Dispatch Wants Me To Take A 34 Hr Reset In A Loading Dock?!

I must be the oddball. I've never been asked to do a 34 at a shipper. But I've only been driving 2 1/2 years.

I have a family and have always operated with the premise that if I've gotta do a 34, it's either gonna be at home or with friends. I've only had to do a 34 at a truck stop twice, I think. And I don't know about that "litigation" stuff. 😆

I've gotten stuck at a shipper/receiver for a 34 once. I delivered in Aurora, CO and was supposed to pick up immediately to head back to Wichita KS.

Well through a whole bunch of different problems I ended up parking in their overflow lot for 34 hours until they straightened out the loads and got me moving again.

I wasn't asked to do this. I did it because A: I actually needed the reset as my recaps weren't great and B: because it made more sense to stay there then refuse, pitch a fit and try to find another load.

I had no hot food, but plenty of water and sandwich stuff and access to bathrooms, although it was a hike.

So we chilled in the truck, took nice long naps and caught up on our saved tv shows.

And I could have used personal conveyance to go to a truckstop but, it's Denver. 'Nuff said.

Personally I have never taken a 34 at a customer's facility. I have my refrigerator so I have food and water and could easily do it, but that's not the point. I don't think I would appreciate my company telling me where I had to take a 34, but that's just my opinion. That's a little "micro-manage-y" for me. But I will give some advice on how you might can avoid that part of the situation coming up again.

Make your intentions known. Communicate with your DM/dispatcher or whoever it is, and show them that you are aware of your situation. And I'm talking about advance warning. Don't wait until your 70 is blown to talk to them. When you're down to 20 hours on your 70, you should know what your recaps are looking like. Let them know.

For instance, send a message saying, "I know I'm going to be short on my 70 on Friday. That night I will get back 6 hours, but then the next 2 nights I will get back 11 hours, and then 10 hours so I will be able to run more efficiently for those 2 days".

Or something like, "After Thursday, my 70 will be down to 4 hours. I won't get any recap hours until Friday night, so my plan is to shut down after completing this load, take a 34, and then be ready to roll at 06:00 Saturday morning".

When they can know that you're aware of your clocks, and in control of what you're doing, the micro-management may tend to fall away a little bit.

Personally I think what this whole post points out is that we have a rookie driver here who really doesn't have much experience in how this whole business operates. I can't ever recall my dispatcher having to tell me when I needed to take a 34 or not. I am always the one who determines those types of things, and I communicate it in a timely manner so that they know what to expect. The biggest problem I see for this driver is that they have already fallen into the Trucker's trap of the mentality that says, "it's us against them," as far as his relationship with his dispatcher and his company goes.

This "us against them" mentality is one of the most crippling things that affects so many drivers and their approach to this career. It keeps people from finding true success out here because it keeps drivers from taking responsibility for their own problems, but rather puts everything off onto the fact that it is the company or the dispatcher who is in control of everything. I've always determined my own level of success out here. I measure out my own pay by the performance that I give each week. My dispatcher knows he can count on me to make all the right moves for success when I am on the road, and he keeps me moving just as hard as I can go most of the time. He doesn't tell me how to operate, or dictate my every move. He takes the information that I give him as far as my ETA's and PTA's and he can plan things accordingly from the information that I keep him informed with. When you take charge of the information feed, then you have taken charge of your career, and any dispatcher that I have ever worked with wishes that he could teach all his drivers how to do these types of things.

The last thing a dispatcher needs is one more driver who he is always having to coach along the way. This is not an indictment of Ally, he admitted to being new to this, and I think it is understandable that he might not know the secrets of success out here. But falling prey to that mentality that sets you against the dispatcher, as if they were your nemesis is a really bad approach to this whole career. There has got to be some sort of synergistic relationship between a driver and his dispatcher if you want to experience the rewards of true success out here.

My two cents, trying not to repeat others here. I would have first seen if I could get to the shipper get loaded and then get to a nearby truckstop. I know some have good on their trucks, but that's not always the case for everyone. I have food once I get out of a terminal and in about 10 days it's gone. As a rookie I have a fear of Walmart lots after almost getting stuck in two since I have been solo.

Anyways back to my point don't reject the load right away, try and find a solution that gets you what you need and the carrier what they need. They need you on that load and you need amenities when you stop. Maybe you would have to take a 10 or longer to get hours back after midnight. Then do your 34 as soon as you can safely park. Just always try and find a way to fit both in. If you can't just know your job is to haul freight. That will always be first.

Granted, I haven't been out on the road yet, but man...give me a 34 hour reset from ANYTHING and I'm killing myself a couple of good books and having a grand old time. I'll drink water fountain water, eat cheese crackers out of a vending machine if I have to and enjoy myself. Make the best of what you have always and your life will be incredible. :-)

I wouldn't do.it. not on purpose. The load wasn't going anywhere anyway. I would have dropped the trailer.bobtailed out and came.back.after my 34.

Unlike G Town, I HAVE been to customers who did not have any facilities at all. Some others might have port pots, and there is no way I'm using one. Did it once, no.thank you. There are a few.like LIDLL that have showers but most dont. I have my own pot, but my company allows it.

My 34 is MY time to.shower relax and do.laundry and hit Wal-Mart to shop. Perhaps get a hotel room.

Jill, earn the respect and trust of dispatch then this won't be an issue. My FM once.felt guilty cause he had to give me a 34 in a Wal-Mart parking lot "sorry it's the best I can do". There was a Hampton Inn, ruby Tuesday's, panda express, and various shops around and a movie theater. Yeah, it was torture!

This is not the norm to be asked to do a 34 at a customer. As far as trucking in general, some people l0ve it some hate it.

If you hate it, you will.never love it. If what you hate is this type of thing, but all.else is great, then work.with your dispatcher to.prevent it in the future.

My $0.02. Much of this was already said. Why can't you run on recaps? Like other's have said, with 2 hours could you get to a truck stop or better place to reset? Off duty driving or PC driving can be done when not under a load. At CFI if we are low on hours they will usually dispatch us on a load with enough time to take that reset. Do you know how to do an 8/2 split? Great way to stretch your clock. Keep food and baby wipes in your truck. Most shippers have a restroom you can use. There are always otions. Don't give up. Use this as a learning expierence. I have only been solo a couple of months and I'm still learning how to best manage my clock. Ha a night dispatcher help me use the 8/2 split so I could deliver my load on time this morning.

Next time call your DM before you decline a load. I did that a little while ago. I have been running hard and needed a shower, do laundry and sleep before I got another load. Well they sent be one and I was ****ed. So, without being ****ed, I called in and was told it was a realay that was sitting at our KC MO yard and has to go 275 miles. I got what I wanted. I get to do all I need and get my clock back to starting early so I can run daytime again. All this because I was in constant contact with dispatch and let them know my needs. Having a good repore with dispatch helps you succeed in this business. Good luck.

Some thing to think about.

I've run across places that will have signs posted "no restrooms for drivers".

There's usually always one or two women working in the office. I talk to them directly using my best "it's an emergency" face.

"I'm so sorry, but is there any chance y'all have a restroom I can use? Pretty please?"

Every place I've been but one, the ladies will say "oh honey, of course!" And buzz you through the door or whatever to use the employee restroom.

Sorry gentlemen, but sometimes being a woman has its advantages!

Some thing to think about.

I've run across places that will have signs posted "no restrooms for drivers".

There's usually always one or two women working in the office. I talk to them directly using my best "it's an emergency" face.

"I'm so sorry, but is there any chance y'all have a restroom I can use? Pretty please?"

Every place I've been but one, the ladies will say "oh honey, of course!" And buzz you through the door or whatever to use the employee restroom.

Sorry gentlemen, but sometimes being a woman has its advantages!

Several receivers locally do the same for LTL drivers.

Sign says 'No public restroom' but I ask and she says they only have the sign for the OTR drivers. Us LTL guys are ok to use it though 😃