because an alarm clock goes off that doesn’t mean that you have had enough sleep and are actually ready to drive. Or, someone could be exhausted but they just can’t stop and rest because the clock is still ticking. Stay legal mousekiller.
David says
You’ll need to hire somebody in your office that knows something about truck and none of y’all have ever had a CDL and pretty sure none of y’all have lived in a truck
M. says
We the Drivers are dealing with a BUNCH of RAT’S!!! IF We the Drivers Do Not put a stop to all of this nonsense We will be swept right under. Now they are thinking to put in TEENAGERS as Drivers too. A bunch of 18year old CHILDREN. For they could invent new policies to all drivers if these children don’t know how to behave…
Danny Derrick says
I’ve been a Trucker for only 50 years, and have seen many Government Mandates & Rules designed to correct the problems in our industry. All of these were the Brain Farts of people who have no idea of what it is like to work or live in a truck. IMO the Government is incapable of organizing a proper bowel movement and I do NOT expect this to change or get any better….
Evelyn says
Heard this so long now. So how many years will this take? Seems besides the foolish ELD plan it’s all talk. Should be in effect oh let’s see 30 days at most. Change the wording of the meaning? To help trucks or more financial gain in fines. What and how long after more have lost all they have! Direct answers would tell what is real or not
Could we get direct answers and dates been debated for ever. What does the plan look like?
Kevin P. Smith says
Good luck on fixing a system that works with the shipper not the driver. Sitting at docks burning up on duty time kills everyone’s day. The shippers don’t seem to care if they hold you all day. They never pay retention to the driver anyway.
Jr. w/41 years OTR says
It’s simple, DROP the 14 hr rule. This is what causes drivers to push the limits. Give us a little flexibility. If we get sleepy, pull over and take a nap. If you are going to hit a major city at rush hour, stop and take a break. If you want to get your wife an anniversary gift, stop and shop. We don’t need a shot clock or play clock as they do in sports. All this does is make us hurry. Its simple, when your 11 is up you take 10 off. You don’t need a calculator to figure that one out.
Johnny Groves says
Just give us back the right to do our jobs. A 8 hour sleep period of no less then 3 hours then 5 hours to get to a 8 hour… Safety will return to the industry.. I’m on paper but wouldn’t have no problem with the ELD logs.. Get rid of the 30 minute break we can nap when we’re tired when we’re in control… and give us a chance to talk with you all and we’ll tell you about bad actors…. Thanks for your time… I’m a owner operator… 35 years keeping America safe…
Mike says
Man truck drivers need to learn how to stand together for one week. Think about this some days you wake up and feel great then 3 hours later you realize you need to get a nap and some days you wake up and can go all day. Each one of us has a different normal sleep cycle. Doctors and universities have proven this through numerous different studies. We need to be ALLOWED to work 14 hours a day 7 days a week and break our day up as the job demands. This should not give a dispatcher or shipper/ receiver the right to force the driver into an unsafe act. The drivers are still in the drivers seat. My dispatcher knows that when I get tired I’m going to get some sleep. There is not one thing on the back of a truck that is worth the life of anyone out there . If I were hauling something vital to a person’s life I would be driving a jet or a helicopter. I’m not trying to be funny but that’s how I see it. The ELD is not going anywhere but we could get some common sense involved in the rules. On 18 year old drivers in otr trucks use some common sense they only have 2 years at best driving a car and our government wants to put them in control of 80000 lbs of truck and cargo. Are they in cahoots with the lawyers that advertise WE KNOW HOW TO SUE the big truck companies. Bad idea Government… On drivers needing to be able to read write and speak the English language I think everyone deserves a chance to make a living the way they choose but we speak English and our signs are English. I saw a driver who had an app on his phone and he let the shipping clerk talk to his phone while it interpreted the language so he would know where to sign. This needs to be STOPPED. When I was in the USMC I had to learn the language of the country I was in enough to be able to read the signs so I could pass the test. They probably would have shot me had I tried that trick. If we all shut the trucks down for one week they will wake up but remember nobody listens until someone gets mad. Isnt it about time we got mad. I know you’re going to say that you’re company will fire you. No they won’t because then they will have to rehire someone to replace you. That means new hire paperwork/ drugscreens new MVR and two days more for the results do you think they are going to add to or three more days to a week long shutdown. Let’s all think about this. We have a right to peaceful protest and that will work. When the powers that be cant get all the things we bring to them when ever they want to they will wake up. Bushmaster is my handle on the cb holler at me good luck drive safe
Saini says
Remove the 34 hour reset and have some kind of arrangement where driver can off the log book when they have to wait for hours at the loading docks
Bobby says
All of ya’ll don’t know what you are talking about. Hos were started because the railroad did’nt want trucks cutting them 10\8 had been in effect since 1926, and you could split your 8 hrs off. And the hos you never have to take a 34 if after 8 days you have time to drive because what you drove the 1st day you get that back at midnight on the 9th day as long as you never go over 70hrs in a rolling 8 days you can keep getting the time thats on the bubble, and learn how to use an 8\2 split and it will work for you. And you don’t have to take a 34 but thats for drivers that live on the road.
Tony says
Eliminate the word consecutive from the 14 hour rule institute split split sleeper berth Old rules 8/2 7/3 6/4 5/5 And be done with it
larry l almont says
what good will do to do away with the 30 min. break ?? what are you going to gain 30 40 miles ?? it should be the 30 min break stops the clock like a 9 to 5
Ed says
That 30 minute break for P&D local drivers is useless.
Trucker186 says
I say we keep the 10 and do it where you can do a 5 and a 5 or a 10,keep the 70 hr rule. The 30 should get the boot or maybe we should make that a mandatory vehicle inspection time?
Mike says
Eliminate the 14 consecutive hour rule.
Under the old rules, a driver could go off duty or in the sleeper mid shift & extend their hours. For instance, major accident or stuck waiting at a shipper. Log off then gain those hours.
David says
Simple fix must take a 5.5 hour nap somewhere between 9pm and 6 am …problem solved…
David harper says
Must take a 5.5 hour nap between the hours of 9pm and 6am…drive no more than 11 hours a day..forget all other 14 hour..30 minutes. 70 hours..nonsense
Mister Jay says
So here is what they are going to do. The are going to keep everything the same. Off duty will pause the 14 hour clock which it already pause the 70 hr clock. That’s the biggest issue it’s nothing else wrong with HOS but that. Why should our clock tick when we sitting in a dock. The 34 reset doesn’t need to be changed. So use it, some don’t. To be honest I’ll run recaps but why guess with recaps when I can take a 34 and know I have the hours to run the freight. The 30 min break is needed. I don’t care who you are or how long you been driving. You need a break that’s human nature. The body gets fatigue when bloodflow slows down. The 30 min break gives you time to get out the truck for a mid trip inspection, or just to use the rest room. Just my opinion!!! BSM
J.R. says
8 hrs sleep, 11 hrs Drive, 16 hrs can work, 2 breaks 15 min ea., first inside first 8 hrs worked & 2nd one if must work over 12.
David K says
I do know the mandatory 30 min break is comming off this year. The split sleeper is being reinstated,5/5,6/4,7/3, vis-versa. There will a couple more changes as well. For most they would not apply for OTR drivers.
Ron says
Stop the clock is all that is needed along with split sleeper problems solved
Will says
Allow rest breaks to extend the 14. Drivers keep pushing because the 14 is running out, let them take rest breaks when they need them and drive when they want, rested.
Heath says
If you would just get rid of the 14 hour rule keep everything else in place it would work out still 30 min break before 8 hrs. But if I’m in a dock for for 4 hours I should still be aloud to drive my full 8hrs. then break for 30 and finish my 11 hours of driving once my drive time is up I need 10 consecutive hours off duty or in the sleeper this would be good for all
24years and tired says
I’m sitting at a shipper right now, out of hours due to the 14 hour rule and them taking 4 hours to load me. Only drove 4 hours today. But I can’t leave, unless they kick me out and force me to drive to a safe haven. But that will screw me up tomorrow. Just get rid of the 14-hr rule. It’s the stupidest thing ever. 11/10/70 works fine if you don’t have to subject your available work time to the whims of a shipper/receiver.
lvaknazlvaknaza says
For every 10 hr break you take, you get 11/14 to work. So no need for a recap, or 34hr reset.
Tony says
What we need to do is drop the 14-hour rule and bring the drive time to 13 hours and then a 10-hour to reset with a 80 hour work
Tony says
Ok what needs to happen is we need to remove the 14 hour rule then change drive time to 13 hours following a 10 rest piriod to reset our 13 hour drive time following a 30 min break.then we need to change the work week up to 80 hours following a 40 hour reset to gain our 80 hour clock back.
DeeAnna says
Just get rid of the 30 min break. That’s a huge start. Messes me up every day. I’ve had to take a 30 min break just to go 10 more miles, or take a break just to end up in rush hour traffic.
elijah says
Get rid of the 70 hour cap keep the 30 min break but allow it at any point in your day and increase hours to 15 hours of driving 18 hours on duty and add in an emergency 1 hour of driving for if youre held up at a customer traffic etc
Matt says
Do any of you have real trucking experience. 20 to 30 years plus should help with hos
Mr. Minnesota says
The ELD reform is a coverup for the real issue. Available parking is our biggest problem that needs to be addressed. This let’s put cameras and signage up to tell truckers if parking is available or not is not solving the problem its adding to it. Yes I do believe that we need some flexibility on our hos, but if you properly trip plan and wake up before you get your hos back you should have no problems. The parking situation in the US is outrageous. Only a few states have developed areas where we can have a safe place to sleep. A great example is Nebraska. They are using space that wasnt being used previously and turned it into truck parking. Iowa plans on shutting down 15 of their parking only rest areas and adding more parking to the ones that are used more frequently effectively eliminating available truck parking in areas that have little to none. People we need to get off this ELD crap and address more pressing issues.
Laurence Calascione says
If you don’t make enough money in 70 hours, you are working too cheap.
Angry Owner says
The FMCSA needs to stay out of our business… Those who have bad records of violation and high accident rates (I won’t mention names but they sound like Swift, Werner, CRST, England, Knight, etc etc…) should be using e log or some way to get there horrible drivers under control. The owner operators aren’t the issue… in fact I’ve seen more mega carrier trucks getting pulled over for speeding in 80 mile-an-hour zones than before this stupid mandate. These idiots are speeding through construction zones doing well over the posted speed limit and completely disregarding the construction speed limit. The truck accident rate has gone up 15% since this mandate went into effect so it’s quite obvious that it’s not working. All this stupid mandate is is a ploy to try and weed out owner operators and let the mega carriers take over and destroy this industry completely. All you need to do is follow the money. Mega carriers can afford high truck turnover rates literally and figuratively whereas small owner operators who actually get more work done than the mega carriers do can’t afford to buy a new truck every 300,000 to 400,000 miles.
mousekiller says
Let us decide when and for how long we need to stop . Let us stop the clock when we stop the truck.
Let us stop the truck as often and for as long as WE see fit to do so. It is called safety.
Dump that costly ignorant 30 minute mandated break.
Make the ELD voluntary not mandated.
Go to a lot of truck stops, talk in person to truck drivers about the trucking industry and the regulations and conditions we work under. Don’t go to a truck stop if your feelings are easily hurt as truck drivers will tell you the truth.You will not like hearing the truth. You do not need an armed body guard. yet.
. Mega carriers are only looking out for themselves, not the drivers. To them drivers are a dime a dozen and they get paid by the govt to hire drivers.
To you so called FMCSA experts . Go get you a CDL. Get a real job of driving a truck for at least 2 years. Then you can talk intelligently about HOS. I bet 9 out of 10 of you can’t pass the tests.
Ray says
Increase 14 hr to 16, keep drive 11. 10 break
Gregory Cross says
There are more issues with FMCSA HOS than simply the 30 min break requirement, 11/14 hr limit and 34 hour restart issue. If you examine how the regs officially describe your time at a customer, you are required to be on duty legally UNLESS you have been officially released from all requirements to move the truck. If you are in a dock, you are ON DUTY. If the customer requires you to be on their property, you are ON DUTY.
IMHO, the only concrete way of getting to an honest solution to HOS issues is for a percentage of drivers to just operate within all of the FMCSA regs. That means a complete, legal pretrip/post trip. Yes, exactly like you had to do for your initial drivers road test to get your license. That includes inspecting the trailer cross members and frame, checking that all of the documents for the truck and trailer are present, accurate and up to date, opening the hood and checking belts, hoses and all the fluid levels as well as doing a full air brake pump down test. That takes a minimum of 30 minutes.
Would any drivers operate exactly as the FMCSA HOS regs specify? I doubt it. It would eliminate 30% of their productivity and be a huge sacrifice. BUT, if enough drivers did just that, the message would become clear to not just FMCSA but the entire country when freight sits on docks waiting for trucks or is sitting on a trailer 20 miles from a customer because the driver doesn’t have any more time to get it there.
The power to change things IS NOT in the hands of the FMCSA. The drivers have the power to change everything (including the lowest earnings for a high liability high risk job), but the issue is as a group, truck drivers don’t have the balls to do anything and aren’t smart enough to organize for their own good.
Rory says
Off duty time SHOULD NOT count against your 14 hours, and do away with the 30 minute mandatory brake
Carlos Perez says
What I would like in the HOS Overhaul No More Required 34 Hour Resets Rule Is Stupid. If we are resting 10 hours a days what’s the point of doing a reset. Also If our off duty is counting against us once we start our fourteen they should up it to 16 hours. 11 driving hours and 5 hours for loading unloading And Etc. I don’t see a problem with the 30 minute we all take a break anyway.
Martin E Neltner says
Reading all the negative comments suggests why there needs to be regulations. The process called the comment period has purpose to stop irresponsible drivers from even doing more stupid things. Like excessive speeding. Clustering. Tailgating. Be responsible and there will be no need for regulations
Chris says
I think they should do away with the rules, but make the penalties so severe for screwing up that people wouldn’t take the risk. Back in the olden days I did what I wanted, only stressing about making things match, or getting stopped randomly. I didn’t really speed or feel rushed. Now we have morons driving as fast as they can everywhere, not properly inspecting their equipment, taking stupid unnecessary risks, making them more unsafe. This job isn’t a vacation and we all know that, but I’d much rather take my time off at home than in some S hole truck stop. On my normal loop I do I used to leave Monday morning around 6 and be back and loaded ready to go on Friday around noon. Now I leave Monday at 3am and I’m usually not done until Friday around dinner time. How much sense does that make?
Ray Z says
Lab rats, thats what drivers are to this regulations.
Lets change this and see how they react and how things go. Uppsy we messed up they are getting tire even more, its a mess trucks sleeping everywhere, in parking lots, hwy ramps, more accidents. We might need to change it up a littler bit, lets try somethi g else. We dont know jack about being on the road and driving, but survey’s and stats say that if we change here and there, that would be a solution. Crap we messed up again. Meanwhile drivers are getting killed, safety is a major issue and business are barely making it. Great solution !!! Trucking nowadays is a Joke.
Bill Macy says
Stop the 14 hour clock when being loaded or unloaded by other than driver. Why should the driver lose valuable hours when some of the loaders take 7 hours to load or unload. It sucks when your 14 gets drained by a third party.