HOS VS Brains

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by hrdman2luv, Nov 29, 2011.

Do you need the HOS to make you a safe driver?

  1. Yes - I need the government's regulations to tell me when I'm unsafe to drive.

    7.2%
  2. *

    No - I know myself and my body better than the government

    83.1%
  3. *

    Not sure - I've always ran legal and never thought about it

    10.8%
  1. dibstr

    dibstr Road Train Member

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    Sep 10, 2010
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    Not only does the government not tell you when to sleep, they can't.


    Which was the origins of most labor laws. The safety issue came later and was used/exploited to rationalize/justify not only laws and regulations but the continued existence of those responsible for making laws and regulations.

    Compromise can be both good and bad. After a NOPRM is issued and the comment period is open I usually go to the website and read some of the comments. A super large percentage of the comments (Most from irate drivers) just bxxch and moan and offer nothing of substance as a response. The "powers that be" aren't about to compromise with idiotic morons who post repetitive off topic ranting comments like a one armed wallpaper hanger on crack.
     
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  3. hrdman2luv

    hrdman2luv Medium Load Member

    695
    34,847
    Dec 24, 2006
    100% Texan til I die.
    0
    That's right. But they do tell us all, that we have to spend at least 8 hours in the bunk. What we do in the bunk is our own business. Right?

    So if I spend 8 to 10 hours in my bunk, watching TV, playing video games, catching up on paperwork or what ever, after the 10 hours is up, whether I've slept at all, then I'm legal to drive.

    That's unsafe right? You know it.. I know it. We all know it.. But it's legal.. And I thought the HOS was there to make the roads safer.
     
    volvodriver01 Thanks this.
  4. dibstr

    dibstr Road Train Member

    1,308
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    Sep 10, 2010
    Mississippi
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    Or you can take 10 off and go to the casino. All the regs do is give one the opportunity to get rest, what a driver does with this opportunity is up to him/her.

    Not necessarily. § 392.3 Ill or fatigued operator.

    No driver shall operate a commercial motor vehicle, and a motor carrier shall not require or permit a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle, while the driver's ability or alertness is so impaired, or so likely to become impaired, through fatigue, illness, or any other cause, as to make it unsafe for him/her to begin or continue to operate the commercial motor vehicle...

    May want to refresh with that little green bible.
     
  5. SHO-TYME

    SHO-TYME Road Train Member

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    Apr 20, 2011
    Dahlonega, GA
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    The reason for these rules is because of the idiots who screw around in the truckstop, don't get any sleep then go down the road and run into a school bus full of kids.

    Better think again about having the shippers and brokers try to abolish HOS, then they'll FORCE you to drive from LA to NY nonstop or not pay you, if you get killed, so what, if you tell the company you won't do it, they'll just have someone else do it, they could care less.

    Several of the companies now that run EOBRs are the same ones several years ago that forced their drivers to falsify their logs and then were involved in accidents and then the companies were sued big time.
     
    corneileous Thanks this.
  6. Scott101

    Scott101 Medium Load Member

    607
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    Nov 30, 2008
    NorCal
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    Complying with HOS regulations is more fatiguing then driving the truck.
     
    volvodriver01 Thanks this.
  7. Tazz

    Tazz Road Train Member

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    Lynchburg,Tn
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    You will have to forgive Ellsworth. He believes in working twice as long for littler pay.

    Ellsworth your poll is incomplete as most poll's are. You are missing the third and logical choice of : I understand that while HOS does not guarantee safe operation operation within those guidleines is quite possible, and profitable if done correctly.

    Still running hazmat around on your girlfriends log book Ellsworth?
     
  8. Brandonpdx

    Brandonpdx Road Train Member

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    Dec 27, 2007
    Elkhart, IN
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    I don't find the HOS rules getting in my way that much to be honest. It's usually other outside factors that determines when the day ends. If I've got a bunch of furniture drops scattered apart and these places are all only open from 9-5, it does me no good to be on somebody's dock at 5 am or 10 pm. Or if I have a live unload appointment for a certain date and time, it would do me no good to drive 16 hours straight to be there 10 hours early. So, I find it's usually other time constraints like these that set the agenda.
     
  9. corneileous

    corneileous Road Train Member

    1,366
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    Nov 19, 2009
    Podunk, OK
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    Well, maybe so but I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. Fatigued driving may be at an all-time low for now like you say it is but the potential for someone to fall asleep at the wheel is always there. The lawmakers, the dot and the government know that there is still lots and lots of drivers that fudge on their logs and its only a matter of time before one of them lets their guard down, slips and ends up on the 6 o'clock news.

    That is nowhere near the same thing. Although maybe it should be, but buying foreign products isn't illegal. Buying foreign products isn't a good thing but doing it doesn't lead to the consumer breaking the law.
    There's more than just a "few" bad apples. If it was just merely a few, the government wouldn't see q reason to interfere and waste their time.

    Ok, so if you don't mind my asking, what was the logbook ticket for?

    You're right, its not. But I guarantee you, you have an accident that involves the death of someone who got wrapped up in your pile of wreckage and the lawyers find out you falsified your logs, those lawyers will do everything in their power to make sure you spend a few years behind bars.


    So, are you suggesting you don't need any sleep?

    ;)

    Really, please explain.

    I don't lose any sleep over the HOS policy and my elog. As a matter of fact, because of my electronic log, that's one less thing I have to spend a bunch of time fooling with at the beginning and end of my shift. I just make sure my line 1, line 2, line 4 and line 5 information is entered and the elog takes care of the math. Simple as that. I hit the approve button and viola.....
     
  10. popmartian

    popmartian Road Train Member

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    Can a driver be on duty 18 hours or more (not continously) in a 24 hour period (00:01 to 23:59) legally? When using the sleeper split provision, which allows a driver to extend his shift by eight if needed.

    The current debate regarding HOS is confusing to many. The safety advocates want to use it for an excuse to shut down tired drivers with mis-information about crashes. They want us to believe problem is the pro who drives safe rather than the bafoons who are distracted,texting, drinking, etc. etc..while driving.

    What change is the DOT going to drop on us when they decide to announce the final ruling? who knows but maybe the insiders who lobby for another overhaul of the H.O.S.

    :biggrin_25510:
     
  11. 07-379Pete

    07-379Pete Crusty Commando-Pete

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    Campbellsville, Ky
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    What do you mean on duty 18 hours or more (not continuously)? On duty not driving? As long as you aint driving you can be on duty not driving for a 1000 hours straight but you will have to take 10 hours off before you drive.
     
    RickG Thanks this.
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