Waiting for my first live unload…lol

Sleeper is sleeper. Log it as you do it. You can't go off duty in most live load cases, but if you are in the sleeper, you are supposed to log sleeper.

Make a sandwich, read a book, take a nap. Even if you are not "released from all related duties", if you're in the sleeper on your play station, you log sleeper.

About the only way to "stick it to the Man...", lol.

 

Don't worry. It doesn't fix anything. I worry a lot. Probably not gonna be reported to DAC / HireRight. Only some companies use DAC. Of things that can be reported to DAC (HIRERIGHT.COM) a "service failure" is about the smallest of them.

The permanent conflict in trucking is HOS vs Getting It Done. Most non-drivers in company will tell you ways to cheat the HOS, but everyone of them don't have to make a living with your CDL & PSP. Many drivers are proud of their ability to rationalize cheating on HOS. Are you impressed by a cashier that brags about stealing money from the register or customers?

If you don't want to assume all the legal risk of running illegal on HOS, don't start. 2 tricks to use if the topic comes up is 1) ask if dispatcher is asking you to run a false log in a text or Qualcomm message (take a Pic or screenshot of that written request). If the urging to lie on ELD is using speech, wait until later and get clarification by text, email, Qualcomm. 2) Before topic comes up tell you dispatcher "it's great working at a company that doesn't expect drivers to break HOS, it means a lot knowing the company is top-notch." The employee will either say something to tell you breaking HOS is expected or now know not to ask you to break HOS rules.

NOBODY AT COMPANY WILL GO TO JAIL FOR YOU. Even if they pay all of every fine, the PSP points or MVR points stick with you.

You need to learn how to maximize your HOS, not waste hours. It's something of a fine line. Be humble, ask direct questions, be open to advice.

 

You are the only person on the planet that will protect your license. Companies will be happy to let you set your CDL on fire to help them. They won't keep you employed once you de-value your CDL with tickets & too many PSP violations, even if every ticket was helping them.

 

Live load is a whole different ballgame isn’t it? Thing I suggest is get on Google and look up the facility you’re going to and read the reviews from the other drivers. You’ll always see a few negative reviews but if you see all negative reviews? Trust me they’re not lying. Lol, I just learned to be patient and go with the flow because you really never know. Sometimes you get lucky and you get in and out of there in 30 minutes and sometimes you’re there all day.

 

Couple of tips, learn how to run a split. If you’re sitting at a shipper or receiver and you stay off duty for more than two hours, it’ll freeze your 14 hour clock assuming you hadn’t done it previously during the same shift. You can run it either way, 7/3, 3/7, 2/8, 8/2. Sleeper birth always of course the bigger number. But let’s say you drive an hour to start your day to pick up a load. You end up being there six hours. Stay off the clock and off duty that entire six hours and you’ll have 13 hours on your 14 hour clock And 10 hours of drive time left. Basically a full shift. Now, of course, some of these places you’re gonna go from a staging area to the dock, learn how to creep. Lol.

and just some advice having run splits about twice a week because I run reefer, if you do choose to use them, try and stay in that sleeper birth. Get some rest because you’re basically Extending the amount of hours, you’ll be up and it can turn into a real long day real quick.

 

Dispatchers and Load Planners assume every trip will go like a Nascar pit stop. They never go like that. I route planned for driving the total miles at 50 MPH or 2 hours per hundred miles of travel. Add 1.0 hours for 30 minute break plus fueling. I add 2 hours at each customer, then add 1 hour for the unknown. When asked what time you will be somewhere tell them the time required above and add one hour and then add if everything goes perfectly. It's not your job to overcome every other person's delay. It's your job to keep the freight safe and your license spotless. Just because some salesman made an unreasonable promise, it doesn't mean you have to lie, cheat, and steal to keep that promise. If it's a multi-stop trip you can only be on-time for the first stop. Never commit to any time except the first stop. Don't even try to make up for a customer adding an hour or two. If it's late it will still be late and a speeding ticket will just make it later.