Running with JCT, Part Deux

That's what I was thinking too...

 

Big news!!!!!

FMCSA to allow drivers hours flexibility in finding parking after leaving shipper/receiver


Personal conveyance usage has been opened up.

 

I’d go 15 to Vegas to 93 to carefree highway (74 I think) to 17. Nice drive. The 93 is considered one of the more dangerous roads to Phoenix.

 

Depends on where I'm going in Phoenix. West Phoenix I just roll down the 93 until the 303. Central or East, I do that across 74 to the 17.

I mean when you reach the 74 you're already 95% of the way to Phoenix across the more dangerous parts.

 

Good news for shippers and receivers ... they can go back to business as usual and not give a rats butt about the driver and pay cheaper rates, since those trucks that are willing run a load for 11 hours and then sit on for 6 hours will come back out from under the rocks.

 

I emailed the driver hotline about their take on this. Should be interesting what they say considering they do have that clause about no P.C when hooked to their trailer.

 

Well I mean their rule goes by a strict interpretation of the PC rule, which is, unladed only, and they consider an empty trailer as laden. Which by that interpretation, fully independent contractors could never use PC because they would never drop their trailer. If FMCSA is allowing fully loaded trailers PC moves from shippers when out of hours...as well as counting moves forced by Law Enforcement as PC...I'm willing to bet the rule will change but it will have to be heavily notated in logs on WHY as a CYA. Its some of the flexibility E-logs needs. But like @MysticHZ said, I kind of hope they don't see this as a way to plan and book loads that are impossible WITHOUT PC use.

I'm not going to name names but I've been told a few times I can move with an empty to a parking area as long as I'm not dispatched on my next load by JCT. Over QC even, to maybe cover me if I got in trouble. But I can count on one hand with fingers to spare how many times that has happened. When I was at Werner that's how they interpreted the rules as well, you requested PC permission via a Macro that was automatically approved as long as you weren't dispatched even with a trailer, and you selected the reason. (E-logs there were macro based for everything, not on the actual unit like now). There was also no limit, I drove from Phoenix to Bullhead City on PC for home time.

They were both probably wrong but this is more clarification on guidance for PC which has been needed.

 

Also they get a little more specific with the rule changes here, but number 2 makes no sense....10 things to know about personal conveyance

2. If the carrier does allow personal conveyance, there are no limits that must be placed on it.

The federal government has no mileage restrictions like 30 miles, 50 miles, etc. or specific times of day for what's allowable. However, again, the carrier can set limits like that, if it so chooses.

"The carrier has the right to put limits on it or not put limits on it — do whatever they want," DeLorenzo said.

No limits must be placed on it. The carrier can set limits. Sounds contradictory.

 

It also looks like, according to the official FMCSA docs that are going to be published, including the guidance, that you can use PC after unloading or loading if you are going to first available safe parking even if you have hours available.

First, safe, reasonable parking being the key words, and not advancing the load, it has to be personal in nature. Like you couldent pick up a load in Lemmore CA and bypass the Loves to go to Castaic for a San Bernardino Delivery or something.

Wonder what the definition of "Safe" would be? Like if you deliver to Safeway in El Monte, you COULD park on the street there, but would that meet the definition of "Safe". And there are no facilities there for when nature calls, so could you technically go from there to say, Onterio Petro/TA as PC since it would be for personal reasons. (Shower, Restroom etc) and safety. (I personally would be half awake the entire time).

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/sites/fmc...v-personal-conveyance-regulatory-guidance.pdf

 

Here is the official reply from JCT. Sent by the VP of Risk Management:

“We don’t have any different take on it than what is provided in this article. The parameters on use of personal conveyance under this guidance is very specific and we will manage accordingly.”

Then I sent this just make sure we were on the same page:

“Ok. I was just wondering since as far I was aware JCT didn’t technically allow PC use while hooked to a JCT. So, if we have to PC to get to a safe parking safe (within reason) from a shipper/receiver then it shouldn’t be issue? Correct? Not that’s it’s ever been an issue the few times have had to do that in the past.”

He replied with:

“Yes, that’s correct. Actually, we relaxed the PC rule last year when the FMCSA clarified “unladen” to include an empty trailer. So as long as you are not dispatched to a pick up location and advancing to that location, you can PC with a trailer.”

Good to JCT adjusting accordingly when it happens. I wasn’t even aware of JCT PC policy being “relaxed” when the empty trailer was added to the clarification of unladen. I’m also willing to forward the emails from the VPRM if someone wants to see them.