What Is Your Company's Policy On 34 Hour Resets?

Bill, you've still got more to learn about those log rules. That is not a criticism, this is actually something most new folks don't get at first. You can run all the time without ever needing to take a 34 hour reset if you can somehow manage your time so that you are only driving for approximately 8 - 9 hours a day because you will not have used up your allowable seventy hours. In that case you end up running on what are called re-cap hours. You will start getting the hours back that you used eight days ago on your logs. This is perfectly legal and provided for in the regulations.

Umm... I am a little confused. I don't mean to hijack the thread, but maybe someone can just give a quick answer. In The High Road portion of the website where you study for the permit written test, I was reading about logs and such and I thought you must take a 34 reset every 7 or eight days. Is this right? Is this something companies just expect you to ignore?

No, it isn't ignored. In a perfect world, you would exhaust your 70 hours on the final day while picking up (recapping) enough hours that night, to continue the next day and then keep recapturing hours each day. You really only have to do the 34hr if you want to get a full 70 hours back.

As a Driver you can often manage your time so that a 34hr reset isn't necessary. In my experience, I've usually only made it 2-3 weeks before I'm better off with the 34hr reset. Basically because the loads tend to be short hauls if my 70 clock only has 8-10hrs on it.

I hope this is helpful.

OK, that was so helpful Old School and Steve. I never thought to do the daily math. You guys are right, those rules are a bit confusing. Still trying to wrap my mind around the split eights, but I'll get it. I have a lot of time to master this yet, and I am going to make sure I don't just pass but MASTER it. I'll let you guys know when I need more help.

Thanks, Bill T.S.

Brett sorry for late reply, ran right up against my 14 today. I think I worded my first post wrong. We don't take random 34s because we're force dispatched. They try and usually get us home every weekend for a 34 or more. I usually get more but it depends on the load. They don't bother us concerning 34s on the weekends. We can squeeze in a 34 or just run recaps, that part is our choice. No mini vacations here lol

Been resisting adding to this discussion - because I can't comment on what "my company policy is" - because I'm not driving at the moment.

Some observations I'll venture though - based on Bretts brief exchange with the driver on FB.

In regards to 34 hour resets, those are earned and not just implied you get them. We run on recaps and I decide when it's necessary to take a 34 hour reset. I save those for home times, and it's a conversation that you need to have with me. If you have any questions.....

Really - resets are EARNED? Or are they taken because it doesn't pay to not be able to run full days, because you're running on recaps or waiting until midnight to get hours back.

Now - if a company would PREFER that you run this way - or even if the DRIVER LIKES TO RUN rolling recaps - that's one thing. But recaps are not some PRIVILEGE, they're a way to maximize your hours and stay in compliance with the 70 hour rule.

Personally - I would call logs/safety - sounds like the DM is trying to be a slave driver, lording over the driver like this. That could just be my perception - but folks usually consider me pretty perceptive.

Now - if the driver is some kind of "feces bird", that spends way too much time in the TV Room at the truck stop - and not enough time MAKING HIS APPOINTMENTS - they may need some more aggressive handling. But this certainly doesn't sound like the way to handle a responsible adult, who's moving 100's of thousands in equipment & goods all over the country.

Now - some folks may use resets, when they're at a locale they might want to hang out in. But if you're up against your 70 - why not take a 34 in vegas, or if you're near family - versus sitting in Podunk Mississippi - waiting to get hours back.

As is typical with most "drop-in-random-posters" - there's probably more to this story than meets the eye.

My $.02

Rick

Before when I was home every weekend I did a reset every weekend. Now I stay out 12-15 days at a time, I do a reset if I have run myself out of hours and I am not getting a recap or enough of one back at midnight. I tend to run "hard" (10-12hrs of duty a day) for 4 days then do shorter runs (6-8 hrs of duty a day) for the next 3 to 4 days. It really all depends on what freight is in my area.

I do resets whenever they make sense. If I'm not going to get enough hours back on recaps to make it worth driving, I tell my fleet manager I'm going to take a reset. Then when my hours are back it's good to go.

Really - resets are EARNED? Or are they taken because it doesn't pay to not be able to run full days, because you're running on recaps or waiting until midnight to get hours back.

Now - if the driver is some kind of "feces bird", that spends way too much time in the TV Room at the truck stop - and not enough time MAKING HIS APPOINTMENTS - they may need some more aggressive handling.

I think that's what the dispatcher meant by them being "earned". Their top tier drivers probably get a lot more leeway when it comes to managing their time, and just a lot more leeway with everything in general.

Without a doubt, trucking companies treat different levels of drivers differently. Over the years I was given tons of favors that many drivers would not have been given.

Bill Parcells, the former NFL coach, was once asked by a reporter if there's a "double standard" in the locker room where some players are treated differently than others. His answer was that "of course" he treats different players differently based on their performance. He made no bones about the fact that better players were given more privileges.

I think that's what the dispatcher meant by them being "earned". Their top tier drivers probably get a lot more leeway when it comes to managing their time, and just a lot more leeway with everything in general.

Without a doubt, trucking companies treat different levels of drivers differently. Over the years I was given tons of favors that many drivers would not have been given.

Bill Parcells, the former NFL coach, was once asked by a reporter if there's a "double standard" in the locker room where some players are treated differently than others. His answer was that "of course" he treats different players differently based on their performance. He made no bones about the fact that better players were given more privileges.

I'm assuming since you saw a QC message from his DM about them "being earned and not implied that you just get them" (that you related in the OP), kinda rubbed my fur the wrong way. "I save those for home times, this is a conversation you need to have with me", also sounds like he tries to push every mile out of driver. Now - there's difference between giving every mile you can - and sucking it out. Between coaching and lording over. Granted - we can't divine inflection from a QC or forum message. And the "conversation you need to have with me" - sounds like he doesn't want to do it "on the record", on the QC.

Again - this driver might be a problem child - and this might be the only way the DM can keep them moving and making their miles.

Some guys don't mind running recaps, or driving close-to-full-days, 8 days a week. If you're only getting home once a month, you're going to get burnt out pretty quick. You don't "just get them" - they are there to get your 70 clock back - and really, they were designed to combat driver fatigue (and burnout counts here - even if you are sleeping every night). A reset - RESETS THE DRIVER. Resets aren't a gift/perk/benefit or paid vaca - they're a regulation.

We understand that driving OTR is a 24/7/365 kinda gig. But everyone gets a day off at least once in awhile. For our friends that do stay out 4-6 weeks - a reset can be the difference between losing your mind and wearing dirty clothes - and being a well rested, decent hygiene'd human being.

Someone who's rolling their 2,500-3,000 miles a week - is usually going to run into a recap scenario. And they're running sufficient miles (on average) that 34 hours off duty isn't going to hurt the company or the driver.

Despite the supposed driver shortage - for the most part, we're treated like an expendable resource (plenty more where they came from - and there are).

I'm trying to help a friend that's new OTR (and got pretty much 0 training from the company, because he was able to "fake experience") learn time management. How to work his clocks to maximize his time - versus balancing the logistics of appointment times and running through heavy traffic areas during rush hour. Every time he runs into something that we see here all the time (shipper told me 2 hours, I've been here 6) - I gotta say WELCOME TO TRUCKING.

Rick

We take them as we need them, obviously between loads. We just let the dm know we're low on our 70. Not a problem.