On-Duty?
Topic 27341 | Page 1
Legally, paperwork and phone calls would be "On Duty" because you are not relieved of duty. Any work related activity is supposed to be on duty, even a training class.
The truth... most people would put in some sort of time for it, but nowhere near the actual time. That on duty time comes off your 70, reducing the miles/hours you can work later. Your company may have guidelines or policies on how they want you to log it.
I ask this because my primary job with the company is not as a driver. I am Technical Support for our instruments, meaning helping people with operational questions about musical instruments. This is a very small company which has no Transportation Department and no fleet or regular drivers - they only time they need something like this is once a year for the annual trade convention.
I agree technically you are on duty. If it was me and needed the ours later in the day for driving I would go off duty after the first 30 minutes until ready to drive again. Also depending how far from where you pick truck up and where you load if it is 3 hours away you can get your 30 minute break out of the way anyway.
Are you driving a box truck or a semi (18 wheeler)? Do you have a "regular" license or a CDL? If you are driving a rental 22 foot box truck on your regular driver license there shouldn't be a time problem at all.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Personally I think it would be off duty, as long as it is not related to operating the truck. Answering questions and customer service are not related to the operation of the truck so you should be ok being off duty while doing it.
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I am starting a trip next week. I will be picking the truck up from Ryder early in the morning and will take it to my company where it will be loaded. While the truck is being loaded I will not be doing anything related to the trip but will be handling customer service, answering the phone, quality-checking instruments (the company is a musical instrument manufacturer). Am I still considered "On Duty" even if I am not involved in the loading or any other activity involving the truck?