Why not give us more hours of off duty status?

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by NewNashGuy, Nov 10, 2013.

  1. NewNashGuy

    NewNashGuy Road Train Member

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    If DOT is so worried about us being tired, why not give us more than three hours of off duty time once we started our clock? There are countless times when my off duty status is drained at the shipper and when I want to stop and rest it starts eating up my drive time even if I barely drove. If I had more off duty time, maybe another hour, that would give me time to take a good nap. Heck really they could make it five hours, it is up to us to decide if we need to break or not without eating away our drive time. Then I can take a nap, shower, go shopping, and still have time to drive to where I gotta go if the schedule is tight. Plus I shower during the day since it is nearly impossible to get a shower in the morning or at night when 98% of drivers take their showers at a truckstop that only has 5 - 8 showers total.
     
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2013
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  3. dannythetrucker

    dannythetrucker Road Train Member

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    I agree with you, HOS is so messed up. It used to be 10 hours on duty, 8 off. One of the problems with that system was guys would just run 10 stop 8 over and over and wind up sleeping during the day one day, at night another, it was a problem. They came up with the 14 hour rule and the current system in an attempt to let us maintain a schedule a little more, which it has I guess, but also creates other problems like the one you mentioned.
     
  4. NewNashGuy

    NewNashGuy Road Train Member

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    Yes just adding one extra off duty hour within the 14 hour clock would probably make the hos workable. There are times when I am feeling wide awake and happy and don't even need a break so it is available for us if we want to take it.
     
  5. sherlock510

    sherlock510 Road Train Member

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    Paper logs FTW





    You're right.

    Screwed if ya do, screwed if ya don't :biggrin_25513:
     
    Last edited: Nov 10, 2013
  6. dannythetrucker

    dannythetrucker Road Train Member

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    I hear ya driver, but it's hardly a win in my mind when a guy has to resort to dishonesty just to do his job. It's hardly a win when we have to spend additional time and resources filling out these goofy books when the initial problem was spending too much time doing our jobs anyway.
     
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  7. tinytim

    tinytim Road Train Member

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    Didn't realize there's a limit to to off duty time. Scratching my head...
     
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  8. snowwy

    snowwy Road Train Member

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    more off duty means more time truck is off the road. that's what the gooberment wants.

    they've already implemented a lunch break and a harder to accomplish 34.

    if you want more off duty time. then your too lazy to drive a truck. the rest of us are here to make a living. NOT SIT.
     
  9. DirtyBob

    DirtyBob Road Train Member

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    I think you're misunderstanding what he meant. He doesn't mean he wants more time not working, he wants more than a 3 hour buffer in the 14. Wanting to be able to utilize more of your 11 without the 14 cutting into it is the opposite of wanting to sit more.
     
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  10. truckon

    truckon Swamp Thing

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    You already work 70 hours to make what others make in 40, and you need more?? Work smarter man, not harder.
     
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  11. SHO-TYME

    SHO-TYME Road Train Member

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    Complain to the shipper, if they can't load a truck in under 3 hours, they need to find something new to do. I know of concerts and such that take down everything and load 14 trucks in under 4 hours.......
     
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