What's the worst that can happen?
 

I had to stop at a T/A as I'm out of hours. I tried to rent a car but they are closed and I'd like to go see the area tomorrow. Actually there is one historical place about an hour from where I am that I'd like to visit. I'm thinking of dropping the trailer here for about 5 or 6 hours. It will be on a Sunday. It's against company policy and I'm sure T/A policy but how strict are they with that?

I don't want to just sit in the truck for 34 hours.

Why not get a room?

The T/A probably will not care if you check in with the fuel desk.


However your trailer could be STOLEN along with the load.

I am sure that your company would FIRE you if that happend.

Enjoy your weekend!!!!

I was thinking of checking in with the fuel desk, but you know what they say it's easier to get forgiveness than it is permission. Also, I have an empty trailer; no load. Finally I was going to buy one of those locks to put on the air line.

Re: What's the worst that can happen?
 

That right there answers your question for you. Job or your own pleasure. remember that common sense thing?

Get a taxi, or see if they have dial-a-ride, or bus.

I called a taxi but it wasn't cheap and no busses around. And to Madbunny, I don't mean to be rude, but I'm not an idiot. I know company policy and all that. I don't work for UPS or some high paying job where I wouldn't want to risk something. I'm basically looking here on how strict these truck stops are for dropping trailers. I will even pay to park the thing if they let me.

I'd be very careful if I were you. I know my company has a no tolerance policy about this and if you drop a trailer on unsecured property without your fleet manager's permission, its automatic termination, whether it's empty or not. Don't risk it driver.

There is another problem if you drop your trailer and it is against company policy. If you drive for someone big, like werner, swift, big names like that, another driver of that company could call in and rat you out. My bf did that once. It was a dropped trailer, he called in mainly because of where it was parked was an unsecured lot in the sticks well known for having trucks and trailers broken into. The company he drivers for now forbids any drivers from parking their trucks there.
That is something to think about too.

you are out of hours so how can you be driving around bobtail in a CMV
you can only drive a POV you should know that.

i will not even get into what your DAC will look like with a ( unauthorized use or unauthorized droping) you say " I don't work for UPS or some high paying job where I wouldn't want to risk something" but by doing this you are riskng your ability to get a trucking job after you lose this one.

now as to droping the trailer just talk to the fuel desk and ask if thy said ok great and if thy say no you may not find your trailer when you get back from you joy ride " try explaining how it got towed to your boss"

just my three cents worth

Not true if using a CMV for personal use. If bobtailing for personal use, every bit of it can be logged in the OFF DUTY section. It doesn't use up any hours.

dont just sit there.get a life man.taxi to the motel and buy the girls drinks in the lounge. i better get going myself!

well then lets try this :?:
fmcsa §395.8 Driver's record of duty status. :!:
(h)(1) Off duty. Except for time spent resting in a sleeper berth, a continuous line shall be drawn between the appropriate time markers to record the period(s) of time when the driver is not on duty, is not required to be in readiness to work, or is not under any responsibility for performing work.
(h)(3) Driving. A continuous line shall be drawn between the appropriate time markers to record the period(s) of driving time as defined in §395.2.
§395.2 Definitions. :?: Driving time means all time spent at the driving controls of a commercial motor vehicle in operation.:dung:

the only way you can use a CMV as a POV is if you own it and as merrick4 is a company driver the truck is ALWAYS a CMV.
an O/O can do it but not a co driver that is unless you can find and show the reg.. :shock: and just as a side note what company will let you use their truck for personal use, thy would still hit you for unauthorized use.

get a life

:lol: :lol: :lol:

What he said.

Well I do lease my truck so in essence I own it, but I also know of Prime company drivers that use it for personal use in their offtime. I spoke with the logbook department, and they got their stuff straight. They know what they are talking about. According to that regulation, if the driver is bobtailing for personal use, then he is not required to be ready for work not is under any responsibility for performing work. Therefore he can log the bobtailing in offduty.

CFI.

We were allowed to bob-tail from terminals (with the exception of Joplin). It was logged on line 1... OFF DUTY.

No matter what or how the law reads, a DOT officer will give you a ticket if you drive down the road in a commercial vehicle and not logging it as on duty, driving.

On the other side of that, you have to do something to get pulled over... like speeding, in a no-truck zone, missing a mud flap, etc..

Now, if you have a QC, your company knows every mile you drive, and possibly weather your connected to your trailer.

You best bet? If your going to leave your rig, take a cab. The little amount you pay won't be as much as what you lose if you get fired. :wink:

FMCSA

Sounds like a grey area open to interpertation. Yes, he can use the truck for personal conveyance, but it sounds like only for "traveling short distances from a driver's en route lodgings (such as en route terminals or motels) to restaurants in the vicinity of such lodgings"

Sightseeing doesn't seem to be on the list.

ah the hell with it, i'll just relax today. It would have cost me about $100 to get a cab to get to the airport to rent a car. I'm in Virginia and wanted to go to Jamestown. It's cold out anyway and I hate the cold. I would have just taken the truck there but ....

Anyway, I'm going to plan things a little better. I'm a new driver and really this is my first 34 hour brake (forced one I mean, i usually get were I'm going quick enough to always be ahead of things).

A couple of weeks ago I was held up in Houston and just took public transportaion. I had to meet a truck to take my load so should have gotten closer to richmond or called ahead at least and rented a car before they close.

:D :D

hey MERRICK, are u still with LCT? Hopefully things are going better over there then they were a couple months back.

Yep still with them. I gotta say they have been pretty good to me lately. I was in the process of selling my house and the closing got postponed a couple of times, but they kept getting me back everytime I told them I need to get back.

On top of that they have been keeping me moving. I think the best thing to start out is to pick a smaller company. At least here I can access people to voice complaints unlike at a much larger place where that would be obviously harder to do. Don't get me wrong, these people will abuse you, I think this industry is very abusive to new drivers and those that allow themselve to be abused, but I feel here when they are standing on my neck and I scream get off, at least they get off.

My friend is with Covenant and the abuse he's going through there is unspeakable.

So for now I'm ok, tomorrow... well we'll see.

Have you been busy with flowers with valentines day right around the corner? I was told when i was there to be expected to run like crazy on the holidays like valentines and mothers day.

airport is worst place to rent a car.look in the phone book online

Flowers are for teams. They kept sending fleet messages asking people to team up. It's funny I went on their website and there is a 20% surcharge for the holiday season, I don't think the drivers were seeing that.

Homer, on Sunday that is the only place to rent a car. As a matter of fact after noon on Saturday they all seemed to close. Airport was the only place.

Driver is correct: You can use a CMV for personal use within reasonable distance (now they do not state what is reasonable??)

Question 26: If a driver is permitted to use a CMV for personal reasons, how must the driving time be recorded?

Guidance: When a driver is relieved from work and all responsibility for performing work, time spent traveling from a driver's home to his/her terminal (normal work reporting location), or from a driver's terminal to his/her home, may be considered off-duty time. Similarly, time spent traveling short distances from a driver's en route lodgings (such as en route terminals or motels) to restaurants in the vicinity of such lodgings may be considered off-duty time. The type of conveyance used from the terminal to the driver's home, from the driver's home to the terminal, or to restaurants in the vicinity of en route lodgings would not alter the situation unless the vehicle is laden. A driver may not operate a laden CMV as a personal conveyance. The driver who uses a motor carrier's CMV for transportation home, and is subsequently called by the employing carrier and is then dispatched from home, would be on-duty from the time the driver leaves home.


I would not however drive around on the 10 hour break or split breaks!
The 34 hour break is for you to get a break! :D

I can't believe this. I just asked the dispatcher what would have happened if I had just asked them to let me take the truck where I wanted to go and he replies as long as it was under 100 miles he would have said yes. I just sat here all weekend for nothing I guess.

Well I know better for next time. Though honestly if I could have rented a car I would rather do that; this is not my truck and I don't like being responsible for other peoples things.

Not to mention there's a lot of palces you can't park a bobtail in :D

Swift always let us bobtail...they knew where to find ya.... :lol: :lol:

While useing the tractor for two days off duty in Galveston to get my 34 or 48 hours in my case. company permesso granted. Tranny started going out on the way to pick up trailer an get back on road around houston. took to freightliner for what they deemed would take five days to repair. Hotel van would pick me up but nothing in Houston for me when company paid hotel could be on beach 60 miles away. I know Enterprise car rental policy is they will come an pick you up an bring you to car rental an drop you back off when returned. Do it all the time if I dont just use the tractor. just use common sence. an make sure the truck stop of choice is a trailer drop friendly stop before you ever leave your trailer there. :roll: Enterprise has a great weekend deal, but you are right about airports are always the cheapest if you can book online or over the internet. an if in breakdown like I was that time turn your car rental reciept in with your tolls etc. an get your money back back. also getting your truck a little closer to a place of your convenience might help. we all need food , hotels showers, car rentals ,casinos,fishing spots.ETC :wink: 8) :D

I do that every now and then but I usualy drop my trailer at a terminal or drop yard.