PC - somewhere between use and abuse

If you have the load assigned/dispatched I think it falls into the category of advancing to your next load. If you have yet to book it, well it's possible you could be going the opposite direction of your next load.

 

I have spent exactly two nights in that town all of my life the first night was fine, the second involved gunfire on my block. Thats the end of Gary as far as I am concerned. I researched that place later on at the library and found that they had been crumbling for decades since the civil rights riots etc.

 

In this case, you would be in violation of HOS. The reason why? You can't legally use PC to finish a leg of a journey due to running out of hours, that includes bobtailing home regardless of dispatch status. I've heard of drivers getting put OOS for this exact senaro.

 

Roehl's terminal is in Garry, IN so I got to go there plenty of times in my short time with the company. That was the most run down town I've ever seen. The city doesn't even have the funds to keep the traffic lights on, so they turned off most of them and put stop signs up.. nowhere else I have seen that, so I think that's saying something.

 

Except you are wrong. Going home is specifically allowed in the guidance.

Question 26: Under what circumstances may a driver operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) as a personal conveyance?
Examples of Appropriate Uses of a CMV While Off-duty for Personal Conveyance
Commuting between the driver’s terminal and his or her residence, between trailer-drop lots and the driver’s residence, and between work sites and his or her residence.

 

You may be right, although I am confused. The reason for my belief is because of FMCSA'S statement in an interview, since it seems to be conflicting.
Question: I’m a one-truck motor carrier and relieve myself from duty when I unload at a receiver. Can I use personal conveyance to go home?

Answer: No. This answer applies to any driver, company or owner-operator. It’s important to know when you are making a trip that the trip is both the delivery and the return. Even if the return is empty. So wherever you started from and return to, that makes the complete interstate trip. That time is considered on duty or on-duty driving.
Will paste the link here so you can read what I'm talking about.
The FAQs of personal conveyance - Land Line

 

For a one truck operation home and terminal is usually the same place (or close enough). For a driver to go home it's fine. For a driver to go to their terminal it's not. That's also part of guidance.
So basically for an o/o where home and terminal is the same, it falls to convincing the LEO (and maybe court) you are going home and not going to the terminal.
One way to do that is proof the next load is not in the direction you are heading, or something like that.

That and that interview has no basis in law, it's simply one mans opinion. Sure the man in charge of the agency that made the regs, but still just an opinion piece.

 

Makes sense when you put it that way, so I stand corrected.