The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is asking the public to weigh in on potential changes to the Hours Of Service (HOS) rules for truckers. So, if you’ve ever wanted to tell regulators how things should be run, now’s your chance!
In their Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM), the FMCSA admits that ever since the Electronic Logging Device mandate went into effect, issues with HOS rules have been pushed into the forefront. Public requests, including from OOIDA, have prompted the agency to reexamine the rule. Now they want to hear exactly how it should be changed.
The FMCSA is looking for input on a few specific aspects of the HOS rules. Those include:
- Examining the 30-minute mandatory rest break
- Allowing a “pause” on the 14-hour clock of up to three hours to let drivers take a break without penalizing them
- Allowing drivers to split up their required 10-hour off-duty rest break by repealing the 8-consecutive-hours rule
To see the full list of items the FMCSA is asking for input on, you can read the ANPRM here.
Click here to tell the FMCSA what changes should be made and then copy/paste it in the comments section below! Comments will be open to the public until September 24th, 2018.
Source: gobytrucknews, truckinginfo, ttnews, talkbusiness, FMCSA, FMCSA
I’ve driven 6 million accident free miles in 20 years on Elogs, never even hitting a bug with my windshield. I say leave the HOS like they are. If you want to average 300k miles a year accident free you have to keep that left door shut. My salary increases every time the govt makes changes and my day gets a little shorter.
If the govt is involved it will just make sense, whatever their decision. I’m hanging it up once I get to 12 million accident free miles even if the govt has made the HOS even better.
AN UNHONEST TRUCKER JUST TELLING A LIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.
6,000,000 miles divided by 20 years= 300,000 a year divided by 365 days=821 miles a day. hahaha WHAT A LIE. There is no way unless maybe running team, and I still would find that hard to do. There is no way a solo driver did it legally, and probably even if it wasn’t legally.
I am at 4.5 million in 38 years. You can’t feed me that BS.
You got that right I’m just getting to 3 million in 13 years.
Sarge Isiah E. Watson US Army retired veteran and then I went to work.
I cant vouch for this guy but when i was running solo i was averaging about 4000 miles a week and bout 9000 running teams..must admit we didnt do everything by the books tho
Really? So you don’t think its possible huh? My husband and I run teams and we both average between 675-730 each!!!!! 1460 miles a day! Our truck does 74 mph! So what makes you think its not possible for a Team?… I’m pretty sure your truck does 55 mph
Still far short of 821 miles for one deiver and thats a 7 day 365 a year ….not one day off ….i to run team with my wife and we never ran 1700 miles day after day ….so above driver was absolutely currect no possible way that that driver was honest and before you debunk his opinion with your ignorance read more closely and do some math …on elogs as a solo driver 800 miles in 24hrs is possible but cant possibly legally log more than 4000 miles a week can not happen 4000at best
X53 weeks
212000 miles per yr
Still way short of his 3000000 statement… i cant imagine why you woukd try to defend such a obvious misrepresentation
Keep the left door shut and it’s possible. Especially on Elogs with an automatic transmission.
I wonder if you guys did hit any bugs on ur windshield?
I think they hit their head
Do not be side track. By some those drier.you have these kind of driver out there.just to side track you frome the real issues.
Quit texting while driving!!!
I driven millions of miles accident free beside tracks. Good point Will.
You are a GREAT American, sir
You got that right, he must have been running 3 log books at once to get that many miles.
Ha, 6 million miles in 20 years, what a crock of shyte!
Oh, who cares if he’s exaggerating anyway – his point is that being a good driver and averaging a good speed is what has kept him going without accidents or issues, regardless of ELD.
I just want a better option than 10 and 8/2 for ELD because it’s down the minute and I want to save my time properly when I’m not using it. If I’m 5 minutes away and over hours because I couldn’t save my time and if I have to pull over down the street, I’m gonna be maaad. hah.
Did you drive on the moon, because the moon has no bugs whatsoever
No that load cancelled. I had the hours, thanks to Elogs and being well rested due to my automatic transmission.
lol..real trucker sarcasm!
Your real name is James T. Kirk, Captain of the Enterprise,
and everything you say is a lie…lol!
Captains E log, stardate August 26, 2018. The natives don’t seem to believe my honest statement about being accident free. Must.keep.driving. until I reach 12 million accident free miles. Darn it Jim I’m a truck driver, not a liar,
Yeah I know that load got canceled because it was a bug area!
Yes it was. No accident here, even bug collisions,
Its true, but you forgot leap year. So it drops the average miles per day a few miles. What I want people to take away is that I am a 6 million mile accident free trucker that just tells the truth. Never even scratched a tree limb.
Not everyone is like you. Have sex with you ELog all that you like. It doesnt mean that I should. You mind you.
And you say no to drugs. It will keep you from posting nonsense.
you probably drove on the moon since you didn.t hit not even one bugs on ur windshield .That is real safe!
Really, not one bug ? I find that very disturbing you Not hitting a bug on your windshield almost like you driving 6 million miles and NOT hitting 1 bug on your windshield. That’s NOT true and I’m inclined to believe you have NOT driven 6 million miles driver.
Isaiah, drop and give me 20 for not believing your accident free captain.
a virtual reality truck driver playing on his store bought
video game. LOL
I’m even more accident free on video games.
That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever read
You’ve got three first names. That’s the dumbest name I’ve ever read. Now back to my accident free trucking.
My BS meter just melted down bro!
Miles don’t add up plus no E Logs 20 years ago. 20 years ago some companies, like Schneider, had sattelite comms, but used good old paper logs.
I have delivered thousands of BS meters in my 6 million mile accident free career. I will deliver thousands more on my way to 12 million accident free miles.
Pretty obvious you misplaced some of them meters up your hindside!
You’re just mad because you are hitting things while reading this and I am being even more accident free,
BS brown noser full of it, stinky lazy no life trucker, it’s guys like you I hear at the truck stop complaining they can’t drive because no hours then smile because they can sit all lazy watching TV, I’d rather finish a triangle run and go home than to be antisocial blob.
Your name in reverse is Nonotair. I drove 4 million miles without air in the desert.
Million miles for every 10. Period
Elogs has not been around for 30 years. You are not a trucker lies lies lies
Werner used my prototype. It was a bluetooth version back then and it worked great.
There’s no way you drive 300000 miles a year legally. That’s 822 miles a day 7- Days a week. Truck Drivers sure like to tell their stories.
That would be great cuz if you think about it no one sleep for ten hrs so if we could go back to old way of spiltting it that would be good . Now the mandatory 30 min break that really can stay cuz most of us take lunch anyhow
Speak for yourself. I can sleep longer than 10 hours after wrestling tarps in the wind all day.
Hours of service are fine the way they are that 30 minute break is what is a killer . It makes you more tired when you take it, and I’m a truck driver
Easy fix to HOS laws, anytime spent I sleeper or off duty dose t count against your total 11 hour drive time. Easy as that
Shippers and receivers ought to be held accountable for their bad attitudes at times in causing delays. They are flippant about it saying that their are other trucking companies that will tolerate their garbage if we don’t like it. It needs regulation because it’s a major cause of guys pushing limits. That is a fact.
I drove a rig over the road and local most of my life. Paper logs were a joke! Electronic logs are the best thing that ever happened to the trucking industry as far as safety is concerned. But, there is a problem. Once I logged in for the day I had to work my hours regardless of what happenend to me for the day. If I wasn’t feeling well or was extremely tired I had to keep driving or forfeit my available time for that working day. Something needs to be done about that. If a driver is tired he needs to shut down to be able to get a short break without running time off his clock for the day. Being shutdown at a truckstop. out of town. for a reset was a terrible idea.
So… Years and years of complaints from drivers, on this subject, go unheard and ignored, but NOW they’re interested in our opinions…
Well, they’ll get them, but my prediction is that they’ll let us all spout off at the mouth, and then do whatever the ATA and the megacarrier executives want them to do, and continue to ignore the bodies that are actually in the driver seats.
Are we really buying this, after decades of not caring about drivers at all? Really? Well, get it all out of your system, because in two years, we’ll be back to the same old deaf ears and frustration. Mark my words… :-/
No sir they are not interested they put that in the article to make us feel all warm and fuzzy they don’t care and we will still go unheard The snowflakes at ATA will see to that they will whine and cry and put safety on it like they have everything else I disagree it won’t take six months because it’s not going to change for our benefit and I have spoke up sit letters and everything else I’m not scared I’ll speak my piece and go on about it if they’re offended I can’t help it i’m not going to lie about it so they’re happy the FMCSA isn’t going to do anything in our favor look at the shippers and receivers haven’t done a thing to them the ATA spoke in the last truckers report that companies and brokers we’re recording record profits because the shippers are pouring out money to get a good shift and where is the drivers cut especially ICs and o/o They also said rates were up that’s a lie it’s hard to make it I personally feel they’re trying to get rid of ICs and uncle they also said rates were up that’s a lie it’s hard to make it I personally feel they’re trying to get rid of ICs and o/o Who is trying to make a living and want everyone to be company drivers to get screwed
My sentiments exactly I agree with this driver. They don’t give a shot about nothing but their bottom line. Them profits. And the idea of putting 18 year-olds out here ! Hell the 21 to 30 year olds can’t stay focused 3 miles to the next exit why put video gaming 18 year olds in a truck to kill off some of the population. Move the hours to 18 hours instead of 14 hour clock. Let the driver take his breaks when needed 2 30 min or 1 hour when the driver see fit instead of a mandatory when the driver may or may not need it. Stop the 18 hour clock when the driver is Not driving and loading and unloading. Reinstate split sleeper berth to 5 on 5 off, pay the drivers $100.00 per hour after 2 hours at a shipper or receiver. All driver trainees less than 2 years OTR experience make $0.40 cents per mile. 3 to 5 year drivers $0.55 to 0.75 cpm. Veteran drivers 6 years to 10 years $ 1.30 to 3.00 per mile. Old school and drivers with more than 10 years driving compensated according to their experience. And we won’t have or need to talk about any driver shortage. That’s corporate greed coming into play to get government to lower trucking age requirements. Screw That.
Sarge Isiah E. Watson US Army retired veteran and then I went to work
aggreed!!!!
I believe they need to go back to the 8 hour sleeper birth in 24 hours. We set all the time anyway napping ect.People aren’t made to sleep 10 hours a day.electronic logs is the most unsafe,unhealthy that I have ever seen.People are driving crazy,getting into fights in truck stops.People we need logic behind all of this.If big company’s wants this for micro manage there people let them have it.Ag exception is all over the board ,no one person can really tell you what the rule is.Fmcsa has set us up for failure in more ways than one.I think you know what I am saying let us breath.Its hard enough.Make rules in black and white.
Thank You
Brett Barker
You hit right point. 100%Wright
I personally like the HOS rules that are in effect. They are there for reasons related to health and safety. However, the trucking industry as a whole is not only demanding but dishonest. Using autologs is helping to make drivers and trucking companies more honest but it all comes down to earnings and profit. There is a shortage of drivers each year due to over regulation, the hardships of the job, earnings and profit driven pressures that drive companies to overwork and underpay drivers and pressures drivers to circumvent rules and regulations in order to satisfy greedy employers and to make the money they need to earn. How to fix it? That would require a major shift in regulatory and corporate mentality. Nevertheless, there needs to be enough regulatory controls to ensure safety because too many companies and drivers would otherwise ignore safety in favor of overall profits.
Nothing will be fixed unless we flex the power of the drivers. We need a shut down. They want us to do the work for them. Incriminate yourself so they can validate our jobs. 30 min rule is bad. Stopping a person from getting back home for there 34 restart by a strict eld hos rule is detrimental. You want rested and willing drivers. Not rushing the clock 8 your rules and a logging device that limits your ability to help yourself reach your goals. Companies pick and choose what the want on the elf and that’s wrong also. It should be a,even,playing field for everyone.
The 14 hour rule forces drivers to drive when they may be tired. If I spend 3 hours at a dock (which happens often), I don’t have any time left to take a nap. Once the 14 hour clock starts eating the 11 hour clock drivers are more apt to hammer down and push through it to make miles. It also forces drivers to drive during times when would else be easier to take a break and wait out a rush hour, or a bad storm. It also forces drivers to make a choice between possibly eating right or not. If my 14 hour clock is eating my drive time I may choose to just wait till the end of shift for food, or grab a quick hotdog or some other garbage. Basically speaking time = miles = money. By putting all these restrictions on drivers on how long they can sit before they start losing money, you’re forcing a choice that’s not always going to lead to safe outcomes.
The 30 min break is stupid. Most drivers I know spend most of it sitting behind the wheel counting down until they can move again. We know when to pee and eat, which is all a 30 is good for… let us do it.
I agree whole heartedly.
One hour ,two hours, three hours, four hours, at a dock should be on duty not driving! Trying to nap while having the CB on awaiting to be called to a door is not sleeping! Awaiting a drop at the door then another hook to it is not off duty time. The whole issue is how to squeeze the most driving time into a 14 hour window at the lowest cost for the company, not paying a driver for his time!
I quit driving truck, I was tired of damned if you do damned if you don’t. Being expected to run illegal but we didn’t tell you too, just this once and you kill a drunk driver that ran into you, you are the one holding the bag for being out of hours! Your more easily disposed of than a blown out recap!
that’s tellin it straight.
if you want to run on a squirrel cage
elog…go ahead …those that dont need to
have the guvmint tell them when to pee ,eat and sleep,
should not have to do the eld dance.
The drivers should be allowed to rest for a few hours with out beeng penalized on the hours of service.
The answer is simple. The 11-hour total driving time rule is fair and can stick around. Eliminate the 14-hour rule completely. (The 3-hour pause idea would be better than nothing though) Also eliminate the 30 minute break requirement, and then allow any break period of atleast 2 hours in the “sleeper berth” or “off duty” to count towards the 10 hour daily reset. I would also like to see the weekly HOS limits be changed to 70/7 for interstate OTR drivers (70 hours total on a rolling 7 day schedule) and then eliminate the ridiculous 34 hour weekly restart. We spend WAY too much time in the back of our trucks with all these reset requirements. Whenever I am away from home, I just wanna run hard & make some good money, then come home and be able to afford a few days off and you could do that with these rules and still be safe.
yes i agree with you
Yes I agree with you
I mostly agree with you, but the disconnect comes in the very real fact that there are many of us out here that live a very different life than those that have a home to go home to.
I live in my truck. I take my reset when and where I can get it in.
This illustrates the core problem with one set of HOS rules. There are far too many variables in the general industry to have these legislatures that know so very little about the “real” world of trucking; the one beyond that which the blinder wearing public sees, making the rules to suit what they believe the issues to be.
I think you have it there. I also like to run hard to get the miles in everyday, but by doing that I run my 70 out in about 5-6 days and then I have to sit for 34 just to get another load. I agree that it needs to change to a 7/70 not the 8/70 it is now. I also agree that the 30 min break needs to be gone. I know when I have to pee or eat. I don’t need to sit behind my wheel counting the clock so I can drive again.
Why can’t you have a 5 day work week? With today’s computers, GPS, real time traffic and weather there is no reason why scheduling freight can’t be done within those parameters! Want overtime then make it volunteer not forced slavery at $1 a hour in traffic or days stuck in a snow storm or flood! The pay could be also be brought up to par as a hourly rate as well since all your driving can be documented as you smile into the drivers camera facing you!
well said.
Remove 14 hr rule. And 30 min break.
All u r doing with electronic logs is pushing drivers to hurry and crash and hurt someone racing for time very stupid if a driver is normal when he is tired he will sleep
A real simple solution would be to allow truck drivers who do not run a 70 hour work cycle to drive for up to 14.5 hours out of a 24 hour. And repeat that process for up to 2 days. Many drivers like myself left the industry because my work was 2 days on, 11 to 14 hour runs out and same back then 2 to 3 days off hauling cattle/livestock. No such part time like policies exist so me and hundreds like me simply quit and found other work.
Docket No. FMCSA-2018-0248), 14 hour pause opinion, three hours a day or during seven day cycle? I like the idea.
OTR trucking companies need to pay more. Then the HOS would be fine.
The PERFECT STORM is this year for accident rates to go up and they know it
They are probably just wanting to find out the key thoughts so they can figure out new ways to piss us off and run us out of the game so the major league blow jobbers can keep the game to themselves.
This is my comment I made on the government page:
I have a comment about the HOS regulation that pertains to anyone that is required by HOS regulations to log their everyday activities. Instead of requiring, in a 24 hour period, one to run a straight consecutive 14 hour clock, with a required straight 10 hour off duty and with a required 30 minute break at or before the 8th hour, allow one to run his/her 24 hour day with a consecutive or broken up 10 or 8 hour off duty as long as the 10 or 8 hours are within the 24 hour period from start. It can be broken by two separate 5 or 4 hour periods or a 2 and a 6 or 8. This would allow for any unknown down time that a driver may incur do to no fault of their own to not interfere with their on duty time within the same 24 hour period. Eliminate the 30 minute break all together.
Thanks for this opportunity to make a comment.
The rules before 2010 were fine. No 14 hour clock, we had the split break option. No stupid 30 minute break, we took short breaks when we wanted to. ELD’s are garbage. Now look at all the wrecks out there.
I like exactly what Red said….
The 11-hour total driving time rule is fair and can stick around. Eliminate the 14-hour rule completely. (The 3-hour pause idea would be better than nothing though) Also eliminate the 30 minute break requirement, and then allow any break period of atleast 2 hours in the “sleeper berth” or “off duty” to count towards the 10 hour daily reset. I would also like to see the weekly HOS limits be changed to 70/7 for interstate OTR drivers (70 hours total on a rolling 7 day schedule) and then eliminate the ridiculous 34 hour weekly restart. We spend WAY too much time in the back of our trucks with all these reset requirements. Whenever I am away from home, I just wanna run hard & make some good money, then come home and be able to afford a few days off and you could do that with these rules and still be safe.
FMCSA HAS GOT TO GET EVERYBODY ON THE SAME PAGE.YOU MANDATE THE DRIVERS AND LEAVE THE BROKERS AND THE SHIPPERS AND REEIVERS AND MOTHER NATURE AND TRAFFIC. IT DON’T TAKE A ROCKET SCIENTIST TO FIGURE THIS OUT. THE INDUSTRY AS WHOLE HAS GOT TOGETHER. YOU CAN’T CHANGE PART OF IT AND THINK YOU WILL GET A GOOD OUT COME. IT DONT WORK THAT WAY. PULLING THE LIFE OUT OF THE DRIVERS AND HOLDING THE ACCOUNTABLE FOR EVERYBODY. TELL ME SOMETHING A DRIVER GETS TO THE SHIPPER AND RECEIVER ON TIME. THEN THEY WAIT ANYWHERE FROM 3 HOURS TO ALL DAY. NOW THEY STILL THINK YOU SHOULD GET THAT LOAD DELIVERED ON TIME. AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT THEY WILL NOT PAY YOU DETENTION TIME AND IF THEY DO THEY MAKE IT SO HARD AND TIME CONSUMING AND JUMPING THROUGH SO MANY HOOP TO GET IT THREE MONTHS LATER. COME ON. MAKE THIS RIGHT. GOVENMENT DONT GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THE DRIVER. ALL SOMEBODY HAVE TO DO IS CRY OH THAT BIG TRUCK CAUSES AN ACCIDENT. NO THE FOUR WHEELER DID.
Perhaps you should start a Go Fund Me page to get your Caps Lock button fixed.
Hahahaha
I got a better solution…. how about going back to paper logs and let truck drivers do their freaking job!! Forget about HOS and let them choose when to start and stop on their own time!!
Because they did that, and people are morons who make bad decisions and kill other people?
No. I have no problems with ELD. Ever since they came in full effect our shippers suddenly realized that their timings were unrealistic on a legal clock and loads are ready earlier. Less holding up at some produce places in Cali. Suddenly we’re allowed parking on site, etc. And now FMCSA realized the HOS are crap because for the first time they realized how we HAD to cheat them to make things work so they’re at least getting around to try and fix it. Paper logs offer way too many opportunities for errors that donut-deprived DOT officers will use to fine you while ELDs have a lot of automation, much less time wasted drawing and writing stuff.
I’m perfectly alright with ELDs but YES, HOS need working on.
already doing that..people die and get hurt anyway
Should just get rid of HOS all together and and start fining these company’s heavily as well shoppers and receivers to make reasonable time to do the job and do the job safely.
I feel since these new HOS went in effect It has been more effective. Im actually getting the rest i need now and not tired behind the wheel.Ive enjoyed having 10hours of rest before driving now.So in my opinion HOS should stay as it is.This real issue here paying drivers more CPM Odometer miles for driving or start paying a good hourly pay by the hour for hours worked not just driven but the entire 14 hours of work be paid by the hour.Companies start doing that then Companies will start to retain more drivers staying with them than quiting to leave for more money.The real issue is the wages and retaining and keeping there drivers.
K.Pate
Leave the HOS as is but Companies meed to pay drivers more CPM or pay a good hourly pay by. The hour and then Companies willthen start to keep drivers verses looking for another job due to low pay.
I am pre cdl,I have an idea.let me run the 8 hr brk they asked years back and I told them us older drivers should be exempt from these new hrs,and In the future I see problems coming, I have no crystal ball it has become reality.
The government just wants to run everything and the drivers ain’t getting nothing even going to California with the 55 miles we won’t even get to the destination without getting the ticket we won raise speed limit the 65 would be nice….
I like breaking up the 14 hr rule
Go to 16. And get rid of the 30 minute break . Most drivers will be resting when loading and unloading . 16 on .8 off. No driver sleeps more than 6 hours. .10 hrs off
Hard to sleep that long
16 on 8 off
No driver sleeps more than 6 hrs anyway . Plus when loading
and unloading. Drivers usually rest or take naps
I think a driver should be able to drive 14 hours/or 700 miles which ever comes frist in a 16 hour period with 45 min. Break (clock stop).
Sounds like someone on the coasts or in a 65mph company truck running in Texas you can run well over 800 miles in 11 hours
I think the break should be up to the driver and any time we’re at a shipper or receiver we should be able to go off duty and not go against our work day , shippers & receivers schedule these appointments and then keep you there 3,4,5 hours and sometimes all day or night like going to a hospital emergency room and all of that is beyond our control ,and that’s not all what about traffic and construction delays all beyond our control but if you’re in a car you can drive and stay up as long as you want we’re the same people when we’re not in the truck .It all depends on the individual
Comment:
Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
I have driven over-the-road for 42 years. The current HOS rules have made it very difficult to serve my customers and remain profitable. Before proposing improvements to the rules, it is very important to understand that the very diverse world of trucking requires extreme schedule flexibility of the driver, and a good and safe driver must adapt to the changes throughout the day. Trucking is not even close to a 9 to 5 routine, and everyday is typically much different than the previous day. These are the changes that I strongly feel need to be made.
First, the 14 hour rule should be eliminated completely. It is the most dangerous part of the rules. A drivers ability to complete his duties within that time frame are influenced by various factors, many of which are beyond its control. When the 14 hours are ticking, it forces the driver to make decisions it wouldn’t otherwise make. The most dangerous of which is the decision to not take a break or nap when it is desperately needed. Instead, because the available hours are constantly being eroded, the pressure to keep trying to drive is enormous. Currently, many drivers are daily forcing themselves to drive when less than alert, and they are drifting in and out of full consciousness. The 14 hour rule also attempts to make trucking into a daily schedule instead of allowing the work to be completed as needed. The business of trucking requires the driver to adapt to its customers requirements that are not tied to a daily routine. It is much safer to allow the driver to rest as needed, work as needed, and not be forced to perform when not rested. Please, remove the 14 hour rule and take the constant pressure off before more accidents and deaths occur because of it.
Second, the 30 minute break impedes the ability to keep a schedule and requires increased stress every day as a driver tries to plan in advance where to park and is forced to delay its progress when otherwise the driver would chose to keep driving. No regulation can determine when a driver requires a break or a nap, neither can a rule determine the time necessary to return back to the highway safely. Every day and every driver are different, and those requirements are always influenced by the previous events of the particular day. A safe driver will always know when to take a break, and an unsafe driver will never be made into a safe driver by imposing an unreasonable rule onto its ability to perform. Please, remove the 30 minute break requirement and let the driver have the freedom to perform at the most effective level.
Third, the 10 hour off duty rule and the split sleeper berth rule need adjustment. It is un-natural for a person to sleep 10 hours on a daily basis. A productive person will typically sleep far less than a lazy or un-productive person. It is wearying to remain in the sleeper berth for a full 10 hours and frequently it isn’t an option to spend 10 hours in a restful place outside of the sleeper berth. No person, that wasn’t otherwise forced to do so, would ever stay in a sleeper berth for 10 consecutive hours. It becomes a daily jail cell for the driver. Similiar problems exist with the split sleeper berth rule of 8 hours and 2 hours. More flexibility is needed with the split rule to allow the driver to match rest needs to the daily schedule. Changing to an 8 hour off duty rule that can be split into 2 non-consecutive periods of not less than 2 hours each, provides the needed flexibility and still allows for enough off duty time for each day. Please make these adjustments to the off duty rules currently in place.
The 11 hour drive time rule is appropriate and should not be changed. The 34 hour reset rule is also a good and reasonable provision and should remain intact. Both of these rules do not impose pressure to perform on the driver, and they do promote safety by allowing the driver to be sufficiently productive.
If the above proposed changes are made for the HOS rules, the result will be a much safer environment for the trucking industry. The use of common sense will be incentivised for the driver that will no longer be under unreasonable pressure to meet a schedule that isn’t possible. There just isn’t a reason to force the industry to adapt to rules that do not fit the work environment as the current HOS rules do.
Very well put driver, I’ve only been driving 9 years, but limiting driving time is a good thing, around 11 hours is reasonable, 10 hours of off duty is also a reasonable amount of time. I think a driver should have the freedom to use the 10 hours of off duty as needed, without being penalized. I’ve felt compelled to drive sleepy or drive in traffic because of the 14 hour rule, I agree it’s a dangerous rule.
bring back the 8 hour off duty law. extend the local range to 200 miles and allow a break to stop the clock. I have been driving 30 years and not one accident. I should be able to sleep when I am tired not when some set time says so.
in the real world low bed drivers have to run around the clock it’s how it works yet we are the safest on the road.
FMCSA-2018-0248
Hi, I would like to comment on HOS rules.
Issue: Drivers are driving tired because they need to beat the clock on the 14 hour rule.
One of the main issues with my drivers is they complain about driving for an hour or two to get to a shipper in the morning, then they usually have to wait for 2-4 hours on average to get loaded, whether it is dryvan, flatbed, etc, they have to drive like the dickens to make up for lost time. This make them have to drive straight through without any rest breaks. My drivers say they usually get tired around 3-4pm and would like to pull over for a 1hr sleep, but due to the rule they have to keep driving while sleepy. This is a safety concern obviously.
Solution: Allow the 14 hour daily work window be paused while at a shipper. My drivers are in the sleeper berth at this time and it should be considered off duty.
Result: This would allow my drivers to operate in a safe manner, allowing them to stop and take a nap when needed in the afternoon.
One other issue is drivers are claiming they don’t require a full 10 hrs and end up passing time for 2-3hrs a day waiting for there 10hr reset to be up, They is wasteful time management, but it is mandatory due to the HOS rules in place currently.
Solution: Allow the 10 hour break to be split up. Canada has a nice rule for this.
Drivers can split there 10 hr break. 8 hrs mandatory off duty, then the remaining 2 hrs must be taken throughout the day in a minimum of 30 minute increments. This would appease the 30 minute mandatory break rule as well.
I hope someone actually reads these and that officials take the requests of the Men and Women doing the work seriously.
Thanks
I’m with you, I’ve been saying max 11 hours driving min 10 hours off duty taken as needed per daily drive cycle. I’m not sure where the 14 window came from, but I see no value in it. It’s compelled my to drive when I wanted to sleep many times.
I think theres alot of good horse sense comments here. I personally think focus should mainly be directed to shippers/receivers tieing up our time, then we rarely see detention without having to hassle dispatcher & payroll for it & secondly, focus on a “pause button” idea per the 14/hr. rule. but again, MOST of time its a shipper & receiver issue.
Change it back to the old way,
It wasn’t broke.
11 hr driving then down 10. do away with the rest the 14 hr rule killing us we can not help delays when your at shipping or reciving your drive time stops so should your 14hr stop 34 hr restart do away with it also
why even have a 14 hour rule? as long as there is an 8 hour solid bread in a 12 am – 12 pm period. remove 30 minute break and 34 hour restart. i like the 3 hour stop period to extend 14 hour if that’s our only option. 7/70 would work better for recap hours.
70/7 all the way
The per mile pay for a hired driver should be done away with completely. Pay should be hourly, all pre post trip inspections, on trip repairs, loading unloading, fueling, etal. They would keep trucks in better operating condition and not have drivers forced to “keep rolling” for a livable wage.
I believe that the 14 hour rule should be able to be paused without penalty. And the 11 hour rule should be taken out or replaced. As a local driver myself, sometimes i run out of 11 hours before even getting clise to my 14 hours. Which makes it burdensome on me and my carrier to ensure I get home or to a safe haven. I propose doing away with the 11 hour driving time all together and replacing it with something with more flexibility. If you leave Nashville and go to Atlanta the traffic will make you run out of 11 hours well before the 14 runs out. And I’m sure its the same way in many other major cities across the country. Ever since its inception the 30 minute rest period has not done any good to relieve drowsiness. I hear that from many drivers. So maybe that should be taken out completely and just allow us drivers to pause our 14 hour clock up to 3 hours a day without penalty. I believe 14 hours on duty with non penalized breaks and 10 hour rest period would suffice and allow us drivers to have some flexibility out here.
Why would you want your day to run over 14 hours? If the law allows a pause button then our employers will expect us to use it. I think 14 hours is plenty. Too many of us drivers are brainwashed into pushing for rules that are to our detriment!
Let us do our jobs and leave us alone. Want things to get safer out here make everything hourly and not by the mile. Limit the profit a broker can make on a load. We just need to get the gov’t out of our business. Anything they touch they destroy. It’s all corrupt. Why don’t they fix the roads, that would be a good start towards safety. Properly training new drivers would help with safety. In all if everyone made a lot better money then everyone wouldnt push so hard to make a living. How’s the old saying go, you get what you pay for. This not an unskilled labor job, that I think Obama has stated in the past. This job takes skill and professionalism and not everyone can do it. Weed out the idiots. Trucking isn’t just a job it’s a lifestyle.
Van Hock, I couldn’t have said all that any better you hit it on the head 100% and your right limit companies and brokers profit 👍
I concur the 14 hour rule should be eliminated. There should be a WT (wait time) line for waiting on shippers/receivers. The first 2 hours on duty. After 2 hours of waiting then WT. Wait time doesn’t count again on duty time or drive time. There should also be an IT (idle time). Idle time works the same as WT. When in traffic, traffic accidents or construction zones where there is heavy traffic and you have been idle for more than 15 minutes or moving less than 20 mph. IT will not impact your HOS. If it’s longer than 30 minutes and you have at lease 5 hours of drive time go towards your 30 minute mandatory break. I know it’s a fantasy.
Here’s my comment posted to regulations.gov — All you professional drivers can put this in your pipe and smoke on it!
I have been a long haul interstate truck driver for over 10 years. I am opposed to any HOS change for adverse driving conditions. A driver who preforms an adequate trip plan also considers adverse weather conditions and any other possible adverse driving condition. I am opposed to any change to the 30 minute rest break provision unless adjustments will be considered to the 11 hour driving clock — I’ve seen too many drivers driving down the road taking a leak in their pee bottle. I am opposed to any change to the sleeper berth provision that would allow for any period of less than 8 consecutive hours in the sleeper berth or a total of 10 hours in the sleeper berth for each 24 hour period. I personally witness countless drivers slumped over the steering wheel asleep at fuel stops and swerving in and out of their lanes obviously either on drugs or lack of sleep. The CDC recommends a full 8 hours sleep per day. I am opposed to extending the 14 hour rule unless the amount of time the 14 hour clock is extended is immediately followed by an equivalent extension of the sleeper berth. Example: The 14 hour clock is extended to 17 hours, then the following sleeper berth time should be extended to 13 hours. In any circumstance, any change made to the current HOS provisions should be strictly voluntary by the individual driver, with stiff fines and penalties to Trucking Company’s who by way of policy, would force their company drivers to kill members of the motoring public with no recourse to the company.
The law states that the purpose for the ruling is for safety. How is penalizing me for pulling over and sleeping a few hours when needed making anything safer? With the 14 hour rule as it stands, I feel compelled to continue driving even if I’m sleepy, so I can still run my 11 hours and deliver on time. I’m all for safety, but not everybody functions the same.
1. I should be allowed to drive whenever i like for as long as i like.
2. I should be allowed to sleep whenever i like for as long as i like.
3. I should be REQUIRED to sleep a minimum of 8 hrs within ANY 24-hr. period of time.
4. I should be allowed to take a minimum of 24 consecutive hours off every 7 days.
5. When coming off a 24-hr. break, I should be required to have slept a minimum of 4 hours in the 8-hr. period immediately preceding the time I start to drive.
6. The 30-minute break requirement should be repealed.
7. The 14-hr. duty time rule should be repealed.
8. The 70/80-hr. duty time rule should be repealed.
Wayward I’d have to stop driving then if #3 was a law because I ain’t slept 8 hrs in a 24 hr period I know in at least 30-35 yrs I agree with #s 6,7,&8
I agree with you 100%.
I like to see the 30 min. Break done away with when your waiting for that to be up then you get tried and sleepy redo the 34 reset and add more time to the 14 or be able to pause it stop the shipper and receivers from keeping us there all day
What a joke. Like they’re ready to consider ideas from drivers? You’re the slave cast they have created and as far as they are concerned you can eat $#%!
They’re waking up to the driver shortage THEY have created. The only prayer they have left is baby drivers or refugees.
Look at how many “they’s” are in my post… it’s all about them. I have two trucks mothballed now because of this and all the other BS that THEY have created. I hope more do this and this $#_! flies right back in their faces.
I concur the 14 hour rule should be eliminated. Add two more lines. First a WT (wait time) line for waiting on shippers/receivers. The first 2 hours on duty. After 2 hours of waiting then WT. Wait time doesn’t count against on duty time/drive time. Second IT (idle time). When in traffic, traffic accidents, construction zones where there is heavy traffic and you have been idle for more than 15 minutes or moving less than 20 mph, or Mother nature. IT will not impact your HOS (same as WT). If it’s longer than 30 minutes and you have at lease 5 hours of drive time, that 30 minutes would count as your 30 minute mandatory break. The 10 hour reset should be minimized to 8 hours (who sleeps for 10 hours?). I know it’s a fantasy.
Seeing we’re on ELD’S now. Why not go back to the 10 hrs driving, 8 hrs in the sleeper, and have the old split sleeper time. I only sleep 6 to 7 1/2 hrs a night anyway. Sitting around for 10 hrs is a little boring. Just my thought: I know this will never happen! But it sure is fun to reminisce.
The powers that be are nervous. Drivers are leaving the profession. Just at my company I’ve seen 200 people leave in 4 months. The problem is not with the hours of service. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it till I’m proven wrong…DRIVERS NEED TO BE PAID FAIRLY. PAID FOR EVERY SECOND THEY ARE AWAY FROM HOME. This will benefit everyone.
You are barking up the wrong tree if you really think that concept will ever see the light of day. the best you can hope for is the concept of designated trailers !
Get the DOT to do there jobs inspections random roadside,its the Fedral Governments idea to regulate this so hire more DOT Cops and do your jobs and go back to paper logs.
The electronic logs are dangerous. If Congress keeps it more accidents will come. You start your day on the electronic logs . Driver’s run as fast as they can possibly to get down the road for delivery without being late. They can’t get proper rest because if stress on hrs. It’s dangerous to run electronic logs for solo drivers,; period. It’s great for teams ,but not solo. Wake up people .
Run all the lobbyists, ata ,big corporation out of DC take our hos back to what worked for 40 years before ata started their whining and crying do away with eld and foreign drivers that race the clock through the parking lot construction zones city traffic pay us for our time shippers receives brokers should all be held accountable for robbing us blind and acting like we are worth nothing splitting our driving and sleeper time worked wonderfully before all the morons got their fingers involved in our business
I think.the 70 hour rule needs to Go away. As long as I take my rest breaks, I should be able to run hard and make money, not sit for 34 hours in a truck stop. Let me take that 34 hours at home with the truck wife. I love electronic logs.
Oh please! The accident rate has NOT been affected by these ELDs.
Just let us run 11 hrs a day every day. Accidents are going to happen know matter what we do or how we drive. Accidents are going to happen no matter what !!!!!!!!!
Actually we didn’t want E logs and now they want to bring us to the table and make fools out of us. The news shows how the FBI started a spy program copying every email and text and phone conversation of every American shows us we really have no say so at all in how the bureaucrats runs this country instead of the elected officials. No they do not want our opinion but want too give the impression that we made the choosing of our own demise.
BAMM!!
Well said drivers the should also think about having safe places for trucks to park at night let the fmca start fining the revivers who make you sit for 8 or 9 hours just to unload
Do away with the mandatory thirty minute break mandate. Especially on short haul . It serves no real purpose except costing the driver more time.
Simply give us a 16 hour day with a 750 mile limit and a simple 8 hour break. Easy simple solution
The main problem with the system is there is no problem the problem is the drivers that been on paper logs for so long and cheating on them are pissed that they can’t cheat no more when I drove for the last 7 years of my 30 years I was on electronic log I had no problems you have to know how to manage your time and your hours if you can’t manage your time in your hours you’re cheating the system because you’re cheating yourself all paper logs do is get people killed because people are trying to just drive and drive and drive and that’s not right that’s all I have to say so stop whining you guys that can’t manager hours because you were cheating the system
Cant have paper logs now you cheating non-compliant drivers took that away from us
I don’t trust those guys. Another BS like they care what is best for us.
I think we’re all grown ups. Eight hours off duty is more than sufficient. Personally 5-6 hrs and I rockin to go…the extended time sitting around does nothing for me but drag the day out. If we’re ending our days at home the extra time is needed but being on the road and rested we should be allowed to do our jobs. Driver A needs 6 hrs driver B needs 9…we’re all different. Some given the opportunity would excel as highway drivers instead of this system of generic drivers put in by these governing associations
End the 70 hour clock. No 30 minute break. Bring back split sleeper.
Working as owner operator with Landstar using (EOBR) almost last six of years. I think need flexibility when i am going home and lose my hours of service. Secondly Should able to drive as many hours I slept , Other than that no problem. Need tö open all closed rest after repair. Don’t allows any new truck stop which one not providing 100 plus parking.
I say make all of them go away, we don’t need the government telling us when or how to drive, real truckers know when to go and when to go to sleep, the problem is the government and all the new lazy drivers, if you want to seat around the truck stop all day that’s your problem, don’t force me to do the same
The 30-minute break mandate I believe should be eliminated. If FMCSA so decides in their wisdom to keep this break our drivers should be allowed to exercise discretion when they take this 30 minute break in their shift and also to possible break this 30 minute break is sessions within their shift. After all this whole break concept is to rest the driver…shouldn’t our drivers be able to decide when they need to rest?
Allowing the pause on our drivers 14 clock is truly necessary in our current trucking environment. Shippers and receivers sometimes keep my drivers at their respective facilities up to 6-8 hours! Let’s also be clear…while our drivers are there for that length of time most of the time they are just resting in their cabs…if not sleeping.
Regarding splitting up the required 10-hour break…I have mixed feeling about that request. Just my personal feeling on this matter is that I’m okay how that mandate stands currently.
These are just my opinions on these three matters. The trucking industry is a vast market pool. Other carriers will have different needs in run their operation successfully. Good luck FMCSA.
It seems to me that drivers on interstates are going faster than they used to on the same roads. I’ll pass a few cars at 70 m.p.h., and find a semi close to my trunklid. Maybe lessen the reg’s a little, but truckers really need eight consecutive hours of sleep. Perhaps the 34-hour reset and the ten hours rules can be modified?
The HOS rules were obviously designed by someone who never drove, and who suffers from the “human as cell phone” error.
A cell phone
1. runs on one kind of energy
2. runs low (when it does) in the same way every time
3. perfectly recharges the same way every time
4. Can be left in the charger or turned off so it has full or near full power, ready to go at any time
Human needs, physical and emotional are 1000x more complex
The HOS are not designed for a real human, who may be “legal” to drive after being awake all day waiting for a load.
HOS rules need a total redesign.
Get rid of the 30min break and the 14 he clock.
I hope everyone commenting here also goes to the FMCSA site and makes the same comment.
There are all kinds of trucking. A 14 hour day limit sounds like a safety rule and a 30 minute lunch sounds kind but neither is true. I think that if the NTSB investigations of fatality accidents also did an honest assessment of how the divers compliance with the 14 hour window affected his decision to drive tired or sick there would be a move to bring the split back. The 30 minute is just foolish in our industry. Our drivers spend hours of time waiting to load, unload. All such time is specifically excluded by the rule. Additionally, where is a driver supposed to take that 30 minute break. How is sitting in your truck just off an exit for 30 minutes better than being where you can run into a bathroom and cafeteria for a few minutes? If we have lots of safety money to spend lets put it into building truck friendly rest stops instead of making up new rules each year.
Simple fix for the hos. That is take the 14 hour rule away. Done ! So shipper / reciver time will be non void. Keep the eleven hours and the ten sleeper. Done Simple !
And allow the 10 hour off duty to be taken as needed. In traffic? Pull over and rest without being penalized! Sleepy? Sleep without feeling compelled to continue!
Put to work all the inventors and creators of the e-log to work as drivers to enjoy your invention. There are very few warehouses that are prepared for this system, consider that there is also a scarcity of truck parking throughout the nation. Experienced drivers know how we drive to have good productivity with safety and efficiency.
I have been in this business for probably more years than most of you have been alive. ( Not bragging, nor complaining.) I have seen many changes over those years. The one thing I have NOT seen is drivers sticking together to try to accomplish anything to better the industry. All you hear is complaining and whining in the truckstops, and now online. We are the one industry that can make the government listen, and get things changed. I can already see the comments coming about ” Yeah, you think it is so simple and easy.” Well, I will tell you what. IT IS! Think about this. If none of us delivered freight to ANY government office or facility, how long do you think it would take to get something done?
Now this is what i remember a truck driver stood for are we that disfunctional as a group that we need the teamsters back.We should all be thinking like this man
I love the way it is we just need some help from Shipping and Receiving for long long long and free hours we give away then the miles we drove not postal miles where not a mail man they make a long Miles shorter this they only industry you working for miles but then they not paying you the exact miles and the hours you burn to please everyone exempt the drivers we are not asking to patronize us driver we just need to be treated fairly and the pay we deserve A truck stop repair they got they know how much it cuz for there repair how come us drivers they paying us a peanut if we look at the big trucking company they making money laundering look harder they pumped a lot into there stock so trucking got money the distribution it’s going wrong places
1. No governed trucks or speed limits.
2. Pay company drivers $1 per miles minimum 2500 miles a week.
3. No HOS, no scales, no roadside inspections.
4. Guarantee 6 months vacation.
5. If you arrive at a shipper on time, $200/hr to the driver after 15 mins of arriving.
6. Free truck washes.
7. All trucks have mechanical motors and 18 speed transmissions.
KEEP THE HOUS OF SERVICE THE WAY THEY ARE AND PAY TRUCKERS A DECENT WAGE BY THE HOUR. ALL 14 OF THEM. IF A TRUCKER WAS ON SALARY DRAWING AN AGREED AMOUNT THEN WHO CARES IF HE/SHE DRIVES A 100 OR 3000 A WEEK. WOULD TAKE THE PRESSURE OFF KNOWING THEY WOULD BE WILL BE ABLE TO PAY THEIR BILLS REGARDLESS OF WHAT ROAD LIFE THROWS AT THEM. ALSO NEED TO HOLD THOSE SHIPPERS AND RECEIVERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR DELAYS.
RETIRED AND LOVING IT.
Make it simple drive 11 hrs and then take a 10 hr break to reset it. No 14, no 30 and no 70 hr rules needed. That way we can break and do what we want when we need to without stressing about a running clock.
I like that
I don’t like not getting paid for the mandatory 30 minute break and the free 2 hours we give to the shipper or consignee. One more thing to add is that you are screwed when traffic/accident or construction drains your 11 HOS. I do like what is being proposed though. I mean, what can we do when someone else is dictating what you should do.
All they need to do is get off their butts and go ride with drivers for several days in a row. Then they’ll understand where we’re coming from.
Just do away with the 14 hour crap all together. Problem solved
So now we are going from 14hr days to 17 hr days. Very smart! The idea is to get in and get out! Extra time does not help! Now you will have exhausted drivers hauling 80k. Not sure that’s the solution. No body wants to work extra. How about 10 hrs on sleep for eight then continue for 10 more hrs and so on
I really don’t know what the big deal with ELD I been using for almost the beginning but that 30 min.has to go cuze is make you more tired I and miss your parking
I was hoping when they started the HOS, that the shippers and receivers were going with preloaded trailers. That gives the driver more drop in hooks and less time wasted.
Local should get payed time and a half for over 40 hours like everybody
Leave it like it is . Get shippers and the rec.to do there jogs and it be fine. Sorry drivers I been out here 43 yrs.
I guess im the odd ball i dont want or use the elds i constantly watch truckers race into truck stop just to stop the clock they are causing more accidents rest areas are so jammed up drivers hitting other trucks just to stop the clock i dont sleep 10 hours i need more flexibility with that
Did anyone else to look at the hoops you have to jump through to actually make a comment? Forget it, like others have said, they’re just going to do what the ATA wants. For the record, go back to the old way just better enforcement with the E-Logs.
Leave the hours of serve the way it is, no real benefit come from the change the only people that benefit are the receiver and the rest of us work more for free
Huh?????
Some body tell me why 34 H why not
24 H.
Our biggest problem in our industry
Is shipper and reciver. Time that we
Lose for loading, and unloading has
Big impact in our driving hours.
We need another colum in our Elogs
to save our lost time.
There is no problem with Elog if we get paid hourly. Elogs calculated based on hours but we get paid by
Miles. So all traffic because of accident on the road or road construction, or hours that you spend
In shipper or reciver they are all goes
against your income. As you can see
Problem is not Elog is the foundation. Nobody will be upset if
you getting paid while waiting in traffic or in shipper or reciver.
Here’s an idea! Let the Director of FMCSA take another “Overnight Trip” so he can see what Truckers put up with on the road!
I agree the 30 minute break is bs but another driver also stated time management. Now i dont know but i am pretty sure we all spend at least 30 minutes a day refueling then waiting for driver in front of you to come out of truckstop and move along so you can continue your day.theres your 30 minute break.At the same time i think we are all responsible enough to take breaks when we feel we need to.Yes this whole fact finding mission could be a trogan horse, but what if its not and we choose to do what most americans are doing NOTHING
I can’t help but notice how Swift, and Schnider, and all the other monster mega carriers have turned the speed of their trucks up since the ELD mandate. Even though they were the pioneers of the ELD era. Interesting….
Some of these drivers out here can say what they want, but I think we don’t need the government telling us when we should drive, when we should sleep, when we should take a break and so on… If we keep allowing the government to tell us how to do everything then why even think for yourself at all, just let the government do that for us too!
Wake up people! The government has its place in this country don’t get me wrong, but they have their hand in so many things in this country and very few issues have showed success from it.
As long as humans walk the earth there will be accidents and that is the fact of the matter. The government wants us to be safe out here on the road, but we STILL don’t have enough parking to accomadate the industry. And the government has done little to nothing to fix that problem. A simple problem but the government still can’t figure that one out! So how can we expect them to get the HOS fixed to suit everyone?
At some point people we have to stand together and make decisions as one industry! We weild the power to change the rules and make the money we want at any time. Because like it or not, we are truckers and America needs us!! But that requires us all to stand together as drivers and say NO when the government punishes us and allows four wheelers to have the freedoms we have.
We are all adults here and we should all have the same freedom as other cars on the road. We should be able to drive as long as we choose and sleep when we choose.
Will there be accidents? Yes but as long as humans are driving, there will always be accidents. Will there be drivers that push their personal driving limitations to far? Yes there will be, but I know guys now that unplug their ELD now so the ELD and HOS isnt gonna solve all our problems.
We have to come to a flexable solution that fits everyone’s schedule, lifestyle, and workload.
The only answer to that problem is the freedom to drive when you choose, the freedom to shutdown or take a nap when you choose. Just like four wheelers on our roads now. Just my two cents…
Hi
There should be only one rule.
600 hundred miles in a 24 hours.
And you can take brake wny time you need and again you’ll hit your milage and money.
Thank you
Pifff,lots of people drive 600 in 11hour,that would mean you need to park for 13 hours,don’t make sense
This is the guy that doesn’t care if he kills your family, the only he’s even allowed to drive is the massive shortage of drivers, figure that out and you’ll make the roads safer by removing idiots like this!
I think we should be able to drive the 11 hours no matter the holdups, they can do whatever on elog as long as we can drive the 11 hours.
LET’S GET. TO. PART. OF. A REAL. PROBLEM REGULATIONS. FOR ONE GUY. OR GIRL. IN. A. TRUCK. NEEDS. TO. CHANGE One Driver. In TRUCK current 11 hrs ok. TWO. DRIVER’S 6 HRS ON. 6. HRS OFF NO. NEED FOR BREAK. PERIODS IF. YOU HAVEN’T SLEPT WELL. YOU. ONLY. GET. BEHIND. WHEEL. FOR 6 HRS. MINUS THE FATIGUE CHECK ALL. CURVE AREA’S ON. ROADS. LOT’S OF. DRIVER’S ELD. SAFE FATIGUE MANEUVERS
how about make some laws for those shippers n receivers..usually we losing half of HOS waiting for loading or off loading in a day
The 30 minuet brake just gets us tired. To be forced to stay and slow down in the middle of your day was totally stupid to start with. Apparently no one that came up with this rule has ever worked outside a office.
DOT keeps trying to fix something that is not broke.
14 hour days, 11 hours of driving and leave the damn thing alone.
Eliminate recaps.
14 11 every day
Eliminate 30 minute break.
Regulate shippers+receivers 2 hour unload time. $500 an hour charge after that. $250 to driver, $250 to company.
Wal-Mart your first in line.
Watch how fast things change.
It will never happen.
All trucks need to be capable of doing posted speed limits without drivers being penalized by the companies. We have 63 mph trucks and 90 mph pay. Also penalized for speeding……..how’s that for never never plan.
Most changes to hours of service benefits could be made up by shippers and receivers being penalized for delays and drivers being paid FAIRLY.
HOS rules need to remain exactly how they are because there are enough fool killing and running over people in these tractor trailers because of this the only thing need to change is the pay for truckers it needs to increase
The only person that can insure he/she is running safe is the one in drivers seat. All the rules and regulations in the world won’t do that for you and thinking it will is foolish thinking.
If you’re willing to run while tired/sleepy then you’re in the wrong line of work, get out before you kill someone!!
Followed a Fed Ex driver this morning for a couple hundred miles that couldn’t keep it between the lines……obviously dozing. Tried flashing my lights several times, got next to him and made a motion like “WTF are you doing”??…..he finally pulled into a truck stop when he realized I was recording on my dash cam. If this is ok with you as a professional driver of a 100000 lb missile, regardless of what your clock says… then you need to be checked!! Get off the road!
It’s pretty obvious by reading many of the comments on here that too many drivers just don’t understand the rules. Please!!, you’ve made this your profession!! Spend about half the time you spend complaining about HOS rules to actually learn them. Then you can use them to your advantage WHILE being SAFE….. instead of driving like a maniac until the little box tells you to stop!
It is and will always be about people making money from some else’s labor. In side (mega carriers),or out side (lawmakers) of the trucking industry. The more rules more people to ensure and enforce.
Root of problem is how drivers are paid. Getting paid by the mile means more miles more pay, means more time, more speed, less sleep. If drivers could make fair pay for 8 to 10 hour shift I believe it would help. I’ve been driving now for 40 years I’ve did both
Just give me a 45 min lunch break, and stop the clocks up to 3hrs max when I’m off duty or in sleeper birth, or waiting at shipper/receiver, or waiting 2 hrs in a corn field in Nebraska to get a tire changed, or napping in a drivers lounge while my truck is getting a PM done, or if I need to get off the road and nap because my sleep pattern is off because I was on home time for only 3 days after being otr for five weeks… Make trucking fun again dammit!
Did that driver say he did 6 million miles in 20 years! He must be adding his miles driving a car to. I’ve been driving 22 years and have a little over 3 million. Unless he’s driving team and including his partners miles.
HOS are a joke!!! They need to get rid of the 14 on 10 off. No one I knows sleeps for 10 hours. I hate sleeping 8 hours in a truckstop and sitting around looking crazy for 3 hours when I could be driving. Go back to the way it was.
I love e-logs!!! Love em, love em, love em! I’m gonna put one in my car! I’m gonna get an “S” tattooed on my chest. And when they ask if I’m Superman, I can say NO!, “I’m safety!” I want to die safely! I’m currently working on a bill to push for e-logs on every vehicle. Imagine if paramedics, cops, fire engines had e-logs? It would be wonderful!! People would only die during working hour, crime could only be committed during working hours! And if that officer doesn’t switch to on duty, not driving when he has to pull his device weapon, then well, he is now a criminal!. Let do this!!!! People are you with me????
Plenty of good comments. Plenty of ridiculous comments as well. The six million mile driver is ludicrous and doesn’t compute.
Several years back an article was posted in Trucker News. It was from a sleep specialist doctor that was on the FMCSA commission for studying and offering suggestions on the 14/11/10 HOS rules and regulations.
The doctor concluded that the government knew and expected drivers were not about to conform to the ten hour sleep provision mandate. And he suggested that if a driver had eight of the ten hours in the sleeper berth then that would suffice and meet the requirements.
A driver must take the ten hour sleeper berth break, but the experts know and concede to the fact that eight hours of sleep/rest is best for the body.
I believe the 14 hour rule would work better and more efficiently with a pause of up to a three hour extension of the fourteen hour work day.
The sleeper berth 10 hour rule should be able to be split (8 & 2, 6 & 4). The thirty minute break can be swallowed up with a split sleeper usage then eliminating the 8 hour break rule, unless you don’t split the sleeper time.
When a driver can sit back, relax and concentrate on commenting on an HOS conversation and use proper punctuation maybe the industry will take your views and suggestions more seriously.
I’ve been driving for 30 years. I have 4 million verifiable accident free miles.
I liked the old paper logs. The current ELD system is ok but needs to be examined.
We will all be ok if we just take a step back, pause to smell the roses and reevaluate your daily decisions. Be proud of your work. Be safe and enjoy the ride.
Eric makes a great point.
11hours driving, 10 hours break. Next shift resets.
A 30 minute break can be optional.
No 70 or 60 hour week (8/70 or 7/60).
No 34 hour reset.
If you watch your hours daily then you are already doing this. Shouldn’t be penalized for last week’s work
Maximum 11 hours of driving, minimum 10 hours off duty (taken as needed) per work cycle. Have healthy boundaries for companies, and drivers, wanting to push the limits; still allowing freedom for drivers to drive when desired and rest when needed. Make your money, get your rest and be safe!. There’s no real need to complicate it more than that. It would be nice, however, if the work cycle was a full 24 hour day, instead of 21 hours which often has drivers starting earlier and earlier each day, affecting their circadian rhythm.
This is what I submitted. Feel free to comment or “flame away”.
As a CMV Driver, I am pleased that there is a current review of existing regulations as well as some positive changes being proposed. Additionally, I am glad that this forum is seeking input from those most affect by the rules, and changes.
There are myriad issues regarding the current HOS, and the trucking industry that are in desperate need of repair, and the following are my suggestions, with justifications for each.
These are my opinions on what could be done to make CMV driving a safer profession.
HOS/CMV Drivers
1. Change the 14 hour duty cycle to 16 hours – Quite often, due to construction, traffic, slow shippers or receivers, and numerous other issues a CMV driver will have adequate remaining time on his/her 11-hour drive clock, but not enough time to make progress with the loaded freight. Oftentimes, the driver is essentially off-duty and parked for these extended periods. Having additional hours available on the duty clock, has the potential to alleviate issues brought about by such delays which countdown the available duty hours, while the driver has remaining driving time.
2. Adverse conditions change – With the additional 2 hours of duty time mentioned above, the proposed extension of the duty clock due to adverse conditions would effectively become a non-issue.
3. Proposed clock “PAUSE” – Again, with the proposed extension of the available duty hours, this may not be necessary. If a PAUSE were introduced, however, verbiage should be included to make its use the “sole discretion” of the driver, rather than a dictate by remote managers.
4. Eliminate the 30 continuous minute break – As a middle-aged driver, I find myself stopping for restroom breaks every 3 or so hours, with each break consuming roughly 10-15 minutes each. If the “break” calculations were made based on cumulative time spent off-duty in any 8 hour period, I would easily satisfy the 30 minute requirement. However, on at least ONE of these breaks, I find myself, (along with many other drivers), parked and counting down thirty minutes until my ELD rewards me with my remaining available duty/drive time.
5. Allow legitimate split sleeper berth option – Oftentimes a driver’s day of duty is spent waiting for extended periods of off-duty either napping in the sleeper, or relieved of other obligations while he/she is being loaded or unloaded. If any of these periods amounts to 2 or more hours, he/she should be able to spend 8 hours in the sleeper at the end of the duty day for a FULL RESET of both the drive and duty clocks.
6. Short periods of duty – Drivers are often tasked with minor duties of short duration, and have had to start my clock earlier than planned in order to accommodate them. When additional delays arise, this places an additional burden to accomplish the days remaining items in a hurried and potentially unsafe manner. I propose allowing drivers to complete short duty related tasks of no more than 30 minutes in duration without starting their 14/16 hour clock provided that the task is IMMEDIATELY followed by at least 2 hours off-duty. (Example: Driver gets 8 hour rest-break outside of receiver’s facility, at his/her appointment time he/she is assigned to and parks at a dock which takes 30 minutes. He/she then spends 2-1/2 hours in the sleeper berth while being unloaded. Instead of effectively losing 3 hours of available duty time, he/she would still have a full clock after napping at the dock.)
Any change to the existing HOS would be an exercise in futility if no efforts were also made to regulate the other parties involved in this industry, specifically the SHIPPERS and RECEIVERS. The following items, while perhaps not under the purview of the FMCSA could have a huge impact pertaining to the safety of CMV drivers.
1. Drivers not detained for inventorying of delivered loads – As a driver who delivers to grocery warehouses quite often, I have been “detained” for often unreasonable lengths of time while the items that I deliver are counted, verified, restacked, labeled, re-palletized, etc. As a freight hauler, my only responsibility should be to get good from the shipper to the receiver in a timely and safe manner, I and my fellow drivers should not be detained at the receiver, (often without compensation), while crews spend an inordinate amount of time checking the freight. The overages, shortages, and damaged goods analysis should be solely between the shippers and receivers.
2. Shippers and receivers held accountable – As mentioned above, delays at the shipper or receiver can place an unnecessary burden on the driver of a CMV, I propose a regulation that would place a reasonable limit on the amount of time that a CMV driver is held at these facilities without compensation. Currently, there is no uniform detention policy nationally. If one were implemented, CMV drivers could better plan their routes, breaks, on and off-duty times and fuel stops.
Thank seeking public comment on these matters.
I borrowed a bit from a few people, but here’s what I submitted.
Eliminate the 14-hour rule completely. A driver’s ability to complete their duties within that time frame is influenced by various factors, many of which are beyond their control. When the 14 hours are ticking, it forces the driver to make decisions they wouldn’t otherwise make. The most dangerous of which is the decision to not take a break or nap when it is desperately needed, or in adverse weather. Instead, because the available hours are constantly being eroded, the pressure to keep trying to drive is enormous. Currently, many drivers are daily forcing themselves to drive when less than alert, or in good health.
The 14 hour rule also attempts to make trucking into a daily schedule instead of allowing the work to be completed as needed. The business of trucking requires the driver to adapt to its customers’ requirements that are not tied to a daily routine. (Shipping/receiving hours are from 6pm to midnight as an example) It is much safer to allow the driver to rest as needed, work as needed, and not be forced to perform when not rested. Please, remove the 14 hour rule and take the constant pressure off the driver. Also, if these changes were to affect more than the driver, by holding brokers, shippers & receivers accountable for the time they hold up drivers, these changes would allow for the pressure to be evened out.
The 14 hour rule forces drivers to drive when they may be tired. If I spend 3, 4, 5 (or more hours at a shipper or consignee), I don’t have any time left to take a nap. Once the 14 hour clock starts eating the 11 hour clock drivers are under pressure to hammer down and push through it to make miles. It also forces drivers to drive during times when it would be easier to take a break and wait out a rush hour, or a bad storm, to make a choice between possibly eating right or not. If my 14 hour clock is eating my drive time I may choose to just wait till the end of shift for food. By putting all these restrictions on drivers on how long they can sit before they start losing money, you’re forcing a choice that’s not always going to lead to safe outcomes.
Also eliminate the 30 minute break requirement. The 30 minute break impedes the ability to keep a schedule and requires increased stress every day as a driver tries to plan in advance where to park and is forced to delay their progress when otherwise the driver would chose to keep driving. No regulation can determine when a driver requires a break or a nap, neither can a rule determine the time necessary to return back to the highway safely. Every day and every driver are different, and those requirements are always influenced by the previous events of the particular day. A safe driver will always know when to take a break, and an unsafe driver will never be made into a safe driver by imposing an unreasonable rule onto their ability to perform. Please, remove the 30 minute break requirement and let the driver have the freedom to perform at the most effective level.
The 10 hour off duty rule and the split sleeper berth rule need adjustment. It is not natural for a person to sleep 10 hours on a daily basis. No person, that wasn’t otherwise forced to do so, or ill, would ever stay in a sleeper berth for 10 consecutive hours. Similar problems exist with the split sleeper berth rule of 8 hours and 2 hours. Drivers should be able to split there 10 hr break. 8 hrs mandatory off duty, then the remaining 2 hrs must be taken throughout the day in a minimum of 30 minute increments. This would appease the 30 minute mandatory break rule as well. The other option would be for any hours of over 3 hours in the sleeper berth to count towards the 10 hour break.
The 34 hour reset rule is also a good and reasonable provision and should remain intact. The 11 hour drive time rule is appropriate and should not be changed. These rules do not impose pressure to perform on the driver, and they do promote safety by allowing the driver to be sufficiently productive.
I would also like to see the weekly HOS limits be changed to 70/7 for interstate OTR drivers (70 hours total on a rolling 7 day schedule). Trucking is not even close to a 9 to 5 routine, and every day is typically much different than the previous day. Or you can require that companies pay drivers by the hour, and that would also remove the stress of “miles=pay”.
The HOS are good for now but we need to bring back the 16 hr rule. E-Logs should have been implemented along time ago. This is a safety feature. If your running late then all it takes a simple phone call to your DM. #Comunication.
There never was a 16 hour rule in the USA
I guess someone didn’t like my comment. They never posted it
Well anyway get rid of the 14 hour rule and drop the break time back to what it used to be 8hours off. 10 hours is to long for me. If you need more time take it. You don’t need government or some electronic devices to tell you that! And bring back split sleeper back. There’s been plenty of times where I could have used a nap but kept going so I wouldn’t lose driving time. I guess electronic logs work for some people but why force it on others? I been using paper logs for over 40 years. I can do the same thing electronic logs do within 15min. I don’t need them. And I don’t want to hear that I’m cheating because I see drivers that use them cheating all the time running 5 mph so they don’t record going to load or unload.
If you already have the electronic control of the tractor you can give more flexibility to the working hours. when the charges are received. in times of accidents. buildings. hours to sleep. personal movements
I have been a professional driver/ owner operator for 26 years. Over 3 million safe driving miles and a trainer for 20 years.
I have trained over 100 drivers in my career and offer the following suggestions for changes to the RODS and HOS requirements
under chapter 49 CFR for which the FMCSA is seeking comments.
A. Short haul operations. No changes. Most short haul operations are under the 60 hr rule. Giving drivers more hours under
this rule will not change the productivity of the daily operations without jeopardizing the fatigue and safety of drivers.
B. Adverse driving conditions. Living in a technological advanced world, there is no reason to replace proper trip planning with exceptions.
14 hours is enough time for drivers to be productive without jeapordizing the risk of safety of the public and themselves with fatigue. AS
professionals, proper training prevents the need for surpassing the 14 hr rule. No exception is needed. Current exception is satisfactory. In 26 years,
I have needed the adverse driving condition exception once.
C. 30 min break. Most drivers are taking more than enough breaks throughout their day. Either eliminate or allow drivers a cumulative of breaks
of 30 minutes in first 8 hours. Most accidents involving CMVs happen in first 2 hours or last two hours of driving. This is one regulation that I have seen
in this industry, create the most delays and loss of productivity. Even with proper trip planning, unforeseen circumstances are causing drivers to pull
up short of making appointments and delivery schedules without any apathy from the shippers and receivers. Many shippers and receivers apply a
work in scheduling pattern, even if you are a few minutes late. Car accidents, weather delays, etc… can make a productive day a unproductive day
when you show up five minutes late for an appointment at a shipper or receiver because your ELD mandates you stop 15 minutes from either to
take a 30 minute break. This is a COMMON delay in the transportation industry, and a problem that has cause significant financial losses at the carrier
of which I am with.
D. Split sleeper berth. Should be changed to allow 4/6 5/5 7/3 split options. Current options are acceptable under some circumstances. More
options allow the driver the flexibility to adapt their planning to the sleep schedule, traffic, and adverse conditions. I use the split sleeper berth option
quite often. It allows you to maximum your HOS when proper trip planning is used. A little more flexibility in the split would benefit drivers who need
to plan their trips around major transportation cities and hubs, known construction delays, and certain areas that are a daily bottle neck for traffic. Properly
trained drivers on the split sleeper berth from my experience are less stressed, are more productive, and more likely than others to get their proper rest.
E. The OOIDA petition would be obsolete if the preceeding suggestions were made. There is no reason to extend the drivers hours
available in a 24 hour day. The risk of fatigue and illness is greatly increased by allowing drivers to work outside their normal sleep
and work patterns.
F. For the same reason that the OOIDA Petition should be denied in E, the Petition of Truckers Nation should be denied.
I have been a o/o for 28 years. My father was a o/o since 1961, my brother is also an o/o since high school graduation. With that being said, this whole industry is a dying joke. So, keep doing what they tell you to, keep lying about your miles driven like it means something, (it means nothing). Truck drivers and airline pilots have to keep logs guess which is the better career choice? You will be used up, chances are if you run the road you’ll be divorced eventually. Driving truck is not what it once was, good luck trying to get the country supplied with everything it needs when you’re making trucks that brake down every day that even a mechanically inclined person can’t work on to get the load delivered. Then log it. My idea, let the EPA do all the hauling they ruined the trucks.
Do the same as Canada thank you
30 minute rest period:
Personally I enjoy my 30 minute rest period. It’s gives me opportunity to get some exercise during the day, which in turn keeps me healthier on the road. There are only 2 changes I would like to see regarding this provision:
1. I believe it could benefit the drivers more to have more flexibility in the times that the 30 minute period can be used (ie. 2nd-9th hours after coming on duty)
2. I believe that if the provision is kept that it would be much more helpful if the 30 minute rest period did NOT count against the 14 hours of on duty time.
Split Sleeper Berth:
Personally I do not use this provision due to its inconvenience and confusion on how to use it by different companies and law enforcement agencies.
The changes that I would like to see are:
1. I believe it would be more helpful if either the 2hr or 8hr period would stop the 14hr clock.
2. I believe it would be more helpful if the split could be either 2/8 hours or 3/7 hours.
OOIDA petition:
I agree, for the most part, with the petition put forth by OOIDA. The part I do not agree with is the 17th hour. I believe that extending the hours of service to the 17th hour if a 3 hour break is taken would decline a drivers overall health due to the circadian rhythm being thrown off to far. I do believe that if the hours of service were to be extended it should not extend beyond 16 hours on duty.
Truckernation.org petition:
I agree with some of what this petition proposes. I agree that multiple rest periods throughout the day can equate to safer drivers on the road, and could work toward reducing fatigued driving. Although I do believe that the minimum rest period (if splitting up the mandatory rest period were allowed) should be 4 hours, not 3 hours at a time.
I also do agree with prohibiting driving after accumulating 14 driving hours.
In summary (of my opinions):
1. Keep the 30 minute rest period, but I would like to see more flexibility as to when it is taken and have it NOT count against the on duty clock.
2. Split Sleeper Berth would be more helpful if 2/8 hours OR 3/7 hours were allowed and both the shorter and longer rest periods (which ever were taken) would stop the on duty clock.
3. I would like to see the mandatory rest period able to be replaced with multiple breaks (with a minimum break time of 4 hours) taken throughout an on duty period. A fair example would be to have a mandatory 10 hour break OR 3- 4 hour breaks through the day. The drivers choice.
4. I would like to see the on duty hours extend to 16 hours with no more than 14 hours of driving time.
I absolutely agree with everyone that says we should go back to the original split break(anything totaling 10hrs within a 24 hr period), stop the 14hr clock during breaks,and eliminate the 30min break rule, because if you are too stupid to take a break when you need one,the govt can’t make you smart by forcing it on you. How is it that we’re trusted and expected to obtain the skills and licensing to do the job,but we are believed to be too stupid to actually perform the work without overregulation? I also believe,at least the last time I checked, that we were in America. Supposed to be the land of democracy,where the people are supposed to vote and all be counted. When did we vote on these current regulations? When do we get to vote for new ones? Take your time, I’ll wait….
I think we should get rid of hours and do miles. Every driver has done a 10 then drove 1-2 hours to a customer and slept for 4,5,6 hours there. Now your hours all jacked up. Give me 800-1000 miles in a 24 hour period to run. Then a 10 hour break, then I can sleep maybe 8,9 hours… It’s just a thought not a perfect solution.
First off, real issue, elds are great, regulation NOT! NO MORE 14HR AND NO MORE 30MINS;; 11HRS DRIVE within 24 hours however you need it, SIMPLE & PERIOD!
second, so-called “truth trucker”=”bs trucker”, must be riding a bus, never uses the left door, that’s why he never opens it. Anybody else supporting him, must be against us.