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wa_trkr · Joined: 25 Jul 2005 Posts: 82 Location: Everett, WA

From my understanding of the law, you are only allowed to drive a maximum of 11 hours a day with a 10 hour rest period, and the 10 hour rest period can be split into 2 berth sessions of 5 hours.

If I was to go from Seattle to San Antonio Texas it is 1992 miles using the Swift Terminals as points. I figured out that by the time I hit San Antonio, I would have 12 minutes over the 11 hour mark.

Malaki86 · Joined: 28 Aug 2004 Posts: 2127 Location: West Virginia

Quote: If I was to go from Seattle to San Antonio Texas it is 1992 miles using the Swift Terminals as points. I figured out that by the time I hit San Antonio, I would have 12 minutes over the 11 hour mark.

That's with the drive being absolutely perfect. Meaning: no need to stop and use the restroom, no traffic, truck stays at the exact same speed from the time you pull out until you pull in.

I always estimate my trip @ 50mph. That gives allowances for the above.

As for the question, if I knew I could be there in 12 mins, and I was going to be out of time, ya, I'd prolly finish the run. That is, if I knew for absolute certainty that I'd be able to go right to sleep when I got there, not end up loading/unloading when I pulled in, or not being allowed to sleep on their lot.

That happens (and it's happened to me).

freebird · Joined: 16 Jul 2003 Posts: 1119

11 hours driving time means 11 hours, period!
One minute past the 11 you are in violation! D.O.T. is very clear on this!
Breaking your sleeper birth time will not get you any more time to drive!
How many total hours are you thinking it will take you to get to SA?

Drippy Quill · Joined: 31 Jul 2005 Posts: 28 Location: Leavenworth

wa_trkr wrote: From my understanding of the law, you are only allowed to drive a maximum of 11 hours a day with a 10 hour rest period, and the 10 hour rest period can be split into 2 berth sessions of 5 hours.

If I was to go from Seattle to San Antonio Texas it is 1992 miles using the Swift Terminals as points. I figured out that by the time I hit San Antonio, I would have 12 minutes over the 11 hour mark.

I beleive you are referring to the "split break"...as I remember it the rules are (1) minimum of 2 hours (2) must be in sleeper berth (3) total must equal 10 hours

hope this helps

wa_trkr · Joined: 25 Jul 2005 Posts: 82 Location: Everett, WA

freebird wrote: 11 hours driving time means 11 hours, period!
One minute past the 11 you are in violation! D.O.T. is very clear on this!
Breaking your sleeper birth time will not get you any more time to drive!
How many total hours are you thinking it will take you to get to SA?

I am looking at around 40 hours. Let me give you an idea of what I am trying to do so that there isn't any confusion.

I am starting school next week, and I am working on different aspects of Trucking, and I decided that I would tackle trip planning, fuel stops, and berth time. What I am trying to see is how much time it will take me to get into SA while maintaining the DOT regs. I am basing the trip on 10/hrs @ 50 MPH am looking at how best to approach the run.

So, in essence, I am not actually going to do the run as of yet, but I want to get practice in planning trips so that I don't do something stupid on the road and end up without fuel, or worse, violating the DOT regs... That would be very embarrassing. :oops:

freebird · Joined: 16 Jul 2003 Posts: 1119

wa.....your 40 hours is good! If your just figuring "drive time!"
Now, like I asked, "how many total hours to do the trip?"
I'm not being a smart azz, just working with you on this! :)
One thing on fueling, the company will usually dictate where you will fuel.
You have the right idea!
Once in school, and then time spent with a trainer, it will get very easy to do. Called time management, can make or break you!

ben45750 · Joined: 23 Apr 2005 Posts: 1759

I have to agree with freebird. 11 hours is 11 hours. But, I would finish the trip by adding in a 15 minute on duty/not driving. Instead of going over on hours would be likely to put that 15 minutes somewhere else (on duty/not driving or sleeping birth showing a 15 minute break)

wa_trkr · Joined: 25 Jul 2005 Posts: 82 Location: Everett, WA

freebird wrote: wa.....your 40 hours is good! If your just figuring "drive time!"
Now, like I asked, "how many total hours to do the trip?"
I'm not being a smart azz, just working with you on this! :)
One thing on fueling, the company will usually dictate where you will fuel.
You have the right idea!
Once in school, and then time spent with a trainer, it will get very easy to do. Called time management, can make or break you!

Haha not a problem freebird, you can be as much of a smart azz as you want.

Round Trip will be 79.62 hours (Accounting for Berth + Driving, but not loading/unloading)

The company I am looking to start with, has drivers go to their terminals for fueling so that was easy to get the milage.

wa_trkr · Joined: 25 Jul 2005 Posts: 82 Location: Everett, WA

The other aspect that I was looking at was time of departure, estimated time of arrival (based on traffic patterns here in the Seattle area). I figure leave before heavy traffic or after (depending on when the truck is expected at it's destination)

MeDNag · Joined: 28 May 2005 Posts: 3

Drippy Quill wrote: wa_trkr wrote: From my understanding of the law, you are only allowed to drive a maximum of 11 hours a day with a 10 hour rest period, and the 10 hour rest period can be split into 2 berth sessions of 5 hours.

If I was to go from Seattle to San Antonio Texas it is 1992 miles using the Swift Terminals as points. I figured out that by the time I hit San Antonio, I would have 12 minutes over the 11 hour mark.

I beleive you are referring to the "split break"...as I remember it the rules are (1) minimum of 2 hours (2) must be in sleeper berth (3) total must equal 10 hours

hope this helps

Actually, having two breaks in the sleeper that total 10 hours does not equal 10 CONSECUTIVE hours as DOT regs call for. As I was told, DON'T even try this unless you have to. It's easy to screw up and not worth the time lost out of service if caught or the money for the fine.

wa_trkr · Joined: 25 Jul 2005 Posts: 82 Location: Everett, WA

MeDNag wrote:
Actually, having two breaks in the sleeper that total 10 hours does not equal 10 CONSECUTIVE hours as DOT regs call for. As I was told, DON'T even try this unless you have to. It's easy to screw up and not worth the time lost out of service if caught or the money for the fine.

I will have to talk to my trainer about that. I was under the understanding that if you work 14 hours, you can drive 11, but you can sleep 2 periods equaling 10 hours in the sleeper berth.

Here is what I got from safetruck.org:

Technical Amendments Clarify Sleeper Berth Regulations

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued technical amendments clarifying the new hours-of-service regulations. The majority of the revisions deal with clarifying the sleeper berth provisions.

Under the new rule, effective January 4, 2004, off-duty time is included in the calculation of the 14 consecutive hour on-duty limit. The only exception allowed to this provision is when a driver uses the split sleeper berth to accumulate 10 hours of rest. When taken in 2 periods, each of which are at least 2 hours (totaling at least 10 hours),

the sleeper berth time does not count towards the 14-hour limit. This means that the following must be counted toward the 14-hour limit:

* on-duty time;
* off-duty time not spent in the sleeper berth;
* sleeper berth time of less than 2 hours; and
* sleeper berth time of 2 hours or more that is not one of the 2 periods used to accumulate 10 hours of off-duty time.

A combination of consecutive sleeper berth time and off-duty time totaling at least 10 hours may be used to comply with the 10 hour off-duty requirement in sleeper berth operations.

yoopr · Joined: 01 Dec 2004 Posts: 12865

you can only go over IF where you were headed was the Next SAFEST place to pull over in Extreme conditions. :P

wa_trkr · Joined: 25 Jul 2005 Posts: 82 Location: Everett, WA

yoopr wrote: you can only go over IF where you were headed was the Next SAFEST place to pull over in Extreme conditions. :P

So, if you can stop right at that 11 hour mark, then you have to regardless then. Kinda weird that they don't allow for a little flexibility.

Mandilon · Posted: Tue Aug 02, 2005 5:56 pm Post subject:

Quote: "....a little"

.....is relative to the beholder.

To some it means 5 minutes.

To others, 12 minutes.

Then again 'to some' it might mean TWO HOURS.

There's gotta B a SOLID DRAWING line!

Seems like it's 11 hours PERIOD.

This opinion is from someone who doesn't know which end is up (and who thinks he understands/can read between the DOTTY lines).

yoopr · Joined: 01 Dec 2004 Posts: 12865

can't believe that 7 people said it wasn't illegal

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