OTR to Local... Do You Like It?

I now drive local/regional after driving about 4 years OTR. Like anything there are pros and cons to it. I do like being home every night, but I'm only off duty for 10 hours and then back out on the road. 14 hour days get tiresome, and I can count on 1 day a week being a 16 hour day thanks to the log book exemption for local drivers. I enjoy my weekends off too, especially when dispatch tries to swindle you into working the weekend after you just worked 65-70 hours in 5 days.
There are times that I miss OTR and would like to do it again, but being home every night is a helluva nice feature that I can't put a price tag on. Perhaps if I move out west again someday then I'll go OTR, but as long as I'm here on the east coast I'll keep my local gig.

 

You do know that when you go over 12 consecutive hours you are required to run a log book.

 

You really need to learn the laws. Over 12 hours on the clock and you need a log book. And the 16 hour exception is for NON CDL drivers. And even without a log book you still have to follow the 60/7 or 70/8 rule, it is kept track of by your time clock. The local rule exempt you from keeping a log book, nothing else. You are looking to get yourself In a LOT of trouble.

 

https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/title49/part/395
Read this, unless you are driving a vehicle that does not require a cdl within 150 air miles, you are breaking a lot of laws and can get in serious trouble.

 

A simple breakdown of the local exception for CDL drivers. To qualify you must NEVER go more than 100 air miles from where you clock in. You MUST clock out within 12 hours of clocking in. You MUST have a minimum of 10 hours off between shifts. If you meet all of that, all it means is that you do not have to keep a log book, or take a 30 min break. You must still follow all other fmcsa rules. Most importantly for you, you still can NOT legally work over 60 hours in 7 days or 70 hours in 8 days. Please read up and educate your employer before you all get into a lot of trouble. If you get into an accident over hours or no log book you are screwed, you could be going to jail even if it is not your fault.

 

Wow. Easy killer. I do have and keep a log book and am with a highly reputable company. Also, the 16 hour rule does apply to myself as stated here:
https://www.kellerencompass.com/app/help/lcenter/DOTReg/reguhelp/non-mapped/Short-Haul_Exception.htm
I appreciate your concern, but have been in the business for almost 20 years with zero violations and intend to keep it that way.

 

Wrong. 16 hour exception can be used by ANYONE who has returned to their home 20 on each of the previous 5 days you've worked, you are off the clock within 16 hours of starting, and you haven't used the exception within the past 6 days unless you've had a 34. You can be a line-haul driver that runs 250 miles out and back every day, or you could be a local rock hauler staying within 50 miles. Doesn't matter, as long as you meet those 3 simple requisites.

§ 395.1(o)

 

My mistake, it sounded like you were referring to the 100 air mile local exception., when you said local logbook exemption. And there is a differant 16 hour exception for non cdl local drivers.
Sorry, my mistake

 

Yes it was a misunderstanding I thought we were talking about using the 100 air mile exemptions. Under which you can NOT work over 12 hours