HOS question....16-Hour Driving Window???

Then why do some states have intrastate HOS that lengthen the hours compared to federal regs? They're not there just to look pretty.

Even CA, the state every driver hates, allows intrastate drivers more hours of driving per day and on duty in an 8 day period compared to FMCSA regulations.

Switching back and forth though doesn't seem like something that would be legal to me. I would think the company would have to be intrastate only to follow them, but I don't know either. I know I couldn't use the CA intrastate rules when working for a company that also ran interstate even though I did not. That could of been company policy though.

 

Not entirely correct.


§ 350.341
What specific variances from the FMCSRs are allowed for State laws and regulations governing motor carriers, CMV drivers, and CMVs engaged in intrastate commerce and not subject to Federal jurisdiction?

(a) A State may exempt a CMV from all or part of its laws or regulations applicable to intrastate commerce, provided that neither the GVW, GVWR, GCW, nor GCWR of the vehicle equals or exceeds 11,801 kg (26,001 lbs.). However, a State may not exempt a CMV from such laws or regulations if the vehicle:
(1) Transports hazardous materials requiring a placard.
(2) Is designed or used to transport 16 or more people, including the driver.
(b) State laws and regulations applicable to intrastate commerce may not grant exemptions based upon the type of transportation being performed (e.g., for-hire, private, etc.).
(c) A State may retain those exemptions from its motor carrier safety laws and regulations that were in effect before April, 1988, are still in effect, and apply to specific industries operating in intrastate commerce.
(d) State laws and regulations applicable to intrastate commerce must not include exemptions based upon the distance a motor carrier or driver operates from the work reporting location. This prohibition does not apply to those exemptions already contained in the FMCSRs nor to the extension of the mileage radius exemption contained in 49 CFR 395.1(e) from 100 to 150 miles.
(e) Hours of service—State hours-of-service limitations applied to intrastate transportation may vary to the extent of allowing the following:
(1) A 12-hour driving limit, provided driving a CMV after having been on duty more than 16 hours is prohibited.
(2) Driving prohibitions for drivers who have been on duty 70 hours in 7 consecutive days or 80 hours in 8 consecutive days.
(f) Age of CMV driver—All CMV drivers must be at least 18 years of age.
(g) Grandfather clauses—States may provide grandfather clauses in their rules and regulations if such exemptions are uniform or in substantial harmony with the FMCSRs and provide an orderly transition to full regulatory adoption at a later date.
(h) Driver qualifications:
(1) Intrastate drivers who do not meet the physical qualification standards in 49 CFR 391.41 may continue to be qualified to operate a CMV in intrastate commerce if the following three conditions are met:
(i) The driver was qualified under existing State law or regulation at the time the State adopted physical qualification standards compatible with the Federal standards in 49 CFR 391.41.
(ii) The otherwise non-qualifying medical or physical condition has not substantially worsened.
(iii) No other non-qualifying medical or physical condition has developed.
(2) The State may adopt or continue programs granting variances to intrastate drivers with medical or physical conditions that would otherwise be non-qualifying under the State's equivalent of 49 CFR 391.41 if the variances are based upon sound medical judgment combined with appropriate performance standards ensuring no adverse affect on safety.
(3) The State may decide not to adopt laws and regulations that implement a registry of medical examiners trained and qualified to apply physical qualification standards or variances continued in effect or adopted by the State under this paragraph that apply to drivers of CMVs in intrastate commerce.

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/administration/fmcsr/fmcsrruletext.aspx?reg=350.341

 

I know of a few guys that use it, but it really doesn't work for most drivers... For example: It allows 2 extra hours drive time added to the 11 for a total of 13... or 16 total on duty hours for 1 work day in a week if a 34 reset is taken every week... Also, the driver MUST stay within their own state, interstate commerce voids it. Also, a driver still has to follow the 70 hr a week rule.

With this said, whom can use this? Fuel haulers, in state regional drivers, and Ag related drivers... perhaps some construction drivers as well.

I haul fuel, but I'm in different states far to often to make this work for me.

 

Could you cite the language that allows 13 hours of drive time please?

 

Read the quoted post below

You just reiterated my point. If you drive a class A vehicle intrastate, you are NOT exempt from federal HOS. The ONLY exemptions for class A vehicles are agriculture, civil service, and those vehicles that remain within 100nm of the reporting terminal and work a 12 hour day.

 

Oops looks like it is 12 hours driving time, as I stated I never use this exemption.

(e) Hours of service—State hours-of-service limitations applied to intrastate transportation may vary to the extent of allowing the following:
(1) A 12-hour driving limit, provided driving a CMV after having been on duty more than 16 hours is prohibited.

 

In Florida, you can switch back and forth between intrastate and interstate. However, you must allow seven days to pass before crossing the border. At my last company I used it often. They had a checkbox on our logbook log pages labeled "Florida HOS." If we used it, we would just check the box, and then couldn't leave the state for the next week or so.

I am not allowed to do this at my current company, although ironically, I have never left the state (and frankly, never plan to) and with my last company, I would be out of state all the time.

 

Can I use the 2 hour emergency rule, once a week due to "Unable to find safe and legal parking at my preplanned truck stop"? and what if every trucker uses the same across the USA? (would the FEDS and DOTS and State officials and legislators start making an effort to help us out?)

 

No...........

 

I get what you are saying. The way you worded it before didn't come out that way to me, as in there were no state HOS exemptions period which is not the case.