Sleeper Berth...on A Customer Site?

Thanks for all of the resources, y'all are great! I am a safety assistant, one task is reviewing all driver logs and oh boy...the different situations that pop up. Also our loads are all primarily over sized, we also have some in the oilfields so its been interesting trying to learn and navigate all of these variables and permit restrictions. It's great though!

Thanks again for the warm welcome :)

Also be aware that different divisions and products can matter. Example.... Tanker drivers especially hazmat must be on duty and in the driver's seat, prepared to assist in any spillage or issues. Thai usually results in them getting paid a higher cpm because they get less miles due to their 70 clock getting eaten.

Flatbedders are supposed to log On Duty for strapping and tarping.

You need to know the driver's responsibility to know what is correct. For many of us it is back into a dock and wait for a call so we sleep. I'm laying in bed right now getting loaded.... Sleeper. 😁

Thanks for adding this!

Thanks for all of the resources, y'all are great! I am a safety assistant, one task is reviewing all driver logs and oh boy...the different situations that pop up. Also our loads are all primarily over sized, we also have some in the oilfields so its been interesting trying to learn and navigate all of these variables and permit restrictions. It's great though!

Thanks again for the warm welcome :)

Also be aware that different divisions and products can matter. Example.... Tanker drivers especially hazmat must be on duty and in the driver's seat, prepared to assist in any spillage or issues. Thai usually results in them getting paid a higher cpm because they get less miles due to their 70 clock getting eaten.

Flatbedders are supposed to log On Duty for strapping and tarping.

You need to know the driver's responsibility to know what is correct. For many of us it is back into a dock and wait for a call so we sleep. I'm laying in bed right now getting loaded.... Sleeper. 😁

Hi Caroline.

The regulations are definitely confusing and unfortunately they try to make it one size fits all so sometimes the regs don't make too much sense unless it applied to you.

As far as on duty time, that was really made for drivers that had to do some kind of work besides driving. Flatt bedders that had to take time to tarp or local delivery drivers that had to do unloading or some kind of work when the truck stopped. So, if your drivers are working they need to log on duty. Now, do they need to log 100% of the work time is debatable.

Also, when you log on duty time your 14 hour clock keeps going, so it does have some consequences.

As far as sleeper and off duty, they are basically the same except the sleeper line is used to do split breaks.

I'm not familiar with oil fields and what a typical day looks like, so I'm not sure what advice I can give to use the clocks to your advantage.

Hope this helps.

Sid please explain this.

As far as sleeper and off duty, they are basically the same except the sleeper line is used to do split breaks

Truth. They are NOT the same. Although there is some confusion; you can be off duty and exit your truck. In sleeper berth; you must be in the sleeper; not in the passenger seat or grabbing a sandwich in the Subway.

DOT will spot check truck stops to ensure this is being adhered to. Don’t get caught falsifying logs. Worse than driving through the 11 and 14 hour clocks.

G-Town,

What is the practical difference between sleeper and off duty? Can you count your time spent in the sleeper as off duty?

G-Town,

What is the practical difference between sleeper and off duty? Can you count your time spent in the sleeper as off duty?

Sleeper is infact an "off duty" status as you are not working. If you are outside of the truck or in the passenger seat you are "off duty".... If you are laying down watching TV or reading on your bunk you are still considered to be in a state of "rest" and should be logged sleeper.

In a nutshell... Log what you are doing.

On duty for fueling, checking in at customers, roadside repair, DOT inspections, pretrip... Etc.

One of our members did not log 5 minutes for fuel and got inspected. The DOT officer checked his logs against his fuel receipt. It took him two years to get the job he wanted because of a falsifying logs ticket.

Also, this is from the trucking truth website. I don't understand why it's bad? It's 34 hours off duty...

Also, this is from the trucking truth website. I don't understand why it's bad? It's 34 hours off duty...

If you were off the truck at home or in a hotel... Then yes, off duty. If you were staying on the truck, you need to log sleeper for when you were in bed. If a cop stopped you and said "the logs show you were not in the truck for 34 hours.... Do you have a hotel receipt since you do not live on this side of the country?". He will want a believable explanation.

If you were off the truck at home or in a hotel... Then yes, off duty. If you were staying on the truck, you need to log sleeper for when you were in bed. If a cop stopped you and said "the logs show you were not in the truck for 34 hours.... Do you have a hotel receipt since you do not live on this side of the country?". He will want a believable explanation.

I had to reread it a few times, and now I understand why it's bad. Apparently, you have to have two periods between 1am - 5am off duty before the 34 hour reset is legit. It seems like needless complication to me.

Apparently, you have to have two periods between 1am - 5am off duty before the 34 hour reset is legit. It seems like needless complication to me.

They changed that a few years ago. Now its just 34 consecutive hours off. You could start your reset at 5am Friday and your reset is satisfied 3pm Saturday. Under the old rule you quoted you'd have to wait until 5am Sunday, basically a 48 hour reset. Thankfully they did away with that.