Abilene Motor Express

Then quit! There is not much out there....

 

A couple of points;
Actually you CAN make a delivery while on your 10 hour break. Provided you are not required to be in attendance or assisting in the unload process. If the truck is legally docked and you are relieved of responsibility for the unit and its cargo you may in fact log this time as "off duty" or sleeper berth time. That does not mean you have to sleep. You can read a book or watch a movie or play on the Internet. I routinely dock a trailer at the end of my shift and log my post trip as well as "rcvr unload" in the same 15 minute period of on duty time and then I am free to take my 10 hour break.

You CAN in fact drive over 11 hours in a couple of instances. First is the inclement weather/adverse conditions provision;

If [FONT=LCFLB B+ Times,Times][FONT=LCFLB B+ Times,Times]unexpected [/FONT][/FONT]adverse driving conditions slow you down, you may drive up to 2 extra hours to complete what could have been driven in normal conditions. This means you could dr ive for up to 13 hours, which is 2 hours more than allowed under normal conditions. Adverse driving conditions mean things that you did not know about when you started your run, like snow, fog, or a shut-down of traffic due to a crash. Adverse driving conditions do not include situations that you should have known about, such as congested traffic during typical "rush hour" periods. Even though you may drive 2 extra hours under this exception, you must not drive after the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty.


Then there is the local driver or "short haul exception;"


What Is the 16-Hour Short-Haul Exception?

[FONT=LCFFL O+ Times,Times][FONT=LCFFL O+ Times,Times]If you usually come back to your work-reporting location and go home at the end of your workday, you might be able to use the 16-hour short-haul exception. This exception allows you to extend the 14-consecutive-hour duty period once every 7 consecutive days. In order to use this exception, you must do the following:

• You must return to your work reporting location that day, as well as for your last 5 duty tours. A duty tour is the period of time from when you come to work to when you leave work. It is your "workday," the time between your off-duty periods of at least 10 consecutive hours.
• You must be released from duty within 16 hours after coming on duty.
• You must only use this exception once every 7 consecutive days (unless you took 34 consecutive hours off to restart a 7/8-day period).

Then you mention you do not have to log "driving" when traveling around the same town.[/FONT]

[FONT=LCFFL O+ Times,Times]Again this is legitimate and is specifically applied to LTL carriers that may have multiple deliveries in the same town. They will log the time as "on duty" not driving when shuttling between stops within the same town.[/FONT]

[FONT=LCFFL O+ Times,Times]I am going to provide a link so you may read up on this stuff. It will help you realize that there are indeed exceptions and will help you be more productive and profitable.[/FONT]


[FONT=LCFFL O+ Times,Times]http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/truck/driver/hos/fmcsa-guide-to-hos.pdf[/FONT]

[FONT=LCFFL O+ Times,Times]I truly hope you take the time to read up on this as it will help you become a better informed driver.[/FONT]
[/FONT]

 

While this is technically correct you must learn to be flexible if you expect to last in this industry or at any trucking company for that matter.

In the real world, drivers will routinely go to a customer some time during the night and park on site. They will begin their 10 hour break and get up when the rcvr bangs on his truck. The driver will open his trailer doors, dock the trailer, and may go back to bed (if the rcvr does not require him on the dock). Drivers will either log their 15 minutes on duty (docking time) before they went on their 10 hour break or after they complete their 10 hour break. Either way they will be sure to show 10 "consecutive" hours off so they may begin their day with a fresh set of hours.

If you decide to "log it as you do it" you will shoot yourself in the foot in regard to getting your legitimate 10 hour break, resetting your 14 hour work window, AND will probably miss out on a reload.

I know the schools teach 1 thing and the regs are pretty clear but remember the regs do not pay your bills. If you cannot turn the miles, deliver on time every time, as well as make yourself available for another load after you get empty, you can and will be replaced.

There is an over supply of drivers that are currently out of work in this country right now. Any one of them would take your job in a heart beat and not complain about this stuff. You should rethink this long and hard before you become unemployed as well.