HOS new rules

I don't see the need for the 1 minute off duty in order for the 14 hour extension to work, at least with Keep Truckin.
Maybe that's some technicality you have to use...

Please see the series of my posts that I started on Wednesday at 3:27 pm which depicted the actual utilization of the new rules.
The successful experiment was conducted in real working environment where I was the subject of the experiment.

 

Sorry but I read and reported here on the FMCSA's rule exactly as it's written; it clearly states that neither portion of a split sleeper berth break counts against the 14. That's it - it says nothing more than that. In particular, it says nothing along the lines of "the first 2+ break of any work shift does not count against the 14," which I get the impression you think the rule implies. It doesn't.

 

I am very fond of the changes, although I understand the reservations that company drivers might have.
The changes provide a tremendous flexibility which I lacked when 14 hour clock was rigid.
Especially when you spent longer time in the sleeper while detention occurs, and the receiver expects the delivery within a tight time frame.
As an owner operator I had to pass up on many well paying loads because the previous 14 hour clock would not allow me to either pick up or deliver on time.

 

I am afraid we are disconnected in understanding each other at this point.
I presented the real life case in which it was shown that neither of the two breaks I took counted towards the 14. There was an interim phase when Keep Truckin was indicating violation but as soon as the 2nd qualifying break was satisfied, the alleged violation was nullified.

 

When people ask "I don't see it, how does this rule change add capacity, it's the same amount of trucks available?" but you just described exactly how it adds capacity where there was none with your own truck. I know how bad it sucks being on ELD but rules like this ultimately have the effect of downward pressure on rates. The value a driver's time had with that firm, unmoveable 14 hour clock was cheapened with this flexibility.

 

Certainly, the megas hate the change.

To some extent, it adds the capacity in the legal way where the introduction of Elogs removed it. It was all too easy to cheat 14 clock on paper. By cheating it alone we all used to add capacity prior to 2018.
Shippers and receivers always cared little about drivers time value and it was hoped back in 2004 that introduction of the 14 hour shift clock would somehow bring a change in that aspect as a side effect. I don't think that it changed detention patterns or more importantly detention rates at all.
Everybody kept cheating.
But the ELDs forced a lot of folks to respect 14 hour clock. Since some of us were forced to ELDs and some remained exempted or quasi - exempted the leveled playing field was not all that leveled after all.
So you are right about it but mostly with regard to the last 3 years.
Is that going to affect the rates? Maybe but not as much as the extra higher rates, that we have been observing lately, affect capacity themselves.
But I don't worry about added capacity as much as I am excited about added time efficiency.
I'd add that safety wise there will be much less racing against the clock too. Now, I can take time to get home on the last 600 mile leg, even if I stop somewher for 2 or more hours.

BTW...I would think that from all of owner operators, those hauling reefers and spending hours of time at grocery warehouses on numerous deliveries, should welcome the change the most.

 

Bravo Tall Joe! Bookmarking this post!

 

OK, I need to take a look at your posts before I can provide much of a reply. My hypothetical scenario calling for the 1-minute adjustment seems self-contained to me and to make total sense, but perhaps I'm missing something.

 

As a longtime company driver who used to occasionally run 5000+ mile weeks solo in a truck governed at 65 with paper logs, the introductions of the 14 and ELDs were not all bad to me because I prefer to sleep nights and the 14 makes it a little easier to stay on a mostly consistent sleep schedule. I don't love either the 14 or ELDs by any stretch, but they've got their good points.

 

Yeah I pull a reefer but I do not welcome any loosening of the 14 hour regulation. This is guaranteed to have a negative effect on rates. We saw it when they loosened up the 34 hour reset rule. Fridays used to be a great day to book great money long hauls but when they loosened up the 34 hour reset it ruined that and Fridays became the worst rates of the week.