Post Gordon ~ Thoughts, Commentary & Reflections

You mentioned a mechanic. Are you doing part and shop doing rest? Sorry to hear about the renewed trouble. One time took 3x get, I think it was a steering rack, from Country Auto over here. After all the trouble, found could get a new one with guarantee for $99 or so. Had local guys doing the R&R in my garage.

Was a lot of trouble. They had 3rd one in and when I told them about the new one with warranty, just said, "No, Victor, no... "

They'd had enough!

 

Well, I'm literally in awe of guys like you and my buddy Tim with LS (Landstar). If his 3406 Cat needs a new head, he and his Dad, a retired diesel mechanic, just pull it apart and do it.

 

Yeah, the unpredictable construction on I-70 this last year has backed traffic up sometimes from well before Cloverdale all the way to Brazil (westbound) and same on the other side (eastbound). Miles and miles of traffic at a California dead stop. Barely creeping along.

Company driver at 62 mph isn't going to do 4 stops and 610 miles anyway!

Bring pillow...

 

Very funny, Wayne... by the way, do you realize how much OLDER I am than you????? Gives me an excuse for being a little slower, Big Brudder!! But, yeah, I want one of the Pinnacle sleepers to do what you did Tuesday. Had only an hour left with just the one stop.

Hey! Your directions were darn good! Could go back there either way, I-64 or I-70. No problem! (Probably shouldn't say that... )

I'll be out again on Saturday, to somewhere.

One more online course, HOS. Will do that tomorrow...

This job's still in the honeymoon phase, haven't seen/run into anything I don't like--yet--well, the city horn on these Macks. It's very cool pulling the hood to one of these Macks and not seeing even a hint of an oil leak or maintenance issue. Very cool!

 

Apneas Return

Don't need a pulse-oximeter recorder hooked up to understand how I slept last night, really the first since got back from Trip West and chelation/Plaquex treatments that I've noticed. Oddly, if I didn't know better, waking up from an apnea there's a slightly refreshed feeling. Well, duh-uh. These are what I'd call 'soft' wake-ups, too, where it's really, really easy to fall right back asleep.

So for a while you hardly notice, because you still feel 'okay'... I feel fine right now for that matter. Not stressed or distressed. Noticed I was peeing a lot the last couple days. But if I'd had the big pulse oximeter recorder hooked up last night it would have been bad news.

Well, it is bad news.

When you wake up you draw in needed oxygen that wasn't there because you stopped breathing, your brain wakes you up to get you to breathe and... Hey! You feel a little refreshed. Oh, yeah, sure. Brain also tells heart to pump more blood to carry more oxygen, raising BP (blood pressure).

It figures. Weight's up, not down as it should be. Sunday evening had that rich Porter and meal-in-a-bowl rice/beans/meat after munching all day in the truck. Had Chambers' buffet Monday, that 2-inch thick, boneless pork chop (really good!) after the run Tuesday at Carson's, China Buffet in Ellettsville on Wednesday--oh, yeah! Munching while driving. A lot. Well, back driving for that matter. When was the last time I did the track over at the Spencer Y?

Not sure. Been busy.

Can't remember right now if I stopped and ate after last Saturday's run. Probably did... you get the picture, though.

Apparently reached a tipping point of sorts.

Spencer Y has a 'Get Fit Challenge' but every time I ask for info, doesn't add up. What do I get for $50? Get put on a 'team' with up to 4 others to compete for a couple months... Dunno. I'm just not much of a joiner or team player. Not. But if I thought it would help...

What to do? Well, head over to the Y this morning for one.

 

$627.47 Direct Deposit into Checking

Nice little deposit into checking account this morning, $627.47. The detail will be in cubbyhole in the office but covers a Sunday run to KY, Tuesday run to KY, Friday jaunt up to Indy to bring rental tractor back to Bloomington and Saturday run to KY again.

3 day trip runs to KY, back same day and a few hours to drive up in Boss's car with some other drivers and bring back a truck each.

For trucking the pay's pretty good, long days though. Will probably stop posting the deposits except if there's a new run, like to St. Louis Tuesday, that pays differently. The KY is like $197 plus $18.50 stop pay (for one stop). So 3 of those and $145 to bring the rental down from Indy.

If they send me out Tuesdays and Saturdays as planned, that's about $450/week and plenty of time to get some work done on the property.

So it works! A good thing... if it works out as planned.

And there goes the Y for this morning out the window. One of the reds is looking pretty beat up on top of her back where the boys have bit and beaked at her to do their thing with her. Decided to separate the boys from the girls. Well, the boys may fight. The girls need the relief. Took a while but finally got the job done. Gottum in separate areas.

Girls have access to coop and nesting box.

As it should be...

3 roosters in with 5 hens leaves roosters horny and hens ragged.

 

HOS--Last Online Course for New Outfit...

Hours of Service
FMCSR (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulation) Part 395 covers hours of service for both paper logs and EOBRs (Electronic On-Board Recorders)
Log explanation. All of a driver's time, every minute, is to be logged either on paper or EOBR.
4 different statuses that a driver can use to account for his/her time. Off duty. Sleeper Berth. Driving. On Duty.
Company drivers must account for time via EOBR per FMCSA 395.8.
With EOBR, driver can log in 'Off Duty' at beginning of shift and see hours available each day.
Definition of 'Driving Time': FMCSR 395.2. Vehicle is in operation either under load or bobtail.
Company policy: Driver may drive bobtail only with specific management permission.

Maximum Hours.
FMCSR 395.3(a)(1) Driver may not drive without taking 10 consecutive hours off-duty.
FMCSR 395.3(a)(2) Driver may only drive during 14 consecutive hours following 10 consecutive hours off duty. Driver may not drive after 14 consecutive hours without taking 10 hours off-duty.
FMCSR 395.3(a)(3) Driving time and rest breaks.
(i) Driving time. Driver may drive a total of 11 hours during the 14 consecutive hour period.
(ii) Rest breaks. After June 30, 2013, driving permitted after 8 hours since last off-duty only if has taken 30 minute rest break.

Example: In order to prevent having to take 2 30-minute breaks, driver should plan to take 30-minute break between hour 5 and 8 of time on-duty.

FMCSR 395.3(b)(1)Motor carrier shall not allow or permit driver to drive if has been on 60 hours in 7-day period, where carrier does not operate every day of week, or (2) 70 hours in 8 consecutive days.

FMCSR 395.3(c) 34 hours off-duty restarts a driver's 70-hour on-duty period--unless placed out of service. Part of 34-hour restart may be spent in sleeper berth.

FMCSR 395.1(b) Driving conditions. (1) Adverse conditions. 2 hours almost impossible and only within 14-hour on-duty time. Does not extend 14-hours. Conditions have to be unknown and unexpected by dispatcher at time of start of run. Does not include desire to get home, shipper demands, market conditions, shortage of drivers or mechanical failures.

On-duty time. Means all time after driver begins to work or is required to be ready to begin work until relieved. Includes:
(1) All time waiting to be dispatched at company or shipper or public property until relieved.
(2) All time inspecting, servicing or conditioning CMV equipment. Includes all time fueling.

Exclusions include sleeper berth and up to 2 hours in passenger seat.

(5) All time dealing with shippers and receivers.
(6) All time during breakdown.
(7) All time to provide random sample, including in-transit time to and from.

FMCSR 395.8(h)(1) Off duty hours. Recorded by a continuous line on log except for time in sleeper berth.
Off-duty line does not extend 14 hour clock. Or extend 70-hour rule.

Company policy with regard to off-duty hours at customer facility. Only if:
(1) CMV is in a safe location;
(2) A request has been approved by company to take time off duty at location;
(3) Driver has a time certain he will return on-duty.
(4) Driver has no responsibilities during off-duty time.

Company policy with regard to multiple off-duty days. Each 24-hour off-duty must be on separate log page.
Multiple days on one log sheet are not acceptable by company policy.

FMCSR 395.8(2) Sleeper berth. Manually selected with EOBR. Applies to 34-hour restart.

FMCSR 392.6 Conform to speed limits. No motor vehicle shall schedule a run that requires more than 10 hours to complete.

Interpretation: Where total trip at 65 mph for 10 hours, trips of 550-600 miles are considered questionable and motor carrier may be required to document that trip can be legally made.

Trips of more than 600 miles will be assumed incapable of legal completion.

Trips with 55 mph speed limit, trips 450-500 regarded as questionable and 500 mile trips will be deemed incapable of legal completion.

DOT refers to 10 hours driving. 11 hours driving extend trip length some.

FMCSR 395.8(a) (1) & (2) Record of Duty Status. All company driver must complete a daily log either via EOBR or paper log.
FMCSR 395.8(d) Must include Date, Tractor and trailer number, total miles driving, name of carrier, driver signature and certification, 24-hour period starting time, main office address, remarks, name of co-driver, total hours, trip number.

395.8(e) Failure to properly record or false recording will result in prosecution.

Written logs are recorded to closest 15 minutes; EOBRs to the second.

Company policy places a permanent file letter in driver file if log up-to-date upon inspectio or warning letter if not. Company will conduct field inspections without notice.

FMCSR 395.8(f)(2) Log entries must be legible and in driver's own handwriting.
FMCSR 395.15(e) Same as above.
FMCSR 395.15(i)(3) EOBRs will be to the extent possible, tamper-proof.

Interpretation: EOBR only altered or amended by company official and both the change and the original must be maintained. Edits only to accurately reflect driver actual activity.

Logs must be submitted by driver within 13 days. Company policy requires logs submitted daily.
Home terminal will manually place paper log into company logging system.

Logs MUST be accurate. Any 'ERROR' or 'OMISSION' is regarded as false reporting and liable to prosecution.

All supporting documents must be turned in at end of each tour of duty to maintain compliance.
Include:
Fuel receipts, toll receipts, weight tickets.
Accident reports, BOLs (Bills of Lading), DOT (Department of Transportation) inspections.
Random drug tests.

Toll tickets must have driver name, tractor number and employee number on back for re-imbursement.
--Always check time on toll ticket. Ask for correct ticket if time not correct.

False Logs
Any log entry change entered to remove violation or extend driver hours.
Any entry that does not match known dated and/or timed document.

Missing Logs
Company will not dispatch driver with missing logs.

Location/Remarks
Record name of city, town or village location with State abbreviation for each change of duty status.
Line MUST be drawn vertically through a white box below. EOBR normally enters on driver's behalf; however this is driver responsibility to include manually if necessary.
Types of duty status remarks:
Fuel, DOT inspection, Load/Unload, LC (Load check), Ticket, D&H (Drop and Hook), Random Drug Test

Record of Hours Worked
Company operates 7 days/week. Use 70 hours/8 days.

FMCSR 395.8(k)(2) Driver shall maintain copy of duty status for last 7 consecutive days. Entries shall be made for each day, even when not working. EOBR automatically maintains. Replacement log books are available at driver home terminals.

Determining Available Hours
Logging in pre-maturely MUST be avoided. Log in first OFF DUTY. To view hours, select MENU, select DRIVER LOG, select VIEW HOURS. Can also obtain hours from PeopleNet web site.
You can also set an alarm on your cell phone.
Company vehicles show hours used and hours available in cab.
Drivers should review before going on duty.
Audible tone warns driver of potential violation within 60 minutes.

34-Hour Restart
Must include 34 hours consecutively off duty.

All HOS violations not equal!!Egregious = 3 or more hours past limit. Fine = $2,750 to driver. $11,000 to carrier.
Carries a termination offense with company. Don't do it.

How to avoid egregious violation. Make sure you're eligible to start tour of duty and have had ample time off.
Do not ignore warnings from EOBR.
Do not drive 3 hours past limit.

Penalties for violating HOS
Driver placed OOS (Out of Service).
Civil penalties $550-$11,000.

False reporting
Make driver and carrier liable for prosecution. Falsification of logs not permitted.

Example of Gross Negligence in Falsifying a Log
Ex-Whole Foods driver convicted of falsifying logs with regard to a 2005 fatal accident. Driver's logs falsely claimed he was in sleeper berth when it was determined not true. 5 passengers died in a Chippewa Falls school bus that struck the truck.

Company most often violations of HOS
Logs not current. 11/14 hour rule violation.

Example: Driver sentenced to 10 months for making false statements on log book.

Pre and Post Trip Inspections
FMCSR 395.13 Driver Inspections.
(a) Driver shall be satisfied that CMV is safe to operate before driving.
(b) Review last driver inspection report if prior driver noted deficiencies.
(c) Acknowledge review of prior deficiencies and that repairs performed.

Pre and Post Trip Inspections shall be shown ON DUTY
FMCSR 396.11(1). Every carrier shall require and every shall prepare a written post trip inspection at end of each tour of duty.
(2) Report shall identify CMV and any defects or repairs needed. If no repairs needed, driver shall certify to same for each CMV operated each day.

DVIR requirements must be done and completed in writing by driver. Terminal Manager has responsibility to have system in place to track DVIRs. Retain DVIRs for 90 days. DVIR replacement books available at Home Terminal. Prior days DVIR must be reviewed by driver. Drivers and terminals will both be audited for compliance.

Company policy requires paper DVIR for pre trip AND post trip inspection.

Compliance Improvement Process (CIP)
Identifies drivers posing risk to themselves, the company and the public.
Identifies 5 critical violations--11 hour, 14 hour, 70 hour, false log & missing log.
A list of violations is printed for each driver each month.
Driver starts at Stage 0 as new driver.
A critical violation moves driver into new stage.

Stage 0. Driver compliant. No action.
Stage 1. 1st action. Compliance plan. Counseling by management.
Stage 2. 2nd action. Written warning.
Stage 3. 3rd action. Remedial HOS training completed within 14 days.
Stage 4. 4th action. 3-Working day suspension.
Stage 5. 5th and final action. Termination/disqualification.

CIP Process
If driver at Stages 1-4 does NOT receive 1 or more violations the following month, starts back at Stage 0.
All it takes to get back to Stage 0 is one month with no critical violation.
Terminal managers have access to driver CIP.

Typical problem areas with make-up logs
Date, Miles traveled, Unit number, carrier name, driver name, solid line for each duty status, pre trip inspection, post trip inspection, 30-minute mandatory break, etc.

DOT Inspection
Must be turned in and passed on to Safety Department. All time logged on-duty.
Review of example inspection. Listed on DOT portal within 24 hours.
Higher scores - more likelihood of pull-over and inspection.

OTS electronic auditing system
Logs violations of FMCSRs and missing logs.
Creates report transmitted daily to Terminal Managers and Safety Personnel.
First report is 14-Day Report and is followed by 21-Day Report.
Terminal manager is expected to take action so driver is not de-activated after 21 days.

Daily Notification of Violations
EOBR sends daily notification of violations to Terminal manager.
Terminal manager or designates are required to provide explanation of how violation occurred.
Explanations are sent daily to Safety Department for tracking.
Paper log info comes from OTS. EOBR from PeopleNet.

Monthly Log Violation Letters
Driver logs reviewed monthly to determine driver CIP standing.
Violation letters sent to Terminal manager, who provides to driver.



//Whew!! Thx to Ellettsville Library for being open today (Jan 2) so could wrap this up. Believe all 14 online courses now completed. Well, I hope so... Boss asked to run to KY tomorrow (Saturday) and St. Louis on Sunday (Wayne's going that way, too). While I'd prefer to get down to 2 runs/week, told him fine, no problem. Figure he wouldn't ask if it wouldn't help out. Yeah, I know. But I think it'll be okay.

Company is quite different from Prairie-run outfit, which really wasn't a bad outfit, either. Not too hard to do worse than both of these. You betcha!!