Do Y'all Get Enough Sleep????

It's not that you can't get the miles or turn them safely with the 14 hour rule in place. The problem is it takes away your flexibility. Flat tire, accident, construction, delays at customers, or needing a quick nap - a million variables everyday. Without the 14 hour rule you would have a lot more flexibility to run when it makes sense and shut down when it makes sense.

There are a lot of little things affected by the rule also. For instance, without the 14 hour rule more people would be running overnight which would help alleviate some of the daytime traffic. I used to like starting my day at like 2:00 a.m. Well I couldn't do that very often with the 14 hour rule because it isn't often you can shut down for the night at 4:00 p.m. So more people are running more standard hours - like 7:00-9:00 - and it's bottling things up more than they might be otherwise.

I just love having flexibility. Tell me what you need done and when you need it done by and I'll handle it. Maybe I'll run all night and sleep half the day. Maybe I'll break it up into one hour increments. Who knows? Every day is so completely different out there that I want to make my decisions based on all of the various circumstances, not just the time on the clock.

My experience is, I never get a break. And, ya know, I am the KING of working on hours coming back. But the whole restrictions on getting the 34, means my company knows I can manage my hours and I work weeks on end. I often get lay overs that cut me just short of that 34. Now, I have to work it and my student often gets one. That restriction, both total hours, and the 1 to 5 thing, means our company rarely gives us a break. We just never stop, of we can work the hours. The idea it gives you a break as a driver, is total BS! It means working to being fatigued.