In reading posts and blogs (Diary of a Swift Driver, I just started reading it) I'm hearing the term 'working the 24 hour clock' and I was wondering if someone can explain this to me. From what I understand, in the old days people used to keep 2 different logs, so that they could drive all they wanted, sleep a few hours when they got tired, and drive again. So I was just wondering what people mean by 'working the 24 hour clock' 'resetting time' and how you get around only being able to drive 10 hours in one day.

Maybe I am getting in to 'don't ask don't tell' territory but I thought I would give it a shot

Unless you actually plan on being one of the "Cowboy's"..........don't worry about it! Once you are actually in the seat....you are going to figure out your own routine.

Besides - EOBR's are a'comin and will change a LOT of how people/companies run out here. Your best bet is to drive 100% legal at all times. That way, you have nothing to worry about.

Thanks guys! I'll definitely only run legal, so I pray I don't end up with a dispatcher that of which I've heard horror stories LOL.

Not sure who you're going to work for, but if you have a dispatcher that asks you to do something illegal, respond on the qualcomm your reply as to why you can't do it legally (weather, fatigue, hours of service, etc). That covers your tail as QC records are permanent.

As example:
Years ago, I dropped a trailer south-east of Bangor, ME. I was then to bobtail to NH to pick up an empty trailer to get my next load. Well, the weather turned horrible and I kept calling in saying I wasn't going to be able to make it there in a foot of snow with ice starting up. The dispatcher kept telling me that the load couldn't be picked up late. I managed to make it to the last service plaza heading south in Maine and HAD to shut down because of the road conditions. When I pulled in, I couldn't even tell where the curbs were as I bounced all across them. I called in again and explained, and got the same response.

So, I sent a message on the QC stating why I was shutting down. Within 5 minutes I had a response on the QC that the load was rescheduled for the next day. Funny how that works, isn't it.

The best part of that story is that the empty trailer I picked up was at a trailer shop. They'd just put a new roof on it. Picked up the rolls of paper and headed for Louisville, KY. I arrived at the consignee to deliver, opened the doors and the entire roof (along with a good 8" of snow/ice) was laying on top of the rolls of paper. I couldn't even tell that it had collapsed.

Yea, companies will try to encourage you to run illegal without saying you have to run illegal...phrases like 'sharpen your pencil' or 'see what you can do' etc allows them to have plausible denyability and blame YOU when something goes wrong. All you have to do is to put ur foot down and that's that.

hey it no problem for your truck cops (commercial vehicle investigation units in new zealand) to slip a gps on ur truck and then you fkd ,

I run and dispatch 2 OTR trucks and only thing I tell my drivers is you do what you want, your ticket (which is on my authority). However, I do tell them with my lanes there is NO REASON to need to stretch logs. If can't make loads its bc weather or tire blow etc. and people better just get over it. We run back and forth from KS to Dallas and back. Once you get to Dallas the loads we get can't be delivered til next day so no need to cheat anything. I just told newest driver I have clean DOT record, let's keep that way.

Yeah. I got that part early on. "The guys that make out the best are the ones that make the most EFFICIENT USE OF THEIR LOGBOOKS."