HOS changes announcd today might mean no more 34 hr restart

[eoplocust]

the 34 hr restart and 11 hour day were removed from HOS in court today i overheard something on satelite radio that stuffs changed i didnt get to hear the whole thing but check this out

http://www.landlinemag.com/Special_R...urt_tosses.htm

[ibamars]

Yes and No

[Blind Driver]

Satellite radio lies like my ex-girlfriend

[eoplocust]

http://www.landlinemag.com/Special_R...urt_tosses.htm

[ibamars]

July 24, 2007 PrintSaveE-mailSize: +/–SPECIAL REPORT: Court tosses 34-hour restart, 11-hour driving limit Tuesday, July 24, 2007 – Truckers will once again face another new hours-of-service regulation, thanks to a ruling that eliminates the 34-hour restart and 11-hour driving limit.

The U. S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit issued a ruling today on a pair of challenges to the current hours-of-service regulations.

In the decision issued by the court, the 11-hour driving time limit and the 34-hour restart were thrown out. No changes to the sleeper-berth provision were made. The court ruled based on procedures followed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and not on the merit of the challenged provisions.

Truckers may feel like they are in a state of limbo with this latest round of changes to the hours-of-service regulations.

But, in the short term, nothing really changes.

According to a statement from FMCSA, agency staffers are “analyzing the decision issued today to understand the court’s findings as well as determine the agency’s next steps to prevent driver fatigue, ensure safe and efficient motor carrier operations and save lives. This decision does not go into effect until Sept.14, unless the court orders otherwise.”

Officials with the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association said that until FMCSA takes some sort of official action truckers should continue operating under the 11-hour driving rule and utilizing the 34-hour restart if needed.

“The court’s ruling impacts the agency, not the truckers,” said OOIDA President and CEO Jim Johnston. “Truckers should continue operating the way you are until we see some sort of official action out of DOT.”

And, Johnston doesn’t expect to wait long to hear what the next step will be.

“I expect DOT to act quickly and implement the changes the court mandated,” hesaid.

[smokdu]

Just as i had learnt the 34 hour doom-a-flaut-chee =)

[Uturn2001]

Just because the court threw it out does not mean that anything will change for certain.

With all the time and money already spent of the revisions to the HOS, the studies, not to mention fighting this crap out in the court systems the government may finally step in and legislate the HOS if not the entire FMCSA regs.

[lucky13]

I really hope the 34 hour restart doesnt get changed I am on a dedicated account and am off saturday and Sunday and start every Monday with 70 hours,the rule they need to change is once you start your day the clock not stoping this rule makes no sence because they want us rested and taking breaks but with this rule you cant take a one or two hour break well I guess you could but you would never make a delivery on time,it seems like if they keep messing with the hours of service otr as we know will no longer be it will be just short houl regional runs and with companys not wanting to raise pay the driver shortage will only get worse you know how many 400-500 mile runs at .33 a mile you will have to do a week to earn a decent living.

[Blind Driver]

I really hope the 34 hour restart doesnt get changed I am on a dedicated account and am off saturday and Sunday and start every Monday with 70 hours,the rule they need to change is once you start your day the clock not stoping this rule makes no sence because they want us rested and taking breaks but with this rule you cant take a one or two hour break well I guess you could but you would never make a delivery on time,it seems like if they keep messing with the hours of service otr as we know will no longer be it will be just short houl regional runs and with companys not wanting to raise pay the driver shortage will only get worse you know how many 400-500 mile runs at .33 a mile you will have to do a week to earn a decent living.

Wow...that was a tough read :sad:

[Evinrude]

I hope they change from 34 hrs to 48hrs. More time off is needed.

[neverbeenlate]

I think they should keep the 34 hour restart and go back to the drive 10 hours a 8 hour break and bring back the split sleeper. I never made more money than when we had those rules. I was just as rested and my options on driving were more open.

[Jackrabbit379]

So, if they eliminate the 11-hour driving limit, what does that mean? Are they going to lower the driving hours, or give drivers more driving hours? If they eliminate the 11-hour driving limit, I guess that means that drivers can drive as long as they want to. :P

If they knock out the restart, there will be a lot of guys running out of hours all the time. :?

[VitoCorleone99]

So, if they eliminate the 11-hour driving limit, what does that mean? Are they going to lower the driving hours, or give drivers more driving hours? If they eliminate the 11-hour driving limit, I guess that means that drivers can drive as long as they want to. :P

If they knock out the restart, there will be a lot of guys running out of hours all the time. :?

The change from 10 to 11 was ruled illegal, based not on any merit but on the procedure they used to implement it. I guess the assumption would be that it would go back to 10.

The weird thing is that they are making the FMCSA revisit these rules because they didn't allow for public comment on the statistical models used. Then, in the same breath, they refused to force them to revisit the sleeper berth provision, even though they failed to provide an opportunity for public comment on that as well. Essentially, the trucking lobby is getting whipped by the "safety" lobby.

If you have trouble sleeping at night, enjoy the actual legal opinion entered by the court. :?

[Jackrabbit379]

It's gonna be interesting to see what happens

[Malaki86]

Looks like it's time to find a local gig...

[yoopr]

Looks like it's time to find a local gig...

If it goes down like I'm guessing it might you're gonna be in a long line I'm afraid.

[Yanke_driver]

kinda pathetic that you hear so much about driver shortages and the staggering turnover rate, but the gov is doing a great job of driving away newcomers to this industry, at the same time making experienced drivers pull the pin on this business. Am i the only one who thinks they are tryng to drive the owner op's out of business to acomodate the "mega fleets" ? I really am starting to question my future in otr, and may have to look into a local HOURLY paying job.

[Ridge Runner]

Just a thought. Maybe run a few more of us out to show why they need to bring in the Mexican drivers to "fill the gap". ???

[mike3fan]

Does any one remember that we seemed to get the job done with the old 10 on 8 off 70/8 rules?

Has it made it easier with the 11 hr driving time and 34hr reset? Yes of course and other than the split sleeper berth mess it seems to be a much better system.And as far as I am concerned I have benefited from it,maybe that is the problem that it allows the small guy an oppurtunity to compete on some level.

I also all along thought that the new rules were too good to be true,I mean getting that 34hr reset is like a god send that second week of hard running in a row.And we all know that the government and or saftey groups are not gonna let us have our cake and eat it too.

Why don't they just get it over with and install black boxes on all the trucks and then they will have us right where they want us completly under thier watchful eye at all times and then they will have such a shortage of drivers that they will be begging the Mexican drivers to come pull the freight(cheaply) for them.

[greg3564]

The whole HOS thing is way more complicated than it really needs to be. It just needs to be cut and dry and completely simplified. But then again this is the government we're talking about.