Changing driver HOS pattern.

i norm recap for 7 or 8 days then breck

 

Remember that you can stretch that driving time over your entire 14. That would put you starting, ending and sleeping at the same times every day, and getting your 10 hour break at the same time every day. Drive 4 hours, nap for a couple, then drive 4 more. Sleep when you stop, then get up early, shower, and start driving at the same time as the previous day. I don't think that would be so difficult to adjust to?

 

Palazon, I started with a mega running solo in June, running e-logs for the first time. Their philosophy is to try to use about 9 hours off your 70 each day, so you can run continuously. I've run up to six weeks at a time without ever reseting. Some days I might finish with only 15 minutes left on my 70, but getting back 6-10 hours the next day, and so on, each day simply using whatever "comes back".

It actually seems to maximize my mileage to "sip" my 70, rather than running 11's several days in a row. Once you run 11's consecutively then you have limited hours to work with for the next few days. Then you are stuck with little itty bitty hours "coming back" 8 days later. That's what happened with me the first load I ran solo. I used big chunks of time on a long haul, hauling backside to deliver early and grab another load. But by the time I delivered my 2nd load I only had 6 hours left to use for the next two days. Obviously there weren't a lot of short hauls available to do anything and I had to turn down some sweet loads because of that. After that first foray I started managing my time better, and running continuously.

For one thing, if the load schedule allows it, I turn that 30 minute break into a much longer break, like taking a 2 hour nap or getting a hair cut or shopping or even taking a walk. If you only have to run 9 hours within a 14 hour window, then you can certainly break up the day with several rest stops. I rarely drive more than 2 hours at a time without at least taking a "leg shaker".

These new HOS and getting into an EOBR company certainly has changed how I look at driving. I'd been used to the gonads to the wall style with paper logs in all my previous experience. Now it seems to be a more relaxed pace, except for those days when my sleep cycle changes and I have a deadline to make... like instead of getting a 10 hour break I have an 18 hour break because the next load can't pick up early.... then I get to sleep early because I'm tired, wake up after 7-8 hours of sleep, then have to hang out for another 9-10 hours waiting until I can go on duty just about the time I'm getting tired again...

 

because on recap it is 70 hours in 8 days vs resetting it is 70 hours in 7 days.

8.75 * 7 = 61.25
(not 62.5 -- I misremembered)

 

The best solution to the Hour Of Service, (HOS), would be for the D.O.T. to scrap all the HOS regulations and replace them with this simple solution:

1) 14 hour workdays 7 days a week - totaling 98 hours a week

2) drive for 11 hours a day 7 days a week - totaling 77 hours a week

Also, there should be no set clock time limit as to when a driver does his or her driving or takes his or her 10 hour break, as long as suggestions #1 and #2 are being complied with.

God bless every American and their families! God bless the U.S.A.!

 

No one has mentioned one important aspect of the new '34' rule.
That you must have 2 consecutive 1-5AM periods off during that '34'.
And, in your home terminal time - not your current time zone.

That means, if you don't start the 34 at the exact right time - you might have to take nearly 48 hours off to complete that '34' if your terminal time zone is Pacific and your current time zone is Eastern.

 

Personally, I think the new rules can, at times, make for a more dangerous run. For example, I've experienced times when I'd rather simply finish the run and go to sleep after my day is done but that mandatory half hour break after eight hours doesn't do much for me except add another unnecessary and unneeded 30 minutes to my day. Most people are in tune with their bodies and know what they care capable of. I don't need a half-hour break if my day is going to be complete in nine hours or so. Many times I find I don't need it at all. It's mostly an inconvenience forcing me to stay awake even longer than I would if I didn't have to take it.

 

But the 30 minute break DOES count against your total working time for the day. If you drive for eight hours, take a half hour break, you've used 8.5 hours of your 14-hour day and have 5.5 hours left on your clock, not six hours. The 30 minutes is counted against your 14 hour day which consists of "total working time."

 

Stretch that "70 in 7" out 2 more days and what do you get?
If you do a reset in 7 days, after using 70 hrs than you will have two days before you reset so, you have used "70 hrs in 9 days", not "70 in 7". As you can see, by using the recap, I actually get an extra 8.75 hrs on the 9 day.
8.75 x 9 = 78.75

 

lets face it the two 1 to 5 and the 168 rule are what seems to be the problem for me. i can deal with the rest