Got a ticket at a rest stop in Cumby, Tx.

It's been a long time since I've been to Sulphur springs, but in my mind it's "be parked by 1600 or you're not getting a spot".

 

Problem nowadays is no one like to accept responsibility..it’s always someone else’s fault… simply put, you will have to adjust where you’re going to stop for the day more times than not because you will have delays here and there that will disrupt your day… If one cannot plan, adequately enough to have several locations mapped out that they could hit to park at instead of just one location, regardless of whatever happens is pretty pathetic…

 

So i have a question , your clock runs out at the dock , they say no parking on premises. You can drive on personal time to find a parking spot ? How does that work ? I understand why alot of rules are in place , no more west coast turn arounds ect . Sure seems that some of it is setup for revenue though.

 

1. Before my clock runs out, I tell them I'm low on hours and one way or another, I'm gonna be gone by"X".
2. Depends on your company. But, that said, if you have another work assignment in the que, technically that's advancing to your next load.
3. If you run out of hours, you and the truck won't explode......you'll just be in trouble if you get stopped.....and really not that much.

 

I appreciate the answer but i thought being behind the wheel after hrs was a BIG no no . I need to read up more on this . Off to the fmcsa website . Thx

 

So you have 45 min left , shipper says it'll be 90 min . I can by my right to not be in possible violation , crank her up tell them c ya when my clock says i can make it back ? Shipper gonna be pissed ? Office gonna b pissed ? B.D.P. Gonna be pissed ? Nope lol.

 

A few weeks ago I was assigned to pick up a relay and deliver into a grocery warehouse that has an average dwell time of 3 hours. I could get there by 1530, appointment was for 1630, my 14 ended at 1930, closest free parking is an hour away, closest paid parking is 20 minutes away.

I call in asking "is the planner on crack or just suffering from a head wound?"

Ops #1 tells me to try, and agrees to reimburse the parking if needed. I check in at 1530, park in staging, and wait. 1620 a bunch of trucks head to the docks. 1640 I try and ask the guard, who tells me "receiving will text me with the dock when they're ready." I call Ops, Ops #2 tries calling the customer, then tells me to "use your judgment". I immediately head for the exit gate and get some gruff from the guard, and I explain that I'm now down to 2.5 hours and I'm willing to put it in a dock right now, but if they don't have a door available then I won't be unloaded before my clock expires so I'm leaving. The guard now miraculously has the ability to call receiving. After hanging up the phone, the guard opens the gate and I take the load back to the yard.

First thing in the morning I call in and get Ops #1 again who gets cranky with me about "not giving them 2 hours, we have to give them 2 hours". At which point I asked to conference in Safety Critter Six. In the silence that followed I said we could set up a meeting with Ops #1, Ops Manager, CSR, APM, and Safety Critter Six where we could do a full after action conference on all the fail points on this load if she'd rather, and talk about who followed company policies and who didn't.

My first year I went in to deliver a load to Bay Valley Foods in Rochelle, IL. I thought I had a 1700 appointment, turns out I had a 1900 appointment and they were running behind. After a few phone calls to after hours Ops I got "permission to overnight on the property", and I verbably confirmed it with the clerk. So I waited, got unloaded, snuck into a parking spot and went to bed about 2200. 2330 security was knocking on my door telling me to leave the property. I said "but I have permission". Security said "I didn't give you permission and I'm the only one here, so leave or get arrested for trespass". So I left, with my AOBR screaming at me. Luckily I found a repair yard that I could squeeze into before an actual "violation" was recorded. Ever since then, I won't put myself to get left holding the bag for someone else's profit. If I can't get to S/L parking, I don't even go in.

Other people's poor planning isn't your problem.

 

I can see im gonna need to up my acronym game .

 

Seems to me that the proper [on-record] response to a "violation" over a search for parking somewhere other than wherever is "nearest" (which merely coincides with the intended route) should be to ask how much time the officer [who issued the violation] spends at over-capacity rest areas directing trucks to designated overflow lots. (particularly if either the nearby safe locations would have likely been full or if the driver was/is unfamiliar with the area or does not know ahead of time what the parking policies are at said locations)