Real Salaries

IF you've not dug up what a '34' is, it's part of the Hours of Service rules.


In broad terms, you are allowed to drive 11 hours a day. However, among other restrictions, you are also limited to only 70 hours in 8 consecutive days (or 60 in 7 days - depends on your company).

There are two ways to deal with this:

1) drive shorter hours - say, 9 or so per day. Done right, you'll always have about 9 hours available to drive today.

2) use up your hours and do a '34' - also called a 'reset'. a 34 resets all your drivetime and duty time clocks to zero, so start fresh AFTER the 34.

What you do on that 34 is entirely up to you. If you schedule yourself right, you can take your 34 near sites you want to visit, etc.

The down side is, of course, on a 34 you aren't driving. Ergo, you are not earning money - in fact, you are probably spending it.

So, gotta take the bad with the good.

note: this is a very simplified description and should not be used for real-world application.

 

But I don't remember ever getting to choose where I did a 34. In fact I remember always being told I didn't need one. Nothing like driving 4 hours to max out my log book to make the company a few bucks, then sitting for 25 hours to recap a few and get sent a few more hours down the road.

If you find a dispatcher that lets you choose 1) your loads 2) your driving schedule, or 3) where you do 34 hour restarts please let me know. I'll apply. I'm looking forward to your imminent OTR start.

BRI

 

This would be it.
Monday Sacramento to LA call it 400 miles on Monday drop and hook only at 70 cents a mile. By the way you p/u where you drop and you park'n spot is reserved at the local T/S.
Tuesday LA to Sacramento same as before only you stay at home for the night.
Wednesday same as Monday.
Thursday same as Tuesday and ya did so good they pay ya for Friday off and ya never work on weekends.

So where do I sign............................ Oh H**l I'm dream'n again

 

Ever had a dispatcher expect the 34 hour restart to occur under 24 hours.?

Not understand the 14 hour rule followed by a 10 hour break?

I have had one that way.

 

They need to get rid of the 70 hr bs. I think the rules would be just fine if they did away with that. Of course, you wouldn't have or need any 34's but who cares! At least do away with it for otr drivers anyways.

When you go out for a few weeks at a time, you want to maximize money you can make and sitting a day and a half at a truck stop or rest'a'rea is not what drivers leave their homes to do!!!! I'd rather sit at home, or at least at some place in the country I'd actually like to be. I completely agree with the daily limitations as it actually helps protect the driver and keeps the companies from running you insane. The 14 hours to drive 11 is great but the 70 hr rule does nothing but limit the amount of money you can make!

 

I sure don't know what you guys n' gals mean about not seeing the sights.

Before I threw in the towel about 6 yrs ago, I managed to see, partake of & enjoy many sights as a company driver.

I bobtailed with my then wife/codriver to Mt Rushmore, thru BearCountry USA, plus another forgotten wildlife park in SD, Wall Drug, Yosemity and a host of other places.

There's no telling how many times or miles we put on bobtailing around Cali on a layover. I enjoyed running up & down 99 out there as a commercial tourist. We found & went to many a country palace around Bakersfield & Fresno, Weed & just a lot of other lil' night spots along that road.

I can't vouche for the rest of you but I always found a way to enjoy the places we were laid over in.

I admit there were times when we were stuck in the likes of the T/A's in Ontario for a few days. Despite even that location, we managed to drop the tank & run around for a few hrs. Sometimes it would be us & another company team or single.

Many times, I found pleasure in the simpler moments of just sitting in a TS in AZ, NM etc or the sunrise/sunsets over Tx or driving the nights away thru WY, the winters in the mountains out west.

Things must have changed drastically in these last few yrs because I just can't fathom not finding at least some picturesque or participatory saving grace in the job.
bc

 

Sure you can see the country, you'll pass through alot of it. I dont know how all companies operate concerning home time, but the ones I have driven for would let me take my hometime wherever I wanted to. I would just put in for my time off and they would ask where I wanted it, I would tell them where I wanted to go and they would find me a load there or at least close by. And if the company has a terminal where you want to go, or at least nearby, thats a big plus. You can park your truck there and rent a car if you want and maybe get a room for a night or two to at least get out of the truck for awhile.

 

trucker wannabe,Any future employer should proably give you premium pay just based on where you live.The Bronx.You proably know the NY metro region pretty good and that's a plus.You also will proably get loads home on a consistent basis because most drivers don't care to even get close to this area.I have delivered in boroughs,NYC, and Long Island.Once you get used to it,it's not that bad.So,don't forget to tell your future employer that you know the area.It might mean some extra pay or as I call it,Hazard pay.One last thing.You proably know the area by car, so just remember you'll be driving a rig.Take a ride in your car around and check out all the places a car can go verses a large truck.Trucks around here are still limited to certain roadways because of weight and height and haz-mat.Just by living around here,I'll call you an experienced wannabe.Good Luck.