Trucking News: Proposed HOS changes finally announced

Mike

Well-Known Member
The U.S. DOT on Wednesday officially announced proposed changes to federal hours of service regulations for truck operators. Chiefly, the proposed changes, if made final, would allow drivers to pause their 14-hour clock for up to three hours in a shift and go off-duty in that time period.

Drivers would be required to take a 10-hour off-duty break at the conclusion of their 14 hours on-duty after using the proposed pause option. Also, the 11-hour drive-time limit per an on-duty shift will remain. Allowing drivers to pause the 14-hour clock would help them avoid peak traffic hours, weather events and help “mitigate the effect…of long detention times,” according to notes within the proposal, which was announced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

FMCSA has also proposed changes to the required 30-minute break. Though the agency intends to keep the 30-minute break required in current hours of service regulations, the agency has proposed slight changes to when drivers must take it. Instead of requiring the break in the first eight hours of on-duty time, the agency has proposed requiring the break within the first eight hours of drive time, offering drivers more flexibility in its use.

Lastly the agency has floated two other proposed changes: (1) Allowing drivers to extend their 14-hour on-duty period by up to two hours in the event of adverse conditions, such as weather or congestion, and (2) extending the allowed on-duty period for short-haul drivers from 12 hours to 14 hours, and extending the short-haul radius from 100 air miles to 150 air miles.

Ray Martinez, administrator of FMCSA, says he expects the notice of proposed rulemaking to be published Monday, Aug. 19, in the Federal Register. Drivers and the public at large will have 45 days to file comments on the rule, and the agency will consider the comments in crafting a final HOS rule.

 
Gonna go on record now and say that I absolutely do not like these proposed changes. Does nothing but make the fight harder to justify detention with brokers, and still required that idiotic 30 minute break. Thanks for nothing.
It’s odd when I agree with you on something.

Good one, Bullwinkle
 
So, now, I can start my day at 0500, and still work all the way til 2200. I still don't know why anybody would support this. We were given the clarification in the PC that allowed us to find parking if we were held up at a customer, no need for this extension.

Sorry company drivers, y'all getting screwed over in this big time, because this will be heavily manipulated by dispatchers.
 
So, now, I can start my day at 0500, and still work all the way til 2200. I still don't know why anybody would support this. We were given the clarification in the PC that allowed us to find parking if we were held up at a customer, no need for this extension.

Sorry company drivers, y'all getting screwed over in this big time, because this will be heavily manipulated by dispatchers.
Not by my dispatch. **** them in the neck. When I’m tired I sleep.
 
Gonna go on record now and say that I absolutely do not like these proposed changes. Does nothing but make the fight harder to justify detention with brokers, and still required that idiotic 30 minute break. Thanks for nothing.
First, I’m going with is the government. Second, We all know who they take trucking advice from.
 
Not by my dispatch. **** them in the neck. When I’m tired I sleep.
Couple years ago I drove all week on one log book. Got back to the yard, threw that log book away, scribbled a 14 day off, switched trucks, drove all day Saturday pulling an oversize load back to Collingwood.

Saturday evening, threw THAT log book away, switched trucks AGAIN, scribbled a new 14 day off, drove to Toledo Ohio, did a trailer switch, wagged that trailer back to the yard. Along the way I stopped to nap. Dispatch called “hey, why are you stopped, got problems?”

“HEY. I’m napping here. Don’t call me I’ll call you.”

Click

:thefinger:

Made good bank that week. Then got up Sunday afternoon, switched trucks AGAIN, scribbled a new 14 off and headed for Georgia :biglaugh:

And they say ELDs don’t cut into your revenues generations abilities :foreheadslap:
 
This is great news for dispatchers and shippers! 👍 Sure just log off and extend your day.
This will only drive down wages and rates.

The whole point of HOS is to protect drivers from companies pushing drivers to fatigue.
Owner ops gonna say well, I am my own dispatch. Okay but, you are still driving down rates by extending your day for the same pay.
 
This is great news for dispatchers and shippers! 👍 Sure just log off and extend your day.
This will only drive down wages and rates.

The whole point of HOS is to protect drivers from companies pushing drivers to fatigue.
Owner ops gonna say well, I am my own dispatch. Okay but, you are still driving down rates by extending your day for the same pay.
I got news for em. I will make my wait times on duty. Even if that means polishing my wheels for 3 hours.
 
Wait. FMCSA spent 10 years and millions of dollars doing a sleep study and concluded that, 14 on and 10 off was best way for a driver to be rested and in tune with their circadian rhythm?
Were the studies wrong?
Extending your day by 3 hours, probably everyday would have drivers, driving overnight by the end of their 70. :dunno:
 
Wait. FMCSA spent 10 years and millions of dollars doing a sleep study and concluded that, 14 on and 10 off was best way for a driver to be rested and in tune with their circadian rhythm?
Were the studies wrong?
Extending your day by 3 hours, probably everyday would have drivers, driving overnight by the end of their 70. :dunno:
It would probably kill me, literally, if I had to do that on the regular.

14 hours in these back breakers is hard enough.
 
Wait. FMCSA spent 10 years and millions of dollars doing a sleep study and concluded that, 14 on and 10 off was best way for a driver to be rested and in tune with their circadian rhythm?
Were the studies wrong?
Extending your day by 3 hours, probably everyday would have drivers, driving overnight by the end of their 70. :dunno:

We used to have 15hrs of on duty time to use any way we wanted in a twenty-four hour period. That period started when ever you first went on duty.

15 hours that's it.
Funny how the guberment decided that wasn't safe.
But now we'll get to exstend our day to 17 hours and it's all good , SMH. Roflmao!
 
Wait. FMCSA spent 10 years and millions of dollars doing a sleep study and concluded that, 14 on and 10 off was best way for a driver to be rested and in tune with their circadian rhythm?
Were the studies wrong?
Extending your day by 3 hours, probably everyday would have drivers, driving overnight by the end of their 70. :dunno:
We pull 16 and 18 hour days up here north of the border all the time. (We still do south of the border some days too, we just don’t get caught)

I don’t see what the big deal is. They still have that stupid 70 hour in 8 days rule and that dumb 30 minute break.
 
We pull 16 and 18 hour days up here north of the border all the time. (We still do south of the border some days too, we just don’t get caught)

I don’t see what the big deal is. They still have that stupid 70 hour in 8 days rule and that dumb 30 minute break.
My point is, you aren’t going to force me to work an 18 hour day consistently, especially with all the steel mills we visit who don’t pay detention. I’m down for making miles but I have been getting it done in 14 or less for the last 2.75 years. I don’t need to extend my day. The only thing this might do. Is allow me to make it to a receiver I can park up at. So I don’t have to worry about truck stop morons and rest area shenanigans.
 

Create an account or login to comment

You must be a member in order to leave a comment

Create account

Create an account on our community. It's easy!

Log in

Already have an account? Log in here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Top