Abilene Motor Express....A New Place To Call Home

Wow before I even seen your user name I read the entire post and was real surprised to see its you Johnboy , I thought you were soon to retire back in November and December , we spoke around then , as I was looking and called Calex to find out that Garrison Ky is not in their hiring area. I ended up with Poly , with the exception of "International" fleet with defects of mega proportions when not broke down its exceptionally good. Great almost , the amount of freedom you have and the total lack of interest they have in micromanaging makes it unlike a company driver job. The quirks are small other than the big issue of the not so sweet fleet.

 

Is this Poly Trucking out of Texas? The reason I ask is that a guy that I used to work with just bought one of their Columbias. He found something in it that said it had a new or rebuilt engine and was wondering how they maintained their equipment. He likes the truck but curious to get info. He tried to get in touch with them but did not work they will not return his call so he says.

 

Question? Why would you not set your time to off duty until you get your dispatch? Would this not help in the 14 hr rule. See I think I would have a really hard time with that computer.

 

If you re-read his post, you would see he had already started his day by getting to the consignee. Therefore, clock ticking. I feel his pain. Right now, I'm being unloaded in Lakeland FL but will probably be sitting until they can scrounge up a load out of here. And me with no reefer trailer. Shucks!

 

It is , and lets just say the maintenance and the make up of its fleet is the 1 very big negative to working here. If that ever changes , they'll have to steel reinforce the doors to HR , drivers will be beating them down to get in.

 

You should look at some of Poly's pages ... All preplan even your next outbound load usually is given to you with several options when your still on your way into the plant . Your backhauls are worked on a few days in advance in most cases and they call you 8 out 10 with you backhaul info as far as a day before you empty.

 

The only way to "stop" the 14 hour work clock is to spend 8 hours in the sleeper berth which would then extend the 14 hour work clock an additional 8 hours.

I am sure Johnboy was in fact "off duty" while waiting for his next assignment. Paper logs or electronic logs allow you to change your duty status to off duty (provided the truck isnt moving).

 

Yes I understand he got to the consigned, but if I am understanding how it works he is saying his clock is ticking meaning the 14hr rule is ticking right? If it was me and i wasn't driving I would always be off duty, And then turn then turn the clock on and show a 15 min load/unload then take off and drive. Would this work this way? Am i understanding it? ... Lol...so glad I don't drive anymore but good to know just incase.

ah...so your saying once you do your pretrip you got 14hours unless you take a straight 8 off...

 

That is correct. Once you come on duty or drive, your 14 hour clock starts ticking. No stopping it unless you take a complete 8 hours off or 10 hours off. Sometimes it sucks. Especially when you get stuck for 4 hours at a consignee like I did this morning. Messed up my whole day.

 

Going to sleeper berth or off duty will only save hours on the weekly 70 hour rule, not the 14 hour daily rule.