Do You Like The New 34 Hour Restart Rule?

[Mike]

Beginning July 1, 2013, the new 34 hour restart rule will take effect, as will the mandatory 30 minute break after 8 hours driving.

How is the 34 hour restart changing?

• The new rule will limit the maximum number of hours a driver can work, to 70 hours per week, by limiting when and how often a driver can take a “restart.”
• The change will require that the restart period include two periods of 1:00 am to 5:00 am, which could force some drivers to be off duty for longer than 34 hours to get a valid restart.
• The change will also limit the use of the restart to once in any 168-hour period. The 168 hours is seven days based on the time right now.
• The rule specifically says that a driver cannot start another restart until 168 hours has passed since the start of his or her last restart.
• Also, if the driver has multiple 34-hour periods off within a 7 day period, the driver will need to indicate on the log or time records which one of the 34-hour periods is being counted as the restart.

So, given this explanation of the new 34 hour restart rules, are you in favor of the change or not? Please vote in our poll, and give you reasons within the discussion thread.

 

[Mike]

Would also like to know if your company has said anything to you about these changes, and if they are setup for the new changes.

 

[Mike]

My vote was a yes vote. I might think differently if I was in a different operation, but being home every weekend, and running very hard during the days I am out, I think this will work well for me.

The once per week thing might create a bit of a problem in the beginning though.

As for my company, they have said nothing to me about it, and I expect our dispatchers to be nowhere near prepared for this.

 

[Injun]

The only part of it that will affect me is the 0100-0500 rule. There are times when I don't finish up until 0130 or 0200. This will hurt me...for no good reason.

 

[Duck]

What in the hell is the thing about only being able to do it once every 168 hours about? It's pointless & stupid.

 

[Tim]

I voted NO. A restart is a restart. I like the built in "gray" area they've built into the new rule by allowing the driver to pick which 34 hour restart they wanna use.
Drivers will have to pay closer attention to there recap if there gonna pick the second 34 because the first one will be counted as 0 hours worked and could hit 70 hours before the second 34 starts.
Makes me glad that my Drivers Daily Log program will figure that out for me.

I've been telling are drivers about it as I see them in the office.....most give me that deer in the headlight look. And the boss's give me that deer i the headlight look when I explained to them drivers getting in on Sat mornings wont have a 34 in til 05:00 Monday morning.
That I believe is going to be are biggest problem.

 

[Tim]

What in the hell is the thing about only being able to do it once every 168 hours about? It's pointless & stupid.

Its so a driver cant work 90 plus hours in 8 days

 

[theloneeagle]

Change for the sake of change. That's all this is. What happens if you want to restart in the middle of the week? What if you haul nights mostly? What if you work on both sides of the US-Canada border?

I voted no because I think this is just another example of politicians who couldn't find first gear, let alone know what to do with all the switches, knobs, and gauges, telling hard working Americans how to live their lives and how to work.

Let's trade places for a day. They wouldn't get half the work done in twice the time.

 

[Tim]

What happens if you want to restart in the middle of the week?

Take one anytime you wish....as long as it contains 2 1 am to 5 am periods it dont matter when you take it.

What if you haul nights mostly?

Nights just may be easier to do because your normal working hours are within the 1 am to 5 am times. The day time drivers will almost have to take a full 48 off to get the 34.

What if you work on both sides of the US-Canada border.

I believe there HOS are easier to deal with but once back in the States what ever you logged in Canada doesn't count here, and if memory severs me right it never has.

 

[blackw900]

It's just a stupid change for the sake of change.

I can't understand how these idiots decided that having 2 34 hour rest periods in a week is a bad idea...Is there such a thing as too much rest?
The 30 minute break is pretty stupid as well, but it's easy enough to work around.

Having said all of that....It won't really have much if any effect on me personally.

 

[Rigjockey]

I look forward to it. This going to cost the economy a truckload of money. Maybe then someone will pay attention.

I get more mandated days off. Cool! I am not starving out here.

 

[Duck]

I look forward to it. This going to cost the economy a truckload of money. Maybe then someone will pay attention.

The government will just lie about the cause, and say they need to pass more regulations & spend more of our great-grandchildrens' money in order to fix it. That's what they always do.

 

[Tazz]

Nope. But doubt it will have any effect on me. Just have to watch the 168 hour rule.

The problem with guys driving overnight is gonna cause more part time guys at the ltl places.

 

[Mike]

The 1 reset per week is going to help me in some cases because dispatch sometimes will try to reset me long before I am out of hours in order to take off on a load over the weekend.

This ends up giving me too much time off and a smaller than normal paycheck for the current week

 

[bigyellowpete]

I believe there HOS are easier to deal with but once back in the States what ever you logged in Canada doesn't count here, and if memory severs me right it never has.

Contrary to your beliefs, your logs while in Canada must be compliant with Canadian HOS, and they will include the previous 14 days when reviewing them at a scale or roadside inspection, and upon your return to the USA, your time logged in Canada will be counted and included, and you are expected to be in compliance with the US HOS upon entry to the country.


How's that for a run on sentence?

 

[Tim]

Contrary to your beliefs, your logs while in Canada must be compliant with Canadian HOS, and they will include the previous 14 days when reviewing them at a scale or roadside inspection, and upon your return to the USA, your time logged in Canada will be counted and included, and you are expected to be in compliance with the US HOS upon entry to the country.


How's that for a run on sentence?

Thats kinda what I meant when I said once you return to the state what you logged in Canada may have put a state side driver at or over on hours.

 

[Mike]

Been a long time since I ran in Canada. When I did, I had no clue that the HOS rules would be different.

 

[DubbleD]

34's won't get in my way but the 1/2 hour will.

Too many times I will burn up my 14 driving and waiting at docks... take another 1/2 hour away from my available working time??

Could it be FMCSA is realizing the "Driver Shortage" ain't what they calculated it to be and need to lower available working hours of existing drivers so the demand is still relevant?

Big Orange has determined the change will decrease their productivity by 5% and they will need to compensate their drivers annual wage by adding $3000.

OK... so that's how drivers get a raise, silly me.

 

[Injun]

You could log your 30-minute while waiting at a dock?

 

[Tim]

You could log your 30-minute while waiting at a dock?

Only if you got to the dock within the first eight hours of going on duty.
I really dont see a problem with the 30 stop myself.