Rules that affect my work as a truck driver are dictated by a federal regulatory agency named the FMCSA, or the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. They publish a book of rules that regulate my industry. The pocketbook version is over 500 pages long. Yes, it is quite a read. Yes, I have read the whole thing. It is quite the thriller, I assure you! Lol

Recently the FMCSA has made some new rule changes that has had my industry in a tissy. Having said that, every time they change the rules, my industry gets into a tissy. The recent changes dictate that we now have to take a thirty minute break during our 11 driving day, that can be taken no later than 8 hours of having come on duty. We are also now limitied to only one 34 hour restart per seven days.

The reasons for drivers not liking the new rules are as follows. For the 30 minute break provision, we used to be able to drive 11 hours straight. Now we have to stop for 30 minutes in the middle of our day. This hits me especially hard as I pull oversize freight, which can only be pulled in daylight hours. During the winter the days are much shorter and now we are losing an additional 30 minutes of driving. We do not get paid by the hour. We get paid by the mile. If we don't drive, we don't get paid. In 30 minutes, I can drive between 30 and 40 miles. That is money that I cannot make up.

The 34 hour restart is a provision in the rules that allows us to take 34 hours off duty and reset our weekly clock, giving us a fresh 70 hours for the next 8 days. We used to be able to take this restart whenever we wanted to. The new rules dictate that we can only take one 34 hour restart per 7 day period, and that 34 hour period must include two 1am to 5am periods. Therefore anyone who drives the nightshift is now having to take their 34 hour restart as though they were on a dayshift, increasing the number of hours they must be off duty, which again, cuts into their pay.

P.S.- A little known fact. Drivers are being paid today the same rates that they were paid in the 1970s.

did not know that.... interesting.

"" by a federal regulatory agency"...quit reading there....Noooo lol but seriously, federal regulation is a huge issue. ..hate it for you though.

@WalkSoftly: lol, it isn't all bad. But it does cut into the wallet. And sometimes all that 30 minute break does is make me feel more tired. I would much rather get behind the wheel and not stop for 11 hours. But that is just me.

@Rambler: I get that.. ...u cant regulate work ethic I afraid

@WalkSoftly: No sir, you most certainly can not. We have drivers at my company that will only drive during the day. I work every hour the law says I can. So I drive my 11 hrs, take my 10 hour break, then climb behind the wheel for another 11 hour pull. And that doesn't include loading, chaining, strapping and tarping when required.

@mrb89: Most drivers earn a per mile rate. A company driver can earn as little as 30 cents per mile. When I started, the starting pay was around 24 cents per mile.

@Rambler: Those rates per mile are just, inconcivable.

I suppose I shld amend that statement...evidently the fed govt CAN regulate work ethic in a way. ...they impose these limits that limit what an employee can work ....the employer now seeks those willing to just work those "limits", pays em less, and those (you), willing to work harder, eventually get left out..

Though, if I cld "redneck" it, Ida just said "Pu.ssicication of America" lol

@Zilya777: there is starting to be huge pushback by drivers and major discontent due to the high regulations and low compensation. That is why you had those few drivers willing to "protest" in DC even though the organizer was a fraud.