The "REAL" waiting times.

HOS Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)


B-6. How would "waiting time" at a terminal, plant, or port be logged?

"Waiting time" at a terminal, plant, or port may be recorded as off-duty, sleeper berth, or on duty/not driving, depending on specific circumstances.
For "waiting time" to be off-duty, the following off-duty conditions must be met:

1. The driver must be relieved of all duty and responsibility for the care and custody of the vehicle, its accessories, and any cargo or passengers it may be carrying.
2. During the stop, and for the duration of the stop, the driver must be at liberty to pursue activities of his/her own choosing and to leave the premises where the vehicle is situated.

If circumstances permit a driver to utilize a valid sleeper berth without being disturbed for a specific period of "waiting time," that time in the sleeper berth may be recorded as "sleeper berth" time. However, a driver must take eight consecutive hours in a sleeper berth, plus another two consecutive hours off duty or in a sleeper berth, in order to meet the requirement for the equivalent of 10 consecutive hours off duty. In most other circumstances, such as when the driver is required to remain with the vehicle to move it when necessary(as in when loading is finished), the "waiting time" should be recorded as "on duty/not driving."





Do the parts in red keep us from logging on line 2 while at a shipper?

 

I would only go on line 2 if I send a message to my FM telling him I am going to bed for a specific amount of time. ( like when a shipper tell me to check back in 2 hours ). Thus I am documenting my intent of going in sleeper for an "undisturbed and specified" amount of time.

But that's just me.

Remember that a DOT officer might let you go without, while a lawyer might not and may interpret this time as on-duty.

 

This is why I left Butler Transport a few months ago. Too much sitting with no pay and their Qualcom E-logs made it worse... The guy in charge got told exactly why I left too...

 

Yup. Goes to the definition of on-duty. But frenchy's most excellent method is worth keeping in mind.

If you sit in the passenger seat and read or surf the Internet or take a nap or whatever for a long dock delay and you log sleeper time, who knows and who cares? It's totally sick that drivers should even have to think about parsing their time this way and log unpaid dock hours as on-duty.

 

IIRC sitting in the cab, either seat, while parked is defined by FMCSA as on duty. At the shipper, if you are relieved of all responsibility, you will need to be in the driver lounge, outside your truck, off the premises, or in the sleeper. Check it out.

 

"Well now don't get me wrong I'm one of these that thinks we should be paid for sleeping"

Whether you're sleeping, walking around the parking lot, or playing cards, you're burning your 14, whether you're on paper or elogs.

We need to get away from thinking about being paid to sleep - you're losing a part of your drive time and duty day, no matter what you're doing.

 

Yes .

 

Yes, because there are invisible black helicopters with infrared and xray cameras that can tell exactly where a driver is in his/her truck, and of course, patrols on the ground that check your log when you leave to make sure they coincide with what the cameras recorded.

All invisible, of course...

 

If you detect the sarcasm in my last post, it applies here as well - there's no one who will be shooting you in the head, or making you walk on nails if you log sleeper time and were actually SITTING in your (the horror) driver's seat.

 

All my dock time has been 2-3 hours or 8-10 hours sleeper and 15 minutes loading. That must be why those pesky helicopters have never bothered me.