New HOS

No speculation required: Hours-of-Service (HOS) Proposed Rulemaking (December 2010)

Yes, they are considering reducing driving hours to 10 from 11, although the FMCSA says both are being considered.

The 14/13 thing is similar to what we have in Canada; we can drive 13 hours in a 14-hour on-duty "window" all of which must take place during a 16-hour "work day". It sounds more complicated than it is.

The only proposed change I would like to see is the relaxation of the definiton of on-duty time:

 

The 1/2 hr break sometime before the 7th hour on duty per the proposal really seems like a non issue. Most of us have to stop and water the bushes, get something to drink or eat, etc. It doesn't take long to kill a 1/2 hr. And considering you have 14 hrs to do the 11 driving in, that 1/2 hr won't put a dent in being able to get in a full day's driving. Keep in mind, that hour or two you just sat waiting on a load or some other reason also qualifies as the mandatory off duty time to satisfy the 1/2 hr before the 7th on duty. Doesn't seem like such the bugaboo that some make it out to be. Very few drivers actually sit behind the wheel longer than 7 hrs before stopping.

Going back to 10 hrs will be interesting. That is not based on any thing rational. One can argue that taking the 1/2 hr break and getting out of the truck and walking a little is good for leg circulation, but it is awful hard to make a realistic case for dropping 11 hr driving for 10 hr driving. And since more and more drivers are going under EOBR for logs, going to 10 will make things worse. Few, if any, using EOBR are able to use the full 11 hrs driving anyway. They have to find a place to park before the clock runs out. So they are only using a portion of the 11 hr. If it goes back to 10, they will only be able to put in 9 hrs and some portion of the 10th hr in their driving period.

And this is what I spent 7 years in uniform defending. What a waste.

 

but it is awful hard to make a realistic case for dropping 11 hr driving for 10 hr driving. [/QUOTE] The government and its branches are not known for making realistic cases...

 

I don't need the feds to tell me to stop driving at some point mid shift for a break. I'm a big boy and can handle that myself.

 

I am sure you are a big boy and have some common sense, but there are lots of little boys out here driving big toys that do not seem to have any common sense.

 

While I agree that changes need to be made to the HOS, I don't think any of these changes are the way to go. It's going to be a nightmare tracking compliance with these new rules and getting people to understand them.

 

Isn't it a 'nightmare' now tracking HOS and people getting busted for log violations?

From what I have read and know-seems alot of people struggle with their log books now!

Unfortunately though-the govt does and can tell all of us when we have to take a break despite us being 'big boys and girls' (no offenses to THBatman just liked your post!) as in most hourly jobs you get a 'paid' 1/2 lunch break and 2 15 minute unpaid breaks.

 

Some of us can't get the job done on the 14 hour clock without running around with our hair on fire during the day.

The 14/13 thing will hurt our drivers bigtime. The 10 hour driving rule will make it even worse.

Many of our trips are right around 700 miles taking us through small towns with lots of slow downs and stops along the way. Then add that our combined loading and unloading time and PTIs and fueling are about 3 hours. Even properly managed, we don't get a break in the day. Have to eat at the wheel, forget about stopping to unload the bowels to void yourself of that nasty crap in the food warmers that you only have time to get.

I would love to beable to leave early, take my time driving out to my load point, stopping to catch a real meal etc then going back to unload. Only problem is that i would have to throw away log book pages at every stop and start over again. This would mean, forget about logging it as you go.

Instead I am forced to drive like my hair is on fire. Have to push the speedlimits a little, drive as fast as I can till I have to absolutly slow down. basically have to treat the truck as if it were a rally car.

Now my shorter runs, yeap I take my time, drive slower to conserve fuel etc. I hardly ever have to touch my brake pedal as I can let the truck slow itself down. Stop and order something real to eat along the way or call ahead and make the order so it is ready when I get there.

There needs to be an option to stop the 14 clock and not take away any available working hours!!!!!

 

Like most government interference, it only addresses the symptoms, not the underlying issues.