To 34 Or Not To 34, That Is The Question!

Exactly Sambo.. When i run recaps I ALWAYS have a full clock available to me. I honestly think if i burned up my clock for no reason my DM would think I had lost my mind and I would probably be pulled into our main terminal and "get a talking to" by my DMs boss about time management... Maybe even written up.

I'm so confused now.

Sounds like an interesting plan on paper and it may work pretty well if all your running is long drop and hook trips that keep you going.

But what if you have a trip with 2 or 3 stops and spend a day driving 3 hours while the rest of the time waiting for unloading? Do you burn up 6hours of on duty just to get 9hours next cycle? Sounds kind of risky.

Ugh. As I mentioned, it's not something I do every day. Obviously, I run as hard as I can to maximize my clock. It's a way to maintain recap hours if you wind up on a load where you're going to wind up early but not so early that you can take a 34 and the appointment is a scheduled appointment that can't be changed. You're already going to be sitting there and only had a few hours of driving that day but still have hours remaining. At that point, you're not losing hours by putting yourself on duty. You're using up the remaining hours of your day so that when those recap hours come back the following week, you have them available and you don't have to use it all up, you can roll some of the time over.

If you had 9 hours available and only drove 3, do you only want 3 hours coming back or 9?

I think this will only work if you know you are getting back near 10 hours each day. The problem with running out your hours like that is, while on that load it may work, but let's say in 2 days you have a couple of short hour days coming back, if you use up hours on your clock, you'll be taking them away from future days when you might need them.

As was mentioned before, if you are coming up on days where you are getting into some short returns, might just be worthwhile to do a reset so you have a full clock.

I think this will only work if you know you are getting back near 10 hours each day. The problem with running out your hours like that is, while on that load it may work, but let's say in 2 days you have a couple of short hour days coming back, if you use up hours on your clock, you'll be taking them away from future days when you might need them.

As was mentioned before, if you are coming up on days where you are getting into some short returns, might just be worthwhile to do a reset so you have a full clock.

Exactly. I only use it on rare occasion to maintain hours so that I don't wind up with a short day. If you're a driver that takes a 34 every week and on rare occasion winds up having to run a couple weeks without one, you're probably going to screw yourself unless you planned that extended run to take an extended vacation etc. If you run consistent recaps as I usually do, your focus is on maintaining consistent hours so that you don't have a short day. My last 34 was back in July, I always have at least 8.5 hours coming back to me each day and can roll hours if I need to but always maintain steady numbers so I can keep rolling. I'm also not in a governed truck and do a lot of running in Texas which allows me good miles in an 8 or 9 hour day.

Robert,

Have you ever had a DOT officer inspect your logs when you have done this, what do you put in for remarks to explain what you were doing, and if your logs were inspected, what did the officer or compliance person say?

To explain WHY I would probably be written up by management, they would demand to know WHY i was milking out a 16 or 17 hour break instead of taking only my required 10 hour break.

For us, excessive breaks are a definite no no and would disqualify us from our pay committment. My DM would probably proceed to punish me with poor preplanning and giving me a crappy paycheck.

I would not work like that Im not going to run a few hours to just stop and start back at Midnight i stay out 3 and a half weeks 1st 2 weeks ill reset each week then recap till i get home when i reset i get 1200 mile runs on recaps i get local driver stuff little 300 mile runs

My FM doesn't allow them. If I have five hours left on my 70 he wikk run me that five hours then get my hours at midnight.

Only get 34/on home time