Went into sleeper berth split violation by accident.

No fines. No loss of employment. The worse thing that will probably happen will be some idiot in Safety who read a book is going to talk down to you.

Sounds exciting, doesn’t it?

 

That machine can't control your life nor the circumstances surrounding it. Things happen, it's Trucking. Nothing is predictable. If your company fires you over this then consider it a blessing because they aren't worth working for anyway.

 

I apologize for being that guy. Safe haven is a place where both drivers of certain division 1 explosives can leave the truck without either of them attending it.

 

First of all remember that other people's screw ups aren't a reason to take undue risks. Never be afraid to tell dispatch that you'll be late because of other's screw ups.

Secondly, you are taking a risk using PC the way you did. PC isn't really intended to get from a customer to a safe parking spot. It's used that way because the regulations about PC are clear as mud.

I can't speak to your company's policies but it's unlikely you'll get more than a slap on the wrist, if that. As long as you don't get inspected in the next 8 days you face no repercussions from DOT/law enforcement.

 

His use of PC was legal and also under extenuating circumstances.

FMCSA allowing drivers hours flexibility in finding parking

 

You've learned your first lesson in trucking: Dispatchers only care about getting the load there on time. How much time is left on your clock is secondary. I've been told that a Walgreens store allowed ten hour breaks. Do you really think a Walgreens in a strip mall is going to let a truck park there for ten hours during the DAYTIME? Dispatchers are all congenital liars.

 

Legal under interpretation, not regulation.

Many years ago one of my trainees was rushing to get a load picked up on time and then into one of our drop lots for his dot break. There was construction on the road and he needed to turn into a adjacent customer and cut across their lot, but signage was poor/non-existent. He got to our driveway and couldn't make the turn. He continued up the road until he found a lot to get turned around in. As he was finishing his turn back onto the road he was rear ended. The officer doing the accident investigation cited him for being outside the HOS, despite the fact that he had 3 minutes left on his 14 when the incident occurred and he was 1/2 mile from our lot. The court upheld the HOS violation, which made the accident entirely his fault.

In short the OPs actions were legal until the lawyers get involved. Then he's up a smelly creek without a paddle.

To be clear, I'm not talking about what is right, just what is.

 

Don't make sense. How was he out of time when the accident occurred?

 

He wasn't, but the officer cited him and the court upheld it.