Are tired truckers putting you at risk?

I usually average around 60 hours or a little more of driving each week. It is after I am out of the truck for the weekend that I feel so tired and not up for much. I would like to drive less, but how will that pay my bills? The average truck job is demanding, and the trucking companies do not want to hear the word tired from you. Trucking is not fun like it used to be.

 

I would like to see someone focus on getting spots open for trucks to park and rest, and where DOT cannot come in and wake you up.

 

I say that the best way to eliminate the problem of fatigued driving is to mandate that company drivers be paid an hourly rate according to the hours of on-duty time that they log.

This will have an extra benefit. Carriers will have to adjust their rates to account for time spent loading / unloading, so every minute spent at the dock will cost the shipper more. They'll kick the dock workers in the butts and get them moving faster.

Drivers will adhere more closely to the definition of what is considered 'on-duty' time, rather than trying to minimize that time 'on paper' so that they can save those hours to get more miles later in the week.

Companies can set minimum productivity standards as well, so those drivers that don't keep the left door closed can be shown the exit door.

Thoughts?

 

.....This will have an extra benefit. Carriers will have to adjust their rates to account for time spent loading / unloading, so every minute spent at the dock will cost the shipper more. They'll kick the dock workers in the butts and get them moving faster.

...MAYBE THIS WILL HAPPEN somewhere...but it is pretty unlikely
....remember the "National Detention Bill" that never went through?

...my thought?...operate with your own authority
....and not load/unload at shippers/receivers that take 12 hours to load/unload...
.....

 

Look. Nobody makes you do anything. If you're tired, take a #### nap. Common sense surely isn't common in trucking I guess.

 

What does a driver do when you have no where to stop that is safe or legal?