New Hours Of Service

My mobile connection won't let me reply with a quote but I'm wondering how Cowpie gets a signedcopy of his bills after being unloaded without going On Duty. No inspection of the interior of the trailer for possible damage while unloading ?

 

Not only do we do it, it's expected.

 

Well... for those who see this job just as a way of making a living, maybe... but for me, it's MUCH more than that... it's not about money, it's about joy and fulfillment, passion... I LOVE life on the road, don't have any family, like to drive and live in the truck, LOVE this way of living, this is not a sacrifice for me, it's a PLEASURE... this is my way of living. But all these ABSURD regulations are just destroying my pleasure...

 

You see EZX1100, drivers have no power to fight against government... No strong representation, no organization, no nothing... Did you read what Cowpie1 wrote here?

Although some of us, like him, contact their representatives and such... that's not much and not enough... When most drivers do nothing... We are not vocal enough, we don't pressure enough, we don't organize enough, we don't strike enough, we don't rebel, we don't protest, we don't do much anything other than complain to each other and adapt to whatever they give us... I think this OTR trucking job is going to suck big time in the near future... Well, it already does with elog... Somehow I envy folks like Cowpie1, who started trucking 30 years ago and had the opportunity to enjoy the good old times, when there was more fun, more freedom, more ability to make money, more brotherhood... Folks like him can retire "happy", if they wish... and they will not be missing much...

 

I guess team driving is the way of the future...... never worry about the 14.....never drive more than 10......dont worry about where to park..... on time, every time - without the need to go as fast as you can....... just gotta sleep with one eye open and your wallet up your crack and hope you never get a ticket for idling.

 

I get a signed copy just fine. Most times it is walked out and handed to me. Hardly any of the b/l that I get have date/time stamps so it really doesn't matter when I get it, does it? And I inspect the trailer after pulling away from the dock and closing the doors. I don't need to be on a dock when they are doing their thing. And even if I did do something that technically could be called "on duty" there is nothing to show around that shows I was doing something that required on duty. Like yesterday, when I greased the truck when I stopped for a little while and the weather was real nice. That technically is an "on duty" thing, but it sure didn't get shown as such. I never said that I abide by all the details of the regs in using an e-log, but I never was a stickler for abiding by them to the last detail when on paper either.

I find it amazing that people want to pick about what I do in using the e-log, but they don't want an e-log so they can "fudge" things on paper. But God forbid I might "fudge" things a little with the e-log. Man, that is pretty hypocritical.

 

I have no love affair with the "good old times" and the goofy crap we pulled off trying to run loads. Personally, I am glad they are the "old days". I don't miss them one bit. Just like I have no fondness with remembering my military service either. You may envy me for having experienced those days, but I sure have no fond memories of trucking then. Like Billy Joel said in a song once.... "the good 'ol days weren't always that good, and tomorrow is not as bad as it seems". The regulations are more stupid now, but there was a lot more that was miserable about trucking then that made up for less regulations. And I am not one who lives in the past.

 

I only log 10min pretrip, 5min fueling, and 5min postrip, 10 min unloading or loading; at the customers i'm either on lunch break or restroom break...all the rest is either sleeper or driving. DOT has always said : "here's your log book back, Thank you and be safe out there."----- However, my smartmouth, loud mouth, and whiney co-drivers havent been that lucky, i don't know why? do you?

 

Ok, so you don't miss the "good old times"... cause in your opinion they were not good... So be it. I know others who do enjoy their old trucking memories... Each person is different and so are their experiences... Maybe yours are not worth remembering... And that has NOTHING to do with living in the past... I would still like to have started 10 or 15 years ago... even though I am a female and would have to face more problems, more sex discrimination among other difficulties... I am well aware of running non-stop to deliver loads... I did hitchhike with truck drives for months at a time in Brasil in the early 80's... drivers had (and still have) to run non-stop, take drugs to remain awake not only to run more loads but also because there were/ are no places to park and no HOS enforcement... But although it was rough, tough, dangerous... I did like it. And have GREAT memories about that! Maybe I am one of those crazy people...

 

Rocks, if you're crazy I'm right there with you. I love this job and I run hard because I want to. I am all for sensible regulation, but when laws become unduly restrictive as a byproduct of special interests jostling, I am less likely to remain in full compliance.