Trucking Regulations: Virginia State Troopers Forcing Tired Truckers To Violate HOS Regulations

[SilverSurfer]

What truck stop is this? I really want to try and get in touch with the owners and discuss the situation they are dealing with here.

The Pilot and T/A in Roanoke is where this occuring to the drivers I've spoken with. The lastest was at the Pilot.

-ss-

 

[lunachic]

Ok, well everyone stop buying fuel...food.....or what ever at these truckstops.
maybe when they have know buisness they will figure it out............

 

[SilverSurfer]

Only problem, Luna...VA is planning to close all the rest areas on I-81, from markers 0 to 314. I say stop just befor Bristol, TN...get your 8 or 10...and drive straight through VA.

Me and my brother are working hard to put a stop to this bs. My brother received confirmation from TruckSafety.org about them presenting the VA state legislature with a letter/notice for proposed legislation change. I'm awaiting the VA Transportation Safety Administrator to complete researching to deal with me...I have a previous post of my conversation with Ms. Hazelgrove. Figured I'd give her 3-4 days before I start calling her daily. May I suggest others to call and express your opinions...also go ahead and tell her I sent ya...lol.
804-786-5351 ~ that's the number she called me back on. The Governor's office number is 804-786-2211.

-ss-

 

[lunachic]

I agree......Think I'll give D.O.T. a call today........
But in the mean time stay away from the Truck Stops that are chasing.........
If u have too pee and don't want to litter up Va. roads with pee bottle's stop and dump...but Do Not Buy Anything.................Nothing not so much as a pack of gum...
I think everyone should stop and dump.....water cost.........Do Not Pull Money Off Your cards or Cash Cks.....They Make Money Off That.......
Get word out to the T.V. Stations and Newspapers.........of the Dangers the State is putting on The People Of Va. Family and Friends, And all those who travel the roads...Make sure you notify the School Boards.....Children are at risk...
This Makes Me Sick........Another state that takes No Regard For Life And Limb.......

 

[SilverSurfer]

Received a call from Sargeant Holly with the VA state police office. We spoke for quite a while about this issue. His office was not aware about the truck stop problem and informed me the state patrol does not enforce city ordinances, and was quit surprised about the truck stop issue. Sargeant Holly stated it is the city police which would enforce that ordinances and I told him I'd follow-up with contacting the Roanoke police. He asked me to let him know what I find out.

He is aware there is a problem with the rest area issue, but was not aware there is a trooper, or troopers, causing truckers in parking spots to move and will be looking further into that issue. He commented about the on and off ramps, but I told him there are truckers being forced to move from parking spots.

He's glad my brother and I have pursued assistance from trucksafety, PATT and CRASH regarding getting legislation started within the state legislature and I'm hopeful the state police will assist with info in achieving this direction. Until then I'm hopeful Sargeant Holly will be helpful in abating the problem at the rest areas with truckers being forced to violate HOS regs if they're parked in spots. There's nothing he's going to be able to do about truckers parking on the on/off ramps...which I told him I completely understood and would appreciate any assistance with keeping troopers from forcing truckers to violate HOS regs.

For many many years there has been truck parking time limits at the rest areas in VA, but the troopers have always been cooperative with letting truckers fulfill their HOS requirements at rest areas as long as they were in a parking spot. Hopefully Sargeant Holly will be able to reach the trooper(s) not maintaining this cooperative relationship with truckers and impress upon them the safety hazard involved, and we can hopefully at least put an end to truckers legally parking within the rest areas from being forced to violate HOS regs.

The fight to stop the truck stop issue will continue, and I'll let y'all know what I find out from the Roanoke police about this.

-ss-

 

[rebel]

Good job on staying on top of this, SS.
I thought it odd that troopers would be enforcing city ordinances, but not unheard of, they do have state wide jurisdiction. Something still doesn't smell right.
Sgt. Holly may or may not really know what's going on in the rest stops, I've got my own opinion on that, but you know the deal.
Keep the fire going.

 

[Tn. Truckers Wife]

Way to go SS.....

Now I know why you wear that super hero outfit...lol....

 

[lunachic]

Good-Job..........Let us know if there is anything we can do..............

 

[Flatbedpete]

This is not the only state to do this, this is a way to generate money to pay for the so called police protection we are getting. The truth is they need to change the old saying on the squads from to Serve and Protect to Torment and Extort to be correct. Just for the facts Federal Laws Pre Empt all state and local laws as long as they have some sort of law concerning the issue. To be simple about this. The federal controls all interstate commerce operations, It how ever will not cover leaf burning in a town. If you have a State that is violating the Federal mandated regulations pertaining to the operation in interstate commerse, you ned to contact the DOT of that state and file a complaint against that division you are having a problem with. Just for a note on the idleing law in certain areas, this law violates Federal Safety Regulations when tickets are issued to drivers who operate a tractor with a sleeper berth. The law would apply to a tractor with out a sleeper birth. By no means is an officer allowed to wake a driver up from a sleep and force he or she to begin operation again without meeting the 10 consecutive off duty per day, and then force the driver to restart the 10 consecutive off, unless the vehicle is in an unsafe situation that may cause harm to others or itself. It is also the states obligation, to offer and supply a safe place to park or allow to park along a roadway, as long as the complete vehicle is off the main road by atlest 2 feet from the outside line of that road. If the road has a limitation on parking you may have to allow for that, but all federally funded highways have a 24 hour minimum period before legal action can be taken as an abandon vehicle if no one is with it, and no limits as of now as long as a driver is with the vehicle and awaiting emergency service to allow for safe operation. Officials only have the power to tow if the vehicle if the vehicle is encroaching the main stream of traffic, and is not off the road the minimum 2 feet.

 

[Cerberus]

NO FEAR, SILVER SURFER IS HERE !!!!!!!!!! :banana1:


Now all we need is a million more SS and we would all be happy drivers. :beep:

 

[SilverSurfer]

Thanks y'all...doing what I can to put a stop to this bs. And when we're done with VA - and we will get something done - we're going to try to use this action as a precident to get something done with the rest of the states.

I'm truly hoping we've created enough of a stink among the top administrators that something positive gets done towards truckers not being screwed with by troopers, or city police, until the rules can at least be adjusted to include an exception for truckers...if not the elimination of the time limit bs all together.

-ss-

 

[Mike]

Latest story I head on this yesterday (or the day before), is a driver parked on the ramp of a rest area to check his blood sugar (diabetic) because he felt it was falling low.

Trooper came up to him and issued him a ticket for being illegally parked.

This folks, is taking the law too far to the extreme.

 

[Tn. Truckers Wife]

Latest story I head on this yesterday (or the day before), is a driver parked on the ramp of a rest area to check his blood sugar (diabetic) because he felt it was falling low.

Trooper came up to him and issued him a ticket for being illegally parked.

This folks, is taking the law too far to the extreme.

Dang, he should have offered him assistance, not write him a ticket....I would fight that one in court, that's just wrong...Then again, he might loose his licenese

 

[Mike]

Anytime I hear these stories, I always tell myself that there is another side to it. With Virginia though, stories just keep popping up.

When it comes to the 2 hour parking limit, I can deal with that. I think it is a stupid law, and if I lived in the State, I would try to get it changed, and I also encourage those that do live in the State to get it changed. That said, since I know it is a law, I will plan for that.

But ticketed for being illegally parked because you had a blood sugar problem? Or ticketed for being parked on private property as SilverSurfer passed on to us the other day? That is just downright stupidity.

 

[Tn. Truckers Wife]

Anytime I hear these stories, I always tell myself that there is another side to it. With Virginia though, stories just keep popping up.

When it comes to the 2 hour parking limit, I can deal with that. I think it is a stupid law, and if I lived in the State, I would try to get it changed, and I also encourage those that do live in the State to get it changed. That said, since I know it is a law, I will plan for that.

But ticketed for being illegally parked because you had a blood sugar problem? Or ticketed for being parked on private property as SilverSurfer passed on to us the other day? That is just downright stupidity.

Yeah, I know what your saying.....This was a medical emergency and he's getting a ticket for it...I can't believe a human being can be that "cold"...
Not to mention the fact that he's putting that truckers life in jeapordy and other people around him if he is foruced to continue to drive...

 

[rebel]

Are they all (VA state boys) just ate up with dumbass?
I don't know the details either but if the driver got his rig safely off the traffic lanes with an emergency then he's got a good case. You know sometimes you don't get to pick out a parking space when you or your vehicle decides to quit on ya. You do the best you can and try to be safe. THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED AN EMERGENCY. And I know diabetics have a short window before they can't be safe.
I wonder how they'd feel if some smartass came along (not sayin who) and when he got the blues flashed said,"sorry officer, I'll have to hunt around for a non private, non public, non right-of-way, non toll road, non city, county or state regulated piece of real estate so I can pull over for ya!" "Do you know how to get to my house?!"
Can we send'em some old Andy Griffith episodes?
"Y'all try to act like ya got some sense, ya hear?"

 

[iceain]

well as a resident of va if this was true im sure my bf dad would have told us that this was happening as he watches the news every day and some rest areas it is posted only 2 hr parking limit no matter what so let me find out this next week what is really going on so be patient s we go home saturday

 

[Dayripper]

well its time to let them starve and go naked huh?

 

[lunachic]

naked I'll go blind.........

 

[Dayripper]

lol you dont wanna see me naked. youll laugh ur self stupid