Comments By John S.

The FMCSA is currently working on changing this, but nothing is final yet, and they have been working on it for several years. Don't hold your breath!

I have good news. This article says they're going to publish the change tomorrow. https://landline.media/fmcsa-moves-forward-with-new-vision-standards/

If that article is correct, you will be able to drive interstate after all. I also have a bad eye, but I passed the DOT physical the last time I took it. I was worried about passing it the next time, however.

Prime wouldn't hire me because of gaps in my work history as well. I find it frustrating. We're trying to work, but we can't work because we haven't worked? At some point someone has to be willing to give us a chance, or we'll just keep not working. My work history is even worse now than it was when I tried to get hired by prime.

Middle Earth is my favorite so far.

After the 2018 tax law changes you are no longer allowed to take a standard meal deduction. Your standard deduction was increased but many expenses previously deducted are no longer allowed.

It appears I was wrong so I apologize to anyone I mislead. Things have changed.

Harvey,

Looking at it more closely, the person that made Schneider's presentation doesn't even understand how tax brackets work. You're not paying taxes at 22% with the numbers given. It's much closer to 12%.

There is nothing misleading with Schneider's presentation. The only time you get more of a refund is if you have given uncle same an interest free loan by having too much withheld. In both examples, the same withholding level is used, the decrease in taxes is because of a decrease in taxable pay.

Even with Schneider charging 2 CPM , the net pay to the driver is 16% higher. I don't think it's right that they charge for this since they are also saving money on Social Security and Medicare taxes but this is disclosed in their example, so not misleading. My son Michael is not charged for the service at Marten as far as I can tell, he gets 17 CPM paid to him as per diem in addition to 47 CPM in taxable pay.

What I mean is, you can't take your standard meal deduction when it comes to doing your taxes if you take per diem pay. Schneider isn't accounting for that. It looks misleading to me still.

Harvey,

I'm looking at the Schneider link for per diem pay. Isn't Schneider being a bit misleading because you'll get more taxes back with standard pay, which it's not accounting for?

Also, they are taking 2 cents away.

Nicholas,

Not that it's any of my business, but I'm curious. Why would you go through graduate school, and then decide to be a truck driver?

They changed that a few years ago. Now its just 34 consecutive hours off. You could start your reset at 5am Friday and your reset is satisfied 3pm Saturday. Under the old rule you quoted you'd have to wait until 5am Sunday, basically a 48 hour reset. Thankfully they did away with that.

Ah, that's good to hear. Perhaps this should be changed so us noobs don't get needlessly confused:

https://www.truckingtruth.com/cdl-training-program/page93/logbook-hours-of-service-limitations

If you were off the truck at home or in a hotel... Then yes, off duty. If you were staying on the truck, you need to log sleeper for when you were in bed. If a cop stopped you and said "the logs show you were not in the truck for 34 hours.... Do you have a hotel receipt since you do not live on this side of the country?". He will want a believable explanation.

I had to reread it a few times, and now I understand why it's bad. Apparently, you have to have two periods between 1am - 5am off duty before the 34 hour reset is legit. It seems like needless complication to me.