Have you used the new conveyance rule?

I did Winnipeg to Conroe, TX to Edmonton, AB last week in 70 hours. 3,765 miles in a 64 mph truck. I think it ended up being 64 driving hours and I ended up parked at the truck stop in west Edmonton with 38 minutes left on the clock.

While I still was able to deliver, it was a day late (they wanted it Friday, but got it Saturday morning).

I don't miss the paperwork either (and I only did paper highway logs for 5 months when I first started) but the Hours of Service needs more flexibility to allow the driver some rest and relaxation time throughout the day. Pushing for 12-14 straight hours is exhausting and leads to burnout.

If I already know I'm going to end up at the shipper for the night, I'd rather stop halfway through the day to have a good break and lunch and avoid Chicago rush hour, rather than drive without stopping for 7 hours, straight through it, without even a bathroom break, to make the appointment and end of my day.

If all I'm doing is running south to Texas through Nebraska and Kansas, then no worries, 11 hours of driving with nobody else on the road every day is plenty, and getting a 11-13 hour break at the end of the day is fantastic. But dealing with Minneapolis, Chicago and southern Ontario is driving me nuts.

We need a balance of enforcement and flexibility so drivers aren't physically assaulting each other for parking spots, but still driving rested and relaxed and willing to let up a few minutes a day to let faster traffic past, or stop and help another driver roll tarps or fix a truck problem. I'm not an "old school" trucker but wish for a better industry that doesn't seem like everyone is in it for themselves.

 

Agree completely. The nice thing in Canada is the flexibility the split berth gives you. Took a 3 hour break the other day and was able to extend my 16. I really hope the split berth study they're doing in the US leads to a similar rule there.

Of course the problem is the rules, not the elog and while I wish the rules were more flexible the little count down clock hasn't given me as much grief as I thought it would.

 

I agree 100% with a fair split, not having to take 8. Stupid. Let people go off for a few hours instead of grinding through rush hour. It would benefit everyone, including 4 wheelers.

 

If I did it that almost everyday, yes....once in a blue moon...I think not...I was really talking about this people who drive more than just a handful of miles, I knew a guy who would drive 150+ miles on personal conveyance. That's what I meant by abuse.

 

It would be great to get of the 14 hr rules. I do think there should be some protection for rush hour, traffic etc. If anyone traveled 285 in Atlanta yesterday, an hour would have been lost sitting in traffic. They are doing big I'm road work there. Even if you find an alternate route that can burn your clock out just as easily as sitting in traffic can. I finally gave up and went down 675 and came back up 75 just to get moving again. That was a total of about 15 miles, and on an elog that's an eternity. I definitely agree there should be some protection for unforseen circumstances

 

"Time spent traveling to a nearby, reasonable, safe location to obtain required rest after loading or unloading. The time driving under personal conveyance must allow the driver adequate time to obtain the required rest in accordance with minimum off-duty periods under 49 CFR 395.3(a)(1) (property-carrying vehicles) or 395.5(a) (passenger-carrying vehicles) before returning to on-duty driving, and the resting location must be the first such location reasonably available."

This is a massive change in the guidelines. Before, DOT cops themselves took liberties to interpret the PC according to their own whims. It was a quite a risk to drive after 14 hour from Krafts or Krogers - when kicked out of there - to a parking. Now you show them these official guidelines and tell them you're on you way to rest. Reasonable is the key word here. Laden or unladen.

 

Right!I am happy for that option to be official. It was needed.... It could be funny too. In theory, you could drive endlessly to find a safe and reasonable spot. For me, when I am empty 50 miles from home, the only reasonable place to rest would be my own bedroom. I hope it would not be too daring.

 

They must be surely talking about politicians! a truck driver would never cheat and be dishonest about a log book would they?