Compliance over Service

Discussion in 'Expediter and Hot Shot Trucking Forum' started by Ryan S2016, Mar 14, 2017.

  1. Ryan S2016

    Ryan S2016 Medium Load Member

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    I have to say that I am noticing a trend in both the Hot-Shot Freight and Hot Shot Auto business and maybe even carrying over to the Class 8 Trucks as well. It seems that more time is spent focusing on staying compliant with FMCSA than there is on providing the quality of service our clients have come to expect. I have talked to guys that say no matter what they do the stress of delivering the freight to their clients has been increasing due to all the regulations put on truckers by the FMCSA.

    I know for me I am constantly trying to figure out how to cram as many loads in a day while staying compliant with my HOS. More times than not I am having to change my log sheets and on some days re-writing them just to make my hours look legit. This is something I hate doing because sooner or later it will catch up to you. At first I chalked it up to poor logistics but I am now seeing it becoming the issue of hours. Nobody can plan for traffic, or accidents, or construction, delay at shipper or receiver, it happens. The point is the main focus for a lot of drivers is focused on service to the client it's on staying compliant and avoiding fines or out of service violations. I hope someday the regulations for truckers will change for the better, and the FMCSA thinks more about the driver than the regulation. Probably won't happen but one can wish cant they?
    Anyway just wanted to bring this up cause I have seen this issue come up with a lot of the other drivers I talk to and figured I would share.
    Have a great day ya'll and stay safe out there. Hope all you guys up in the north-east are doing ok

    Ryan
     
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  3. scottied67

    scottied67 Road Train Member

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    I run OTR big reefers. usually the pickup day is barely productive just traveling to the shipper and it is a crapshoot how long to be loaded.
    Then the 2-4 days of high production driving which is efficient. Then the final delivery day could be 200 miles or less but again pretty much a wasted day due to not having enough legal hours to risk going after that next load til tomorrow.

    OH forgot to mention I'm on electric logs.
     
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  4. rollin coal

    rollin coal Road Train Member

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    The fact you have to rip out log sheets to run extra loads speaks more to the poor state of rates in the industry than it does the regulations. The regulations are inflexible yes. But that is what it is. How are you going to survive when you can't tear out and rip up log pages anymore?
     
  5. Ryan S2016

    Ryan S2016 Medium Load Member

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    I suppose like everyone else and just deal with it, cant change the way the system works,
     
  6. rollin coal

    rollin coal Road Train Member

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    Yeah I know man. I'm not knocking you. I pull a 53' reefer and right now in a scenario that's really screwed up. Going to be a lot of fun with elogs huh?
     
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  7. Lite bug

    Lite bug Road Train Member

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    I watched that video with the two guys in the big pileup on I 80 a couple of winters ago ( maybe it was last ) I believe 80 vehicles. All the while camera was running you could see and hear trucks crashing, and it was snowing like crazy. Knowing they should not be on the road in that kind of weather. Now they may not had a choice ( HOS......dispatch saying.. it will be alright.... not knowing how to make a executive decision...). I am old school ( do the right thing ) I am new to this industry since 2008...I don't know what it was like in the good old days. It is still fun for me. Things could be better, I try to bring positive response to the job and everyone I come in contact with. But if you find yourself flying down the interstate, snow covered road, limited visibility, get off the road. HOS... Dispatch... once you wreck, you can't rip that page out and rewrite that..... Well there's my Rant. Time to go to sleep.
     
  8. rollin coal

    rollin coal Road Train Member

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    I remember the video that was a crazy pile up.
     
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  9. x1Heavy

    x1Heavy Road Train Member

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    IF you are rewriting ANY sheet, or ANY part however small of a existing filled out log sheet... you are falstying the log. And you will be put out of hires, put out of service, handed a few thousand in fines, and told to stay put until your punishment hours come off. IF youre running a second carrier, you will be transported to another location more suitable to carrier number to to be visibly out of service, out of compliance and so on. There to sit until that is over too.

    Then you will be allowed the highest most strict inspecialn availible anywhre. It is not your choice.Any violatioons found are applied.

    Our police has discovered that regular picup trucks are being put into hotshot service really easy. They are cracking down that hard. I hear rumors of one who built a church between two hills. Thenr emoved same so he has a underground truck garage fo rhis safe haven etc./

    Good luck!
     
  10. insertnamehere

    insertnamehere Light Load Member

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    That pileup wasn't caused by elogs, it was caused by drivers not using cb's and driving to fast for conditions. You'll notice that the guys with radios pulled to the side of the road. There were plenty of warnings but if you've got no cb you can't hear them.
     
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  11. Lite bug

    Lite bug Road Train Member

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    Yelp, for whatever reason young guys don't run with a radio. Growing up that was our cell phone. Maxwell smart had a phone in his shoe and Dick Tracy had one in his watch.
     
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