Am I abusing HOS exemptions too much?

While true, it sounds like he's
1. On a flatbed (he's throwing straps) and actually working, so on-duty is required.
2. It also sounds like he issues are more to do with the 11 hour clock, which a split doesn't help.

 

True. But then the 3 hours waiting on USDA doesn't matter. But since USDA usually is a reefer load. He's not pulling a skateboard.

 

@1, nope, when you are in customs waiting for the USDA to do their inspection, you're in their building, "at their disposal" at a moment's notice. You get called off the bench, open the doors and move around what they want moved around. You can log sleeper, but any DOT worth his salt knows you don't go in the sleeper at customs.

@2, yes, when you've got to drive a detour around a wreck, it's hard to log sleeper.

 

Sorry, thought you were talking about the op, not another example posted later....

 

No matter what you’re doing you can’t really log off duty at a border crossing. You’re either in the seat moving the truck ahead 70ft at a time or you’re getting checked over. When I was flatbedding we had a guy get a false log ticket for going off duty while he was in line to cross back into the States.

 

I've always dealt with them at shippers. Not the border. So never had an issue with the split.

 

I’ve never dealt with USDA crossing the border. I was just saying logging off duty while waiting to cross the border will work until it doesn’t. In the case of my co-worker, he crossed the scale at Coutts AB, then logged off duty while in line to cross, then got inspected a couple hours later down by Great Falls.

 

Don’t use adverse conditions. Just enable 8/2 sleeper splits and log sleeper berth or off duty in the dock. What you’re doing is legal but the way you’re logging it is wrong. I split break at plants all the time.

edit: you’ll make it at the same time just wake up at the end of your 10 and stop being a wuss. Just yard move everywhere at customers.

 

The other thing is…protect your cdl at all cost..that’s your livelihood…remember companies dont care because if you lose your license they have someone the next next…

 

You are shutting down early one day and telling lies the next so you can sleep at home….Good luck in court defending those actions. Most would love to only drive 8-9 hours and quit early. I never had an easy job like that.

Even going off duty to a favorite restaurant, when one was available while parked, will look silly in litigation on a fatal.

One always has to expect what is the worst that could happen. Remember, most accidents are within 25 miles of home. Yes, one could argue that a great percentage out on the roadway do the majority of their driving close by the house, but I think even truck drivers are thinking about other things the closer they get.