Local Driver HOS Question

Sadly, you're not lying! I did P&D for the first 10 years of my tractor trailer career, although it was wrecked or inoperable cars instead of freight the dispatch situation and frustrations were just about the same as what my brother faced as a P&D driver for a traditional LTL carrier. A dispatcher can make or break a driver's career.

We did daily routes in and around the 5 boros of NY City, eastern Connecticut coast, northern NJ and NE PA with single axle tractors and Landoll car trailers loading wrecked cars and hauling them to upstate NY. The days were planned to be 8-10 hours but often took 12-14, and we didn't have the 16 hour short haul rule back then. This was the 90's, so we were on a 15 hour day, 10 drive and 8 off, ran recaps (no 34 reset yet) and ran our arses off to get the job done, but the pay was fantastic. Low to mid 100k so we made it work.

This was my truck in about 2002, just before they laid off all 600 of us nationwide and I took the leap into owing a towing company. Best move I ever made, but honestly, had they not laid us off I probably would have still been there, doing the exact same job, and hitting my retirement this year or even last year. We had 16 or 18 drivers in my yard, mostly in this style truck, and we would pickup at residences, body shops, tow yards, police impounds and anywhere a vehicle could sit. They expected us to back into the tightest of places and just get the job done, no whining, no BS, just bring the car back. Single axle tractor and 34 foot trailer, although we did have a 7 car version of this truck with a 48' trailer but it was used mostly for single stop bulk runs and shuttles between yards. That driver cleared over $150k without even trying back then!

Good times.

 

Never have I seen a set up like that before.
Very suprised the South of the border car buyers have not latched on to this set up.

 

Interesting that there is a legal case for regular use of the 16 hour exemption.

I'm at a new job doing fuel and we are worked 70hrs a week OTR style where you log off duty for paperwork, office work, pretrip and post trip inspections, and refueling. A 16 hour day is mandatory each week.

Getting about 5-6 hours sleep a night with the commute. It's pretty brutal working hours. Even by local gig standards. Once I'm off training and solo I'm putting my foot down and going to 12 hour days 60 hrs a week max. And I'll be logging all work related time as on duty. If I get fired oh well.

These guys are just tying their own noose having 1 hour extra everyday logged as off duty. As soon as discovery happens in a lawsuit the company and driver will get butchered.

 

I used it again last week. While stuck in traffic. ELD required a comment. “Traffic” seemed sufficient. I’m used to the ELD now. Only real complaint is needing an extra on duty hour. 15 hr. Clock instead of 14.

 

I remember seeing those Copart trailers around and really admired the setup. I did the same exact job for a short time back in 1999. I worked for a company called NASS out of Burlington NJ. We did mostly NJ, eastern PA, and Delaware. Most days I'd pick up and deliver cars to the auctions in Manheim PA and Bordentown NJ. The job wasn't bad but the equipment was total garbage.