where does the government get the impression that they have the right to tell me how many hours I can work in a week? I don't see anyone telling people with 2 or 3 jobs they need to only work 70 hours a week. I fully back the idea of requiring drivers to rest between driving/working shifts but I do not understand or support this 70 hour rule at all. For them to force you to sit on your tail in some random truck stop for 34 hours away from home with nothing to do is simply ridiculous.
They never said you couldn't work more than 70 hours a week . They said you can't drive after 70 hours in 8 days . Did the government tell you to go to work for a carrier that wouldn't get you home ? You don't like the rules , don't drive a truck . The carrier won't miss you and another newbie will be glad to take your place .
Well that was not the expected response. Working means making money in my eyes. If I am not rolling I am not making money. I am not complaining about having to do work other than driving and I am not complaining about not being home. But why should I have to stop driving? As long as I am getting the required rest what difference does it make if I work continuously for 3 weeks or 2 months. No other work force that I know of is told how much overtime they can put in. I am no more rested after 34 hours than I am after 10. You can not stock up sleep time for later. If I want to take a recreation break somewhere it should be my business not a requirement.
I get home as often as I request it. Few carriers will hire students for home every weekend type jobs. They go to exp or vet drivers.
If I can't work 70 hours in 8 days then I obviously can't work more than 70 in a week can I. Smart A.
You still don't get it . You can work 20 hours a day , 100 hours a week if you want to . You just can't drive after working 14 in a day and 70 in 8 days . But really , nobody cares if you like it or not . Maybe you can handle it . A lot of drivers can't . Plenty of people are dead because of it . Be glad Public Citizen didn't succeed in getting the 34 hour restart removed or you'd be sitting longer .Originally Posted by Luap
unfortunately rick is correct. they HAD to make those laws to protect drivers from Co. abuse AND from the "supertruckers" that are desperate/greedy and think they can drive when they CANNOT.
I MYSELF do not like the 70 as it is flawed (there is not a way to do it that would not be)
run out of the 70 at 10AM have to get up at midnight and drive when you are acustomed to being asleep to make it on time. that is NOT safe. but it is what it is.....
After every 34 hour restart I begin, anew, on a regimen of "conserving" hours. I do this by conserving 1/4 hours every chance I get. It may take 30 - 45 minutes to fuel the truck, but, on paper it's never more the 15 minutes. The rest is "off duty". I always show my CMV inspection during a fuel session, usually at the beginning of a shift.
According to my logs I am the luckiest driver, ever, because I never get stuck in a traffic jam. If I get hung up for any length of time I log how long the drive shoulda' taken, not how long it actually took.
Any time I'm at a shipper/receiver, or, tank wash, I log 15 - 30 minutes on the bottom line, then jump to "off duty", or, "sleeper" for the balance of the time I'm there.
I am always looking for ways to minimize "on duty" time. It does nothing to help the 14 hour rule, but, at the end of the week having some extra hours "saved" up can be helpful.
Also, usually when I get to the point of being in 70 hour trouble, I have time falling off from the 8th day, so, I don't sweat having to sit through a 34 hour restart. I just begin using the time that falls off the recap, and, keep on truckin'.
Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote!
Benjamin Franklin, 1759
you must not have a "squalcomm"
That little monster that knows the total miles driven, stops, and the total driving time. The information the logbook has to match.you must not have a "squalcomm"
Yeah, I am so glad I do not have one anymore.
Rather than asking why we are restricted to 70 hours in 8 days, I wish drivers would ask themselves why they are almost forced to work this many hours (more if you are manipulating the book) to achieve a good paycheck?
Anyhow, as much as I dislike the driving restrictions, they are forced to be there because we have too many in our industry that the common sense to pace themselves properly when out on the road, resulting in innocent people being killed. A small percentage of drivers in this industry have an amazing way of standing out like a sore thumb.
I agree with Bullwinkle I don't like the 70 hour rule but if it keeps me from killing someone then ok I will abide by it.
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