For the past 2 weeks my driver manager has made me work past the 70 hour rule. How do you handle this? I do not necessarirly go over his head but is it true that if stopped by DOT, I would be fined?
Thanks
breaking the 70 hour rule
Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by chrisn, Oct 10, 2010.
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Call your safety department. If he's doing it to you, he's most likely doing it to a lot of drivers. The 70 hour rule is not just an arbitrary rule created by the government to f truckers, it is a safety rule in place to protect the public. Handled correctly, safety should look at all his drivers and look for trend. Your name should not come up. Ask them to audit. Yes, you will be fined.
Max -
Nobody can make you do anything. If he pressures you to run illegally it's up to you to say no. If your company has qualcomm make sure you communicate using it to let him know you don't have the hours available.
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shut the truck down at 70!!!!!!! You cannot be fired for refuseing to run iilegal!(although they my starve you out and force you to quit, they cannot fire you for it)
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It is not unlawful to work past your 70. It is unlawful to DRIVE past your 70. If it's driving that's expected of you and you don't work for a bottom-feeder three-truck fly-by-night, go to Safety. If that doesn't work, document and shut down. It's your license. When DOT tickets you, that company is going to give a rat's behind less.
Working Class Patriot and Markk9 Thank this. -
that totally stinks, here everybody tries to comply with the rules, but companies are trying to squeeze the lemon.
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Yes, no one makes you do anything but the larger issue here is a DM who's risking getting his drivers cited or hurt to pad HIS stats and look good for the boss. Working the safety chain does a couple things. It takes the heat off this driver, identifies the DM for what he is and hopefully lets the other DM's know that it is no way to get ahead. Also, if there is an issue further down the road the drivers have documentation that safety was notified of the issue, the company took no action (or did) and when the company tries to hang out the driver for whatever incident occurred the driver(s) lawyer can cite lack of due diligence or corrective action. Helps in fighting a DAC problem as well.
Max -
As stated communicate with this POS dispatcher. Put it on that QC. The company can delete all the messages they want BUT the servers at QC keep them for this kind of thing or even worse! All it takes to get them is a subpoena!
Again you can "work" past 70 hours but don't drive.
Unless the BFI is paying really, really good money I'd bail and find something better or safer!
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