Profile: okcarhauler
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Okcarhauler, it sounds like you want to comment on the FMCSA’s “Pilot Program on NAFTA Long-Haul Trucking Provisions.” In that proposal, the FMCSA discusses the issue with Mexican trucks that you discuss. You can comment on that proposal here.
It sounds like you feel that when drivers violate HOS rules, it’s often because of things outside their control, like your example of shippers and receivers holding them up. It would be great to hear more about your experiences with Peoplenet. What did you like about it?
FMCSA has only identified certain data that an EOBR must collect (you can see that list here). But you point out that they could be used for other things, like waking up a driver on break. Do you have any other examples or concerns about possible misuse of EOBRs?
Three years is too long. 1. Any and all carriers that do not have EOBRs have a distinct advantage over carriers that are already using EOBRs. I have a friend working for a company and his company can make promises to customers about delivery times that our company can not because those drivers still have more flexibility in being able to turn in log sheets that look legal even though they do not match the exact schedule that they operated. On the other hand, having EOBRs has taken all the pressure off the drivers where I work to meet impossible scheduled delivery and pick up times and put that responsibility back in the office where it belongs and has forced the company to talk to shippers and explain to them why we couldn’t run the way we used to and to get better flexibility from the… more »
All carriers should be required to comply within 6 months. Reason: See Above. The only reason that the FMCSA needs is SAFETY. I used to be a miss-used, used, and abused driver by several companies that I have worked for. And although I always passed every DOT logbook inspection, I had many times been running so illegal it was ridicules. I did get fired from one job after I refused to run illegal anymore. Then I reported my getting fired to the Whistle Blower Program that turned out to be OSHA. A lot of good that did me. OSHA doesn’t do logbooks. So the next company I went to work for, it was business as usual. If you want to make a decent paycheck, then run. What ever it takes. Now I run out of hours for any reason: breakdown, traffic, construction, accidents, etc. not my problem. Amazingly enough, I still have the same problems on the road today but now I am not stressing over still making my pick ups and deliveries on time. And rarely does the company have to reschedule. It took them a while to acclimate themselves to a new way of doing business and some people had to be replaced because they could not adjust, but I would rather go to work for McDonald’s than go back to the old way of doing business.
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Fact!!! an eobr can and will be used to force a driver to drive when he or she is not rested.. using a qualcomm system i have in the past been awakened at night only to have my dispacher tell me my 10 hours is up and i need to get going. he has no idea how long i had been asleep or resting just that i had been sitting for 10 hours and woke me up at 2;30 am sayin i had to go ive sat my 10 hours.. now how will an eobr make this better.. as an owner operator using no qualcomm and paper logs i slept as long as i wanted and they didnt know the difference..
I own and operate my own truck. The FMCSA now mandates that companies with a “HIGH” safety risk are required to install EOBR’s. Now the FMCSA utilizing manipulated data wants to force EOBR’s on all interstate truckers. Am I to presume then we are all guilty of being unsafe law breaking drivers now? If I don’t want an EOBR in “MY” legally owned truck, that should be my choice, not the governments. I drive safely and responsibly and I don’t need the government to force me to install a spendy piece of equipment to make sure that I do. I also don’t need the “fatigue” that will be created when the data from an EOBR is used to “micromanage” my time.
Go ahead and allow eobr’s, just as long as Every truck on any US Highway has one as well. I found the one I used, Peoplenet worked very well, and took alot less of my time keeping a paper log. There has to be some rules however. If a shipper or reciever holds up the driver, they should be fined no less then $10,000.00 an occurance. When a driver is in on duty not driving mode, they need to be paid a fair hourly wage. If its an owner opperator truck, the truck must be paid as well. I’m talking $20.00 an hr for the driver, and $100.00 an hr for the truck. Everyone wants safety, until safety costs money! Another issue, if a carrier uses an eobr to wake up a driver on his 10 hr break, the carrier must be fined a minimun of $100,000.00 per occurance. Lets see how bad the fmcsa wants eobr’s now.
Very true! I had my dispatcher at Melton Truck Lines in Tulsa Oklahoma both send me a QualComm and Call me on the phone in the middle of my 10 hour break and wake me up to ask me how long before my break was over. I told here 10 hours from right now, because you just interupted my 10 hour dot break. Then I hung up on her, turned off my phone and unplugged the QualComm! I quit that Sorry job 2 weeks later. They don’t want drivers, they want robots!
Go ahead and allow eobr’s, just as long as Every truck on any US Highway has one as well. I found the one I used, Peoplenet worked very well, and took alot less of my time keeping a paper log. There has to be some rules however. If a shipper or reciever holds up the driver, they should be fined no less then $10,000.00 an occurance. When a driver is in on duty not driving mode, they need to be paid a fair hourly wage. If its an owner opperator truck, the truck must be paid as well. I’m talking $20.00 an hr for the driver, and $100.00 an hr for the truck. Everyone wants safety, until safety costs money! Another issue, if a carrier uses an eobr to wake up a driver on his 10 hr break, the carrier must be fined a minimun of $100,000.00 per occurance. Lets see how bad the fmcsa wants eobr’s now.
An eobr will not shut down your truck unless it is programmed that way. It will just log the hos violation.
Everyone wants safety until safety costs anyone any money. If the DOT is going to pay for the Mexican trucks on US Highways to have eobr’s, when they pass this law, they had better pay for my eobr or the DOT will have the biggest class action discrimination lawsuit against them ever.
Very true! I had my dispatcher at Melton Truck Lines in Tulsa Oklahoma both send me a QualComm and Call me on the phone in the middle of my 10 hour break and wake me up to ask me how long before my break was over. I told here 10 hours from right now, because you just interupted my 10 hour dot break. Then I hung up on her, turned off my phone and unplugged the QualComm! I quit that Sorry job 2 weeks later. They don’t want drivers, they want robots!
the only way a driver makes any money is when the truck is moving. If the shipper or reciever holds you up, your not making a dime. So you either fix the logs, or go broke, Its that simple. The Federal goverment knows this, they just look the other way. If everyone had to log legal because of the eobr’s, there would be a need for more trucks on the road, more drivers, improved freeways to handle the trucks just to keep up with whats being shipped now. Everything will go up. The ecomony can’t handle that.