Logging off Duty

No gray at all.

You can stand on your head for 10 hours and you have satisfied the requirements for the rest period... it might actually be more comfortable than some driver's lounges I have seen too.

 

Not to hijack the thread and change gears or anything, but legally is a driver relieved of duty when he or she is sitting at a shipper or receiver waiting to load or unload? Is it acceptable to log on duty while checking in / out and everything in between to log off duty (as long as you're not lumping your own load)? Probably a gray area too but just thought I'd throw it out there.

 

Are you waiting in the sleeper? And if you're in the sleeper how are you to log it? Line 2 of course! If you're waiting in a lounge while they load or unload how do you log that? Line 1 of course.

Now, you are on duty when you check in with a shipper and are sliding tandems and putting it in the hole or if you're sitting in the drivers seat waiting in line to move, you're on duty line 4. Also if you're loading or unloading the truck yourself or assisting in any way. Really simple stuff just like the question from the op which I'm right about by the way lol.

If you're waiting on a tow truck in your sleeper after you've been on duty line 4 for inspecting and putting out the triangles, guess what? You log line 2 ANY TIME you're in the sleeper.

If you get out and help the tow driver you're on line 4 for that time. When you get in the tow truck passenger seat while the tow truck is transporting you and your vehicle, you're on line 1. When you check the truck in with the shop doing the paper work and explaining the problem you're on line 4. It's just not all that complicated folks. ANY 10 consecutive hours on EITHER line 1 or 2 (or combined) meets the requirement for the 10 hour break regardless if you're in a lounge, a restaurant etc. or even the sleeper. Doesn't matter. All that matters is 10 consecutive hours on those lines (no hotel receipt required or even sleep for that matter).

Just thought of something I should add to be completely correct. You MUST have permission from your carrier to be able to log certain periods off duty. That should satisfy all the legal mumbo jumbo. You'll know whether or not you have that letter from your company or not so that should satisfy any arguments.

 

You can log on-duty or sleeper. You're not driving and you're not off-duty. But, of course, 10 hours in the sleeper gets you a new 11 and a new 14, even if you're sitting right in the dock and thus not 'relieved of duty.'

 

You can also log line 1 if you meet the criteria and have the written permission to be relieved of duty for certain situations. Most OTR companies give this letter to the drivers.