14 hour rule change

Yep the 30 minute break and 14 hr clock is the ones i am constantly having problems with....

 

Only benefit I see of this is that drivers can now pause their clock to get some rest if they need it. I wouldn't say it's making the day longer, but more or less just 2 short shifts. Let's say I didn't get good sleep or I'm feeling under the weather. Pull off and take a few hour rest and be ready to go when I wake up. I see it being good for drivers and owner ops.

Unfortunately companies are just going to see you sitting in a major traffic slow downs or late at a shipper receiver and say "pause your clock until you are ready to drive". That I don't agree with. Then again we have the power to say no.

 

The additional flexibility is good, but some problems with this proposal is in not allowing any of the up to three hour period to count towards the driver's daily rest unless they're doing a split break and also only allowing one such period. I also think three hours is too long if it isn't a split break.

After running a lot in both countries, the HOS rules we have here are much better. The ability to take up to two hours in increments of at least 30 minutes and have it count towards your daily rest allows for a much more civilized and healthy work balance. Take a coffee and stretch break of 30 minutes, a sit down lunch/stretch/nap break of an hour, another 30 minute break later, then rest for eight works wonders.

The issues of drivers being delayed at shippers/receivers and not being paid are separate problems.

 

Ok. All well and good. So I can pause my clock, but that doesn’t delay my delivery appointment.

 

No it doesn't but if you have a big window and are running ahead of schedule, then it shouldn't matter. Is there to benefit you how ever you see fit. That's the main purpose of this rule. However companies are going to make it where it hurts us more than help

 

aaand once again,the Gooberment throws out all “our” suggestions and claim they know what’s best.

 

It really should be a requirement for anyone at the fmcsa to have actually been a trucker.

 

How is it more work?

 

If you slip seat and get 'em back in 14 you can work two shifts a day.....

 

Most of the complaining about the new changes to the split sleeper rule is probably coming from drivers working for mega-carriers. As I understand the new rule carriers, especially mega-carriers, will certainly use it to abuse their drivers even more than they already do. If a driver is stuck at a shipper/receiver for 3 hours early in his day he will likely not be able to nap but the carrier will still expect him to pause his clock.

On the other hand, most drivers I have spoken with over the years have wished they could stop to nap when tired and not have it count against their 14. The appointment time doesn't need to be changed as long as the break is part of a split. After a 3-4 hour nap, anyone I've ever conversed with on the subject states they are good for another 4-5 hours of driving. I, personally, am all for not being penalized for taking a nap when I'm tired.

I have said for years that any period over 3 hours in the sleeper should pause the 14 hour clock. The key to that is actually being in the sleeper napping whether at a shipper/receiver or at a truck stop. If that was the new rule and a driver logged that he was in the sleeper but really wasn't, then the affects of the extended day is on him. It's too bad the new 14 hour pause doesn't require sleeper time. Of course if it did, many drivers (myself included) would at times log in the sleeper when they aren't really so that their day can be extended. But that is a choice like many we have always made on our logs and we live with the consequences of our choices.

Fortunately, since about 2 years into driving, I have not driven for a company as an OO or a CD which would hold it against me if I stopped because I was too tired to drive even if it meant being late for an appointment. I'm also not someone who abuses my right to say I'm too tired to drive. Being really tired and being too tired are two different things. In my situation, and that of many drivers, being able to stop to rest when needed and not have it count against my clock is a wonderful thing. Is the new rule perfect? No! Few things are. (The old 5 and 5 was closer in my opinion.) But it is, at least, a step in the right direction.