I got up this morning and picked up a 35,000 lb load of, please, kill me, DVDs.
I am coming off of a 10-day time off period. Getting back on the truck after a week-plus break takes, for me, at least, 1-2 hours of organizing.
The reason that it takes me this long is because I stay out for (at a minimum) 7 weeks at a time. I have to stow clean clothes and food. I also have to get the tractor in order (bedding, fuel, window blinds, pre-trip inspection, et al) which takes some time.
So...
I pick up a load that needs to get to the consignee by 0830. My dispatcher’s computer says that I can make it on time. My dispatcher (whom I love) says that I can make the delivery if I can are what is called a split break.
Whew. This is going to be a long, drawn out explanation...
I can drive 11 hours a day.
If I drove 11 hours, I could deliver this load at 2300, the problem is that the consignee doesn’t open until 0800.
If I stop the truck and go directly to the sleeper berth, I can drive after 8 hours in the sleeper and then get the load delivered on time.
The problem? I can’t leave the truck after stopping. Getting out of the truck is a violation of the sleeper berth rule. I can pee in containers within the truck but getting out of the truck in order to defecate at the truck stop interrupts the sleeper berth time and, therefore, nullifies the sleeper berth break.
I find it stupid that taking a crap is a violation of federal law.
At some time in the future, I will give a complete set of HOS rules that drivers need to follow...