New HOS how is it working for the drivers

[Nanette Montgomery]

How are the new HOS working out so far, I quit driving last year and now brokering , it seems that the new HOS could cause a lot of problems, like with the 34 reset you would loose a lot of time if you start it at the wrong time of day.

[Chris Reed]

Just to clarify, the 70-hour rule is based on 8 days. The 60-hour rule is a week (7 days). I have been out of it now for so long I don't even get these new rules except what I understand they are typically government-never-been-in-a-truck fashion.

[David E. Clark]

I wanna understand these new rules, someone tell me in plain english, including the 168 hrs , and home terminal definition!

[Rhett Butler]

Hi David ~

These are not in place yet though expected to be in June or July. The proposal is that a driver is permitted a single 34 hour restart each week and must have a restart after 168 hours or 7 days of on duty time (including OD/Not Driving and Driving time, regardless of how many hours are used in each day period). If you work a 3, 7 and 10 hour day, all 3 of these days are included in the 168 hour rule. The idea is that there are 7-24 hour periods in 168 hours (which is correct if you divide 168 by 24 = 7 days). The restart must include 2 periods off duty between 1 & 5 a.m. during the 34 hours off. Basically they want drivers to have a mandated 2 day weekend every 7days using a 34 hour restart as the base of this. I have yet to hear if they intend to suspend the carry over rule where you carry over hours from last week to keep working the next week. If they mandate the 2 days off then I would guess this to be true and that old rule would disappear.

Home terminal is your home base. If you work for a carrier that has a home office in, say, Wisconsin, and you hire on in California then your home base is in California. This is the base where you park your truck and take your home time. It has yet to be specified if taking this 34 hours off can be taken anyplace other than the home terminal such as at a relative's or friend's home.

FMCSA is trying to copy the same type of restart provisions that are in place in Canada, except they use a different set of hours (180 I believe and a 36 hour restart). I don't think they have a time frame (such as the purposed 1-5 a.m. period) for their restart but then I don't go north of the border so my full understanding of their system is limited to what I recall being taught several years ago.

[David Naus]

Ask any Owner Operator who is driving city who is sitting around every day waiting for hours on his loads not to mention not making any money cause they are not moving any tonnage while they are waiting.

[Rhett Butler]

If they run paper there isn't an issue but electronic logs definitely make a huge difference. Paper logs can be altered to some extent (as they always have) but e-logs, Peoplenet, Tripmaster or any electronic logging system doesn't recognize the same city rule (10 miles/under 15 miles can be placed on line 4-on duty not driving). Any O/O that has done this more than 5 years can make the paper log look good as long as tolls & fuel match up within 30 mins. same as a company driver. Many drivers don't realize (or refuse to) that any time waiting on a load that does not require the driver to be present during loading can be counted as off duty or sleeper if they have the option and can catch a nap. This rule was changed during the last "final revision" of the current rules, there only has to be a 15 min period logged for loading or unloading as long as the driver has no responsibility in the process (I have never logged more than 15 mins on paper). It doesn't have to cut into their 70 hour week though there is little you can do about the 14 hour rule (unless there are no fuel stops or tolls involved in the day). You can make anything look good on paper with a little creativity! I've done it for over 30 years and never had any issues, but you have to be as smart as your are creative.

[Rhett Butler]

I run dedicated and the proposed 34 hour restart rule will have a huge impact on my schedule. It will effect both my bottom line in lower miles/pay and cost millions to companies to implement this rule. In my opinion, 34 off is 34 off, regardless of when a person starts or ends. I run groceries between Phoenix and Las Vegas leaving out between 2300-0400 so this will have a huge effect on myself and fellow drivers running similar schedules! They want 0% accidents but as long as a human has their hands on the wheel (regardless of how many wheels are under it) there will be accidents and lost lives. All we can do is lower the number of these accidents, we will never be able to eliminate them without all drivers being properly trained and take a safety stance behind the wheel. In the world of "me-me-me" that is found on the highways today there is little we can do but become extra aware of our surroundings. Having 2 periods of 1-5 off duty is not the answer to reducing accidents or making the roads safer.

[Nancy Long]

Most drivers follow the HOS regulations if they drive a commercial motor vehicle. The HOS's main purpose is to prevent accidents caused by driver fatigue. 

[Steven Whiteside]

Hi, My name is Steven Whiteside and you?