When loading or unloading, off or on duty

I wouldn't think that you would be "in readiness to operate the vehicle" until after you've picked up the BOL and been released by the shipping/receiving clerk - and your vehicle has been released from the dock by means of having the dock lock disengaged.

 

The only hours you are saving are on duty hours against your 70 hour clock when you get into recap hour territory. You are not doing anything to save hours on your 14 hour shift though. Nothing pauses the 14 hour clock once it starts.

 

If you are going to be waiting 8-10 hours then it might make sense to go into sleeper status so you have a full clock when they're done, but that's insane if you're not actually asleep during that timeframe. Why sit in a shipper or receiver dock for 10 hours wide awake in off duty status and then proceed to drive all night? No thanks. I stay on duty the entire time I'm being loaded whether it takes two hours or twelve. If my 14 runs out, then I will go into the sleeper berth after I pc to a safe haven.

 

There should be a company policy regarding duty status during loading/offloading, and it will depend on whether you are in a day-cab or a "benched cab" (not sure what the actual descriptive is for it), or if you have access to an actual berth or sleeper. In the absence of a policy, I default to staying "on duty - not driving", although it continues to consume your hours. My reasoning is this: although you may miss a few hours of driving, hence lose some income, in the unfortunate case of an accident, conservative treatment of your log CAN make the difference between showing responsibility with your time, or having to defend yourself against accusations of fatigue, etc, CAUSING the accident!! Safety above all else, Bud.....we work to go home and continue the next day.

 

You 'da' man!! I like how you said it better than how I said it.

 

A 2 or 3 hour break either in the sleeper berth or off duty will pause the 14 hour period.