Been Out of Trucking awhile

[clawHAMMER]

Hello,

I need to refresh my memory. I've been off the road for quite sometime and I recently closed down my business and am looking at jumping back into a truck to get back on my feet.

When I used to drive it was (legally) you could drive 10 hours with 8 off. Obviously most of us singles ran multiple log-books to run from the west coast to the midwest in 50 hours or less back then.

What are the cuurrent rules regarding the hours of service for a single driver? Not hauling haz-mat, just general freight.

Anything else about the comic book I should know about before I go on an interview so I'm not totally clueless and show my age?

[Sealord]

You probably want to get a current FMCSA Drivers Handbook to get current. HOS have changed, among other things. Currently you can drive for 11 out of 14 with a 10 hour break before running again. Multiple comic books aren't a good thing due to easily checked data against tolls, fueling, Pre-pass, E-Z Pass, Qualcomm, etc.
At a minimum, you may even have to get a refresher at a driving school before a company's insurer will go for you. BOL

[clawHAMMER]

Thanks for replying...

Refresher course at a driving school? Oh boy! Hearing that doesn't blow my hair back. Where do I get one of those FMCSA Drivers Handbooks you mentioned? I'd rather try to decipher that route instead of going back to some school at this point.

[Dawn]

Hello,

I need to refresh my memory. I've been off the road for quite sometime and I recently closed down my business and am looking at jumping back into a truck to get back on my feet.

When I used to drive it was (legally) you could drive 10 hours with 8 off. Obviously most of us singles ran multiple log-books to run from the west coast to the midwest in 50 hours or less back then.

What are the cuurrent rules regarding the hours of service for a single driver? Not hauling haz-mat, just general freight.

Anything else about the comic book I should know about before I go on an interview so I'm not totally clueless and show my age?

We now have 11 & 14 hour rule

The 14 hour rule is very simplified! Once you enter lines 3 or 4 (after a full 10 hour break or longer) you count over 14 hours on your log clock (usually at the top of your log grid) and make a mark, that is your 14 hour window. Do not drive past that mark (unless you plan to split break, you must study the split break rules).
In that 14 hour window all you must do is make sure you do not drive over 11 hours!

That is the 11 & 14 hour rule

Example: You go to line 4 (after a 10 hour break) @ 9:00 am, your 14 hour is up @ 11:00 pm. You can not drive past 11:00 pm for any reason (again unless you agree to split) Now do not drive over 11 hours in between 0900 & 2300! Pretty simplified, but stinks I know!

You really need to study split breaking as it still helps ya out! To split break the basic rule is

You must have a minimum of a 8 hour SLEEPER break or more (must be in the sleeper) and a 2 hour break or more (can be any combination of lines 1 & 2 as long as it is consecutive). Only the 8 hour sleeper break will extend the 14 hour.
If you have 5 hours off duty in one period and 8.5 hours in the sleeper in another period you can only extend your 14 hour for 8.5 hours. Now the tricky part is after you get the second break in how do you calculate the 14 hour (this must be kept track of). I can work with you if you are interested. Many drivers now say the split breaking is not worth it, but honestly it is still worth it (not as nice, but worth knowing) to help get a load there on time or home sooner etc.

DOT is pretty much set on catching drivers not logging line 4 time when working but not driving! They will many times catch you on this when/if they do an internal DOT audit, which can be a big surprise to you!

The 70 hour we do as of 1-3-04 have a 34 hour restart. The re-cap works the same as it always has, except now you take 34 consecutive hours off and you get all 70 hours back! The day you come back to work after a 34 hour off duty/sleeper you put all 0's in your last 7 days re-cap. (assuming your company operates 7 days a week)

[Sealord]

Should be available at any truckstop. Don't know if the mainstream bookstores or Wal-Mart have 'em. BOL

[77Highboy]

Here it is online!

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/

[sinclac]

Thanks for replying...

Refresher course at a driving school? Oh boy! Hearing that doesn't blow my hair back. Where do I get one of those FMCSA Drivers Handbooks you mentioned? I'd rather try to decipher that route instead of going back to some school at this point.

The school would be for your driving ability not the regs. Most company's wont hire you unless you have experience in the past 5 years.