To answer ScottAr s question. Top lining is where the top line of the log book is "Off duty" and drivers will mark off duty sometimes when they are really on duty, so they can extend their time. All the new regulations are gonna do is have drivers mark it as sleeper berth time now instead of off duty. A sleeper berth of at least 2 hours will extend your total time now, and that is more dangerous to me having drivers cut into their sleeping time instead of off duty. Only time will tell how this all comes out. It is gonna cause more cheating now and that isn't a good thing.
New log book rules
- Thread starter Durbob
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5030
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Durbob:
That works if you have a sleeper, I don't. As far as cheating, If the shipper/consignee scenario got their head out of someplace stinky, you'd not have to cheat at all.
Don't be surprised if the ICC and DOT set up check points to check your logs against your bills. Most every bill is now time stamped.
The interesting thing about the new law is that If you get a ticket for your logbook, your company also gets a ticket and fine . It's about time some responsibility is put on dispatchers and fleet owners to coordinate freight so that a driver runs legal or at least as legal as he or she can be.
I sympathize with your plight, however, it's past time for this industry in general to clean up it's act.
The company I work for is instituting sweeping changes as to how the freight is dispatched and coordinated. They have to. Along with that, they realize that our revenue will go down. In order to retain their qualified drivers, and with what I do, you most certainly have to be "qualified", they are also re-vamping the rate scale. I'd like to see that industry wide.
People think that the automotive industry or the steel industry are the largest industry in the U.S. Actually WE are the largest industry, generating the most income and employing that most people.
That works if you have a sleeper, I don't. As far as cheating, If the shipper/consignee scenario got their head out of someplace stinky, you'd not have to cheat at all.
Don't be surprised if the ICC and DOT set up check points to check your logs against your bills. Most every bill is now time stamped.
The interesting thing about the new law is that If you get a ticket for your logbook, your company also gets a ticket and fine . It's about time some responsibility is put on dispatchers and fleet owners to coordinate freight so that a driver runs legal or at least as legal as he or she can be.
I sympathize with your plight, however, it's past time for this industry in general to clean up it's act.
The company I work for is instituting sweeping changes as to how the freight is dispatched and coordinated. They have to. Along with that, they realize that our revenue will go down. In order to retain their qualified drivers, and with what I do, you most certainly have to be "qualified", they are also re-vamping the rate scale. I'd like to see that industry wide.
People think that the automotive industry or the steel industry are the largest industry in the U.S. Actually WE are the largest industry, generating the most income and employing that most people.
5030
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Scott:
"Top lining" is actually showing "off duty" when you are actually "on duty" performing your job. It is tantamount to working overtime without actually getting paid for it!!!!!!!!!
"Top lining" is actually showing "off duty" when you are actually "on duty" performing your job. It is tantamount to working overtime without actually getting paid for it!!!!!!!!!
5030
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Gary:
I don't want to sound crass, but you chose that profession. With any profession, comes responsibility. If you want to be successful and profit in any occupation, sometimes you must make sacrifices.
Don't you think I'd rather sleep in my own bed, with my wife, rather than in a motel. Take out the garbage and mow the lawn like a normal 9 to 5 er??
I don't think you have any idea how hard it is to farm and truck at the same time. Every minute is precious to me. I have to allot my time carefully and at 54 years old, sometimes I can't believe I work as hard as I do.
I don't want to sound crass, but you chose that profession. With any profession, comes responsibility. If you want to be successful and profit in any occupation, sometimes you must make sacrifices.
Don't you think I'd rather sleep in my own bed, with my wife, rather than in a motel. Take out the garbage and mow the lawn like a normal 9 to 5 er??
I don't think you have any idea how hard it is to farm and truck at the same time. Every minute is precious to me. I have to allot my time carefully and at 54 years old, sometimes I can't believe I work as hard as I do.
5030, I would think that steel haulers and those hauling out of food warehouses would be the most effected. They seem to spend the most time in the docks waiting to get loaded. I turn my cb off a lot anymore because of the filthy mouths of other truckers. Nothing makes me cringe more than seeing a big truck come flying up behind some car and tailgating to intimidate the driver to move out of his way. They might have a little baby in the backseat a year or so old and i think that that could be my granddaughter in there. It makes me want to take a tire iron to their head. I don't have a sleeper either so i won't be able to sit someplace for very long waiting on another run. I don't know ,but i may just give it up and go back to factory or construction work after the first of the year. Theres another delinma in that i probably owe a bunch more than my truck is worth. If you took the hours a trucker is gone from home, then we don't even make minimum wage.
5030
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Durbob:
Thank goodness I don't have very long left. We have a good retirement compensation package and I am going to take advantage of it.
I don't see how anyone in their right mind can take the depreciation ratio on a new truck. Besides, the loan money has never been cheap. You can get consumer loan monies at less than 4% right now. Commercial applications have never been that low. It's the 2 way screw job.
Thank goodness I don't have very long left. We have a good retirement compensation package and I am going to take advantage of it.
I don't see how anyone in their right mind can take the depreciation ratio on a new truck. Besides, the loan money has never been cheap. You can get consumer loan monies at less than 4% right now. Commercial applications have never been that low. It's the 2 way screw job.
ScottAR
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Ah... I understand now... My ex trucker friends used to talk about monkeying with the logs but I never knew the name of it.
I agree on the shipper end of things, Shippers here pretty much do whatever they want and pass the hardship onto the drivers. Heck, the warehouse people at my job are next to useless but that's another topic. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
I agree on the shipper end of things, Shippers here pretty much do whatever they want and pass the hardship onto the drivers. Heck, the warehouse people at my job are next to useless but that's another topic. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Gary_in_Indiana
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Daryl,
I'm not sure why you directed the post with your career history to me but, since you did, I'll respond to a couple things you wrote.
You wrote that there is going to be a shortage of qualified drivers. I don't know where you've been, but there already IS! You wrote that in the first quarter of next year the situation would change from drivers needing jobs to companies needing drivers. Companies need drivers NOW! There is and has been a shortage of good drivers for quite some time now. You wrote that you'd been watching the industry from afar. It must be quite afar. What you're predicting there is already a fait accompli.
As to the sweeping changes you predict in revenues, income, increased prices, etc., I guess we'll have to agree to disagree and see how it all shakes out.
One thing about which we do agree is that what you're doing now, working for a private fleet with no danger of competition and not having to compete in the free marketplace, is the best driving job in the industry.
As to the real world net effects of the new regulations, I think everyone hopes it will be safer roads for everyone. Only time will tell if that comes to pass. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
I'm not sure why you directed the post with your career history to me but, since you did, I'll respond to a couple things you wrote.
You wrote that there is going to be a shortage of qualified drivers. I don't know where you've been, but there already IS! You wrote that in the first quarter of next year the situation would change from drivers needing jobs to companies needing drivers. Companies need drivers NOW! There is and has been a shortage of good drivers for quite some time now. You wrote that you'd been watching the industry from afar. It must be quite afar. What you're predicting there is already a fait accompli.
As to the sweeping changes you predict in revenues, income, increased prices, etc., I guess we'll have to agree to disagree and see how it all shakes out.
One thing about which we do agree is that what you're doing now, working for a private fleet with no danger of competition and not having to compete in the free marketplace, is the best driving job in the industry.
As to the real world net effects of the new regulations, I think everyone hopes it will be safer roads for everyone. Only time will tell if that comes to pass. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
5030
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</font><font color="blue" class="small">( You wrote that there is going to be a shortage of qualified drivers. I don't know where you've been, but there already IS! You wrote that in the first quarter of next year the situation would change from drivers needing jobs to companies needing drivers. Companies need drivers NOW! There is and has been a shortage of good drivers for quite some time now. You wrote that you'd been watching the industry from afar. It must be quite afar. What you're predicting there is already a fait accompli. )</font>
I agree with that to a point. The point is that there is more jobs than drivers, but the jobs are the JB Hunt type jobs. Cheap wages, long hours and a compensation package that is not commensurate with a drivers experience. Those jobs can be filled with the 90 day wonders from driving school. Where the gap is really going to widen is the difference between qualified/experienced drivers and good paying jobs, not entry level positions. The better jobs will come about as a result of the 11-14HOS rule as that companies, just like the one I work for, will need more drivers, good drivers, experienced drivers and will compensate them equitably for their services.
I'd never even consider looking at one of those jobs. Id rather work at Burger King.
Gary--By the way, I average about 60K per year hauling steel and that's not farm income or income from my machine shop. That's what keeps me getting my hands dirty--and tee shirt too. I would be willing to bet that there are quite a few office types on this site that never see that kind of money and never get their hands dirty!!!
I agree with that to a point. The point is that there is more jobs than drivers, but the jobs are the JB Hunt type jobs. Cheap wages, long hours and a compensation package that is not commensurate with a drivers experience. Those jobs can be filled with the 90 day wonders from driving school. Where the gap is really going to widen is the difference between qualified/experienced drivers and good paying jobs, not entry level positions. The better jobs will come about as a result of the 11-14HOS rule as that companies, just like the one I work for, will need more drivers, good drivers, experienced drivers and will compensate them equitably for their services.
I'd never even consider looking at one of those jobs. Id rather work at Burger King.
Gary--By the way, I average about 60K per year hauling steel and that's not farm income or income from my machine shop. That's what keeps me getting my hands dirty--and tee shirt too. I would be willing to bet that there are quite a few office types on this site that never see that kind of money and never get their hands dirty!!!
5030
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Gary:
You can't direct a post on a thread to all the posters at the same time , so I used you. I went into my career history as to lay the groundwork for my responses.
I don't like to respond to a thread where I have no experience. In this particular instance, I have a plethora of experience. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
You can't direct a post on a thread to all the posters at the same time , so I used you. I went into my career history as to lay the groundwork for my responses.
I don't like to respond to a thread where I have no experience. In this particular instance, I have a plethora of experience. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
