Good night from...

I haven't seen the message. Must be a local thing.

They want us to stay on-duty for loads and unloads, which eats up our 70 - then also want us to maximize hours.
Catch-22.
But they can't seem to grasp the idea.

I turned down load after load yesterday because they kept sending me pplans that required me to start the engine and drive to the pick up as soon as I got the plan. No pre-trip time, no planning time.
One planner sent me a message (an hour later) asking why I could not deliver before midnight, because I had full hours available.
I replied that after I did my pre-trip I would get to the shipper at 'certain time', 2 hours for a live load, then 9 hours trip time for the 430 miles to the destination (~368 'paid' miles).
I also asked why this plan could not have been sent sooner, since it had been around since yesterday.
Next message was the removal of the load.

The next one (after the second) that came through was the same - head out right now to make the pu time.
I adjusted the pu time to allow the pre-trip and it was kicked back to me, so I accepted.
Turns out that I could not have made an on-time delivery anyway, by about an hour or so. The load is simply too heavy, as it is going up to CO.
I lucked out with a flat trailer tire when I picked it up. That ate up a few hours of time, so I had a valid reason for the mac22.

The second one that I turned down was going to OR.
Way too tight on time, as usual.
I called Fontana to ask a DM if there was a delivery window, and was told no.
A couple questions later he told me that Plus-1 said I would be there at 1900, and the delivery was at 0500 the next morning. That next 10 was part of the plan.
But, that is exactly 10 hours later from when I shut down and deliver - under Plus-1's ideal conditions.
No time for a pre-trip, no time to drive from where I stopped in town to the receiver.

And these people see nothing wrong with this picture!

 

yep , swift thinks that 10 hr.s is the max for a break and if they send the load to you early you might detour to the mall with their truck.

crap like that is why I've been home for a week and ignoring D.M.s calls.

 

Well, I plan for 12 hour sleep breaks. I need time after driving, and time before driving. I can't just stop and sleep and get up and drive.
I am not a machine that can be controlled with a switch.
I can't always manage it, but that is what I plan for.
And things like showers and laundry are added to - not included - in that.

I try to take into account everything that might make the trip take a bit longer. And that is what I base my pick up and delivery times on.

 

Technically and legally we are not obligated to show time for or even perform a pretrip. Any and all defects were found and eliminated during your previous post trip for which you sent in a driver vehicle report.

I took several pics of the message, as it was pretty long, but it turns out some passive aggressive drivers were taking Line 4 to the extreme-- logging on Line 4 then staying on duty and/or driving til their day was done.

Got my oil changed around midnight local time in Bloomington TA there, the tech guided me out of the bay, then I rolled over to get some fuel, I thought to open up the hood and check things out for myself even though a professional mechanic just told me it was all good to go and he had shut the hood and latched it not 50 yards away. Well, gee whiz, the oil fill neck cap was missing! I walked back over there and asked him where it was. It was still sitting on the shop floor where he had placed it after taking it off. I don't know, I guess I'm over it now.

Delivery was a drop about a mile from Edwaks then picked up a heavy tcall in Edwaks for short run down to Wichita KS for Monday. Still have Tuesday and Wednesday to bump up 2400 miles so far this week. Looks good but last week was only 1300 or so, so the average is still low.

 

Drivers are completely in their right to log on duty if they so choose. You can log on duty for any time you are responsible for the vehicle. If you are a driver who isn't overly concerned about miles then line 4 is a beautiful thing. Long live e-logs.

 

maybe legally, but swift is making it a company policy which is what they'll fire you for. at least me since i' a company driver.

 

ya know i run a pretty tight log book but if my company were to pull a swift and get anal about having to always be on duty during loading and unloading i would take it to the next level and log everything i did onduty and have to take 34's alot just because im an ### like that. It might equal more time sitting for me but if they wanna play those games then i would just play it right back

 

That's a real riot!...lol,not enough time logged on line 4!........six weeks later....wait,wait ,wait,,,hey guys?....don't be logging on duty so much so u can get more miles....haha

 

Choctaw travel plaza calera ok....enroute to kc ks....

 

The first person to get fired for that is going to be getting paid. You are following federal guidelines by logging on duty. In order for Swift to have a leg to stand on you would have to be free to leave the vehicle. I would enjoy seeing this play out.