Get Rid of 14 hour rule. Now! Strike will do it. POLL...

Please we need to stand together to get rid of the 14 hour rule. This rule is putting a timer on our day. I mean you can't even pull over and take a nap because you are afraid your timer will run out. If you stop mid-day to eat a healthy meal, you might run low on time by the end of the day and hurt your paycheck. Let's stand together against this rule and show DOT we have a say so in what regulations they put into effect.

 

Negative leave the rule as it is train yourself to sleep on your 10 and drive when your on you have 1 yr driving give it time you will adjust.

 

I like the 14 hour rule. Means my dispatchers can't push me to run. If they edit my logs, I have the number to safety.

I've already adapted my day like so....

When I can...

I start driving around 4am. This means my clock is up by 6pm, but I like to run hard, so I will definitely be done driving between 4-5 pm, which is the latest I like to look for parking. Nothing sucks more than being out of hours and fighting for the last space at a truck stop.

I grab what I want for breakfast at my stop the night before. I run inside just to whiz in the morning and I snarf down my breakfast treats and roll ASAP. I only stop for DOT, pee/poop, one quick food stop/fuel if necessary and I usually drive 8-10 hours a day, depending on wether or not I had to get loaded or unloaded that day. This always works for me on days I'm only driving (like an 1800 mile drive)

I respectfully disagree with getting rid of the 14 hour rule. This will force most drivers to trip plan better. Sleep when you should. Napping several times a day doesn't help. You need to be smart. Sleep a good 6-8 hours, that's what the 10 hour break is for. That's enough time for me to eat, sleep, drop a deuce, shower and do laundry if necessary.

I guess my point is, this is a job... a VERY safety sensitive job. That's what the clock is for. We should all use it to our advantage, instead of knocking it... food for thought.

 

I'd also like to add.

A strike means a paycut. Even if it's only one day. That's one day we could all be being productive.

Also... I'm thinking about getting one of those little cooker/stoves with the aluminum cooking pan/trays to cut food costs. I just need a bigger cooler to pack food.

I'm still new. I've only been driving OTR since June, but my aim is to stick to being efficient so I can remain disciplined from the gate.

Doing so is actually making it easier to adapt to this lifestyle. It's nowhere near as difficult as it was in June. It gets easier every month.

Another thing I do. On days I pick up a load... I have a tendancy to do pickups in the early morning and deliveries in the afternoons (just the luck of dispatching draw)

So if I don't get loaded until 9am, and time allows for it, I stop driving around 4-5pm so I can get rest and have my whole clock reset early the next morning. I still get good parking and I stick to driving during the day.

Knight encourages this and it really works for me. This adaptation to the 14 hour/11 hour drive time day really helps me keep a decent sleep schedule while maximizing my drive time. Safety is increased, because I'm driving during the day and I'd take getting slowed in daytime traffic over slamming into an Elk at night any day!

 

Don't know what the problem is dude 14 hrs is more than enough time to allow you to drive for 11 hrs although i do sympathize with you about having a few hrs rest you should be able to continue on however those are the rules and even those are being bent anyways.

 

the 70 hour rule is the problem NOT the 14.....



American Trucker

 

I couldn't agree more. Being able to get a reset can be nice... but it's really annoying when you want a 2000 mile run and can't take it, or have to T-call to another driver and reset 1500 miles from home with no friends, family or boobs.

 

i completely agree, it just isnt fair to have to do a reset without boobs!



American Trucker

 

You haven't lived until you got a hug from a lovely lady with nice boobies. That will turn ANY frown upside down.

 

The 14 hour rule is fine the way it is. The companies have to work around our schedule not the other way around.