My new adventure with Gordon Trucking

That's true--you don't need a reset every week. In fact, you could drive 10 hours 7 days a week and just roll on. Then you don't need a reset at all. But you can't exceed 70 hours in 7 days.

Most drivers also fuel, load/unload, scale loads and do pre- and post- trip inspections. That all reduces your potential maximum driving time.​

 

I'm on e-logs, and have been for the last year here at Crete and for over two years at Schneider, so I'm quite experienced with them. Now, granted....it's much easier if you have a lot of longer runs, such as I have had the last two weeks....1100, 1800, 1700 back-to-back. Keeping the left door closed and just rolling.

Do I manage this every week? Absolutely not. But it is possible. As far as questioning anyone's integrity, go right ahead. It's your right.

 

I agree, to a point. Several times, I've been hindered significantly by this "milk and cookie" break. Last night, for example. Tight schedule. I had to stop before my eight was up. Had I taken the 30 minute break, then rolled on, I would have been late for my delivery this morning. So, I had to "incorporate", if you will, the 30 with my 10.

It's an absolutely asinine rule.

 

48Packard, I'm not questioning your integrity. No, if a claim is made for 3,000 or more miles under the HOS I think it should include the details of day 1, x miles/x hours driving/x hours on-duty and so on. That proves up the claim. Otherwise, anyone can say anything. 3,000 with a 2,000-mile Pontoon Beach-Clackamass run and a couple good loads after that--easy. Not, I think, with Gordon or Crete's normal fair--although I have no personal experience with Crete. 3 loads, 1100, 1700, 1800 explains a lot!

The miles per day/driving hours per day/on-duty hours per day paint a fuller picture. Especially under the new HOS. A maximum of 70 in 7.

 

Theoretically, consider this:

We all know you can be on lines 3 and 4 8.75 hours per day and never run out of hours. Now, include a 15-minute pre-trip, 15-minute fueling, and 60 minutes for loading or unloading (once a day...yes, I realize often there is more, but let's say an average of once a day of each). This leaves 7.25 hours to drive.

7.25x60mph= 435 per day, times seven comes to 3045.

During my streak of long runs, I didn't have to load and/or unload each day, and elected to run hard knowing when I would be taking a reset.

 

I think you're close on that--theoretically.

You can 'theoretically' drive 7 10-hour days for 70 hours. Subtract 1 hour for drop and hook each day as you said and 30 min for fuel and DVIR each day. Sure. That's 8.5.

8.5 x a more realistic 50 mph with a 61/63 or 62 Gordon/Crete truck and you get 2,975.

I like your 1100, 1700, 1800 better. : ) Either way, it takes a pretty perfect load assignments picture to hit 3,000 or better.

 

I will bet you this though. If driver-after-driver manages to show running 3,000 or more over the next year, the FMCSA will crack down further because of the time we 'convert' to off-duty when we're really on the job.

So when someone brags about 3,225 or whatever, remember the scrutiny is there and FMCSA'll just continue to tighten up. Not to mention the scrutiny on a level 3... Has to be a really sweet dedicated run or the nice long runs you had--1100, 1700, 1800. Sweet!

 

The long runs were just good luck...I'm back to normal this week....which isn't bad, but not nearly as headache-free!

 

I'll add this little bit....my GPS keeps track of my average speed while the truck is in motion. So far this calendar month, I've put 4712 miles on the truck with an average moving speed of 57.3 mph. This figure takes into account even slow-rolling, such as truck stops and customers. But when I'm budgeting time for a trip, I start with 50mph and adjust from there based upon routing, length of trip, etc.

 

Our trucks are buttoned at 71 and I run 66-67 with 65 mph speed limit, 56-57 with 55 limit or just stay with flow of traffic which ever makes more sense (Chicago, flow-of-traffic, even if 62 plus in a 55; don't wanna get run over). I trust my digital gps more than the analog speed gauge. My average, though, is always 45-ish. You must have an after-burner in addition to the turbo on that 62 mph truck... ; )

We haul Haz-Mat, both solids and liquids, smooth bore tankers and vans. Had to go out with a trainer for 5 days to train. He drives like a machine. His left-side door has some kind of glue on it when he's driving. We fuel in the yard, get on the road and stop once, at the customer and right back on the road to Indy for the last stop. Bring a lunch... some 18-hour runs with him like that. No nonsense. I nicknamed him 'The Gristmill' because he separates out new drivers, the wheat from the chaff. He likes the name.

He can predict almost to the minute his next stop before he leaves out. A machine. Sometimes I run hot, sometimes I run easy. Depends on traffic and how I feel. Miles don't matter since we're paid on percentage. Just get the job done, I figure.