Sleeping in the top bunk

TeamCaffee

Administrator
Staff member
Owner/Operator
Old wives tail....

There are not any rules saying that we cannot sleep in the top bunk going down the road.

Proper restraints are needed in the bottom bunk as well as the top bunk for safety reasons.
 

OntarioVanMan

Retired Expediter
Owner/Operator
Old wives tail....

There are not any rules saying that we cannot sleep in the top bunk going down the road.

Proper restraints are needed in the bottom bunk as well as the top bunk for safety reasons.

Amazing the stories and rumours that float around about different rules....old wives tales...
 
Last edited:

Yesteryear

Expert Expediter
Hmmm, low overpasses, rollovers. other than that all is good.

Well, as for low overpasses, the driver should be watching for overpass height before trying to go under the overpass. Tis always the first thing I look for when going under a bridge, ANY BRIDGE ANYWHERE! So do you trust your Partner? :D

As for rollovers, doesn't matter top or bottom, gonna hurt hurt hurt if that baby rolls! lol So your on the bottom, our bottom is a full-size and if rolled that baby is gonna slam closed and whack me silly. If it doesn't slam closed which I am pretty sure it would since it locks in the up position not the down position, it sure looks a long way up to the ceiling. lol Then ya got all the flying objects that is going to be traveling around, OUCH! :eek:
 

BigBusBob

Veteran Expediter
Driver
Ok, so you're in the top bunk... the driver slams on the brakes!! Where do you go? You're in the top bunk, the driver makes a sudden lane change, where do move? with the high center of gravity a truck has- motion is felt more at the top, and you're at the top in the top bunk.

Safety restraints are all well, but in many trucks- they don't put them on the top bunks on purpose... to discourage sleeping up there while the vehicle is in motion.

The top bunk should be utilized for when the vehicle is Stopped... Only.

You're on the bottom bunk, driver calls on you- you don't have far to stumble. You don't have far to go to grab that map for them- or if they need a snack or something - you're there to help them (if they know you're still awake).
Team- No "I" in Team as I always say. Drivers help Drivers.
If driver gets tired. Stop! climb up on top bunk. Get some rest.

Make it a rule- if other driver wants to drive- they have to wake the top bunk up (and deal with their sleepy attitude) and be sure they move to the bottom bunk and are secure.... Before the rig gets put into gear!!

The top bunk is dangerous for more than just falls "from" the bunk. With the vehicle in motion it invites slips and falls when climbing in/out of the bunk- no matter how you get up there.

Sure, it's convenient to a certain degree to have that bottom bunk free to get to storage under the bunk, or use it as bench to fix a meal or do paperwork or watch TV or chat on the phone or laptop... but is that convenience factor worth it when you're putting your team mate at risk for injury?

Look at the financials too, injury means lost time, lost time means loss of revenue?

4.00+ a gallon for diesel + loss of revenue from injured co-driver= bad math.

The sleepy co-driver will understand if you're standing up while you make a snack then do all the other stuff from the top bunk- if they don't, they're not a very understanding co-driver. The way I see it, is if my co-driver is in the bunk instead of driving- (for less than 15-20 min.) then they're being safe. That's provided they're not doing it every 2 hours. If you can't stay in the seat for 3 or 4 hours driving commercially then you really don't need to be driving commercially.

Another thing is to keep a dry erase board (about the size of a laptop) somewhat handy, and if the driver gets out of the truck, they're to write rough location and time of exit of the truck and approx. time of return- so if bunk driver wakes up and moves that curtain- they will know what's up.

And be sure to take that cell phone out of the truck with you, with a good charge on it!!!
Please, Thank You.

That's just my 2 cents.
BBB
 

ts675

Seasoned Expediter
Driver slams on the brakes, where do you go ?

Nowhere, you have yourself buckled in like you are supposed to. I never understood the issue here, law says the bunks must have approved restraint systems. Just like the seatbelt can't blame anyone if you don't use it.

Posted with my Droid EO Forum App
 

moose

Veteran Expediter
Back in Aug. 2008, OOIDA had a case where a 2 male team drivers where placed OOS in a chicken house for driving a truck with only one bed .
they show sleeperborth at the same time in the logbook. :eek:
OOIDA actually helps the defenders in court, but i never herd the end of it. anybody know ?
 

Desperado

Seasoned Expediter
yep but 1 thing ever try to sleep in top bunk while truck is rolling down the road even with a restraint
 

TeamCaffee

Administrator
Staff member
Owner/Operator
The thread is about the fact there is no law that says we cannot sleep in the top bunk while going down the road.

To sleep in the top bunk without restraints would be ludicrous as the movement is amplified.
 

ts675

Seasoned Expediter
Desperado as a matter of fact I have slept up top for last 3 years going down the road, it reminds me of a baby in a cradle, rocks me to sleepytown. I would hate for the gov to get involved on telling me where I can sleep. Besides personally the only person I share a bed with is my wife when I am home.

Posted with my Droid EO Forum App
 

cheri1122

Veteran Expediter
Driver
Back in Aug. 2008, OOIDA had a case where a 2 male team drivers where placed OOS in a chicken house for driving a truck with only one bed .
they show sleeperborth at the same time in the logbook. :eek:
OOIDA actually helps the defenders in court, but i never herd the end of it. anybody know ?

I never heard any of it, but it sounds like the scale cops were overreaching, if it's true. I know for a fact that 2 adults can share the same bed without anything other than sleep happening, lol. Their gender and relationship are irrelevant, if they're tired enough, or professional enough.
Anyone who assumes otherwise needs to have their mind washed out with soap!
 

cheri1122

Veteran Expediter
Driver
For all the reasons BigBus Bob listed, I never have and never would sleep in the top bunk in a moving truck, restrained or not.
 

ohiotrucker

Seasoned Expediter
I'm 6' 6" and when I drove team semi, I couldn't sleep on the top bunk, because my feet touched one end and my head touched the other ... lol:D
 

BigBusBob

Veteran Expediter
Driver
As was said earlier by TeamC... "The thread is about the fact there is no law that says we cannot sleep in the top bunk while going down the road."

"To sleep in the top bunk without restraints would be ludicrous as the movement is amplified"

While their may be no "Law" stating that you can Not sleep in the top bunk while in motion... Most that have been on the road a while know that sleeping in the top bunk is dangerous for multiple reasons.

The smart thing any driver can do is sleep on the bottom bunk, sure, some may choose to sleep in the top bunk while rolling- that's their own choice. But, IF something were to ever happen and they lived to tell- they would have a difficult case, esp. if No restraint system is there.

Some Semi drivers who are trainers have been known to make their trainees sleep in the top bunk Only... Others say sleep where you want. Personally... I say sleep in the bottom bunk restrained- or get off the truck. Simple as that. But, that's just me.

When I roll in the private coach, the rare times we've had to team drive... we sleep in the bunk with the intercom phone in it- which is the front middle bunk on the drivers side. The bottom bunk gets a lot of road noise, and the top bunk is too high and sways too much for most drivers to feel comfortable sleeping in. Plus, with the phone, it's handy- if a driver needs to get a hold of somebody they can ring the phone in the rear lounge or the phone in the bunk. And the phone lets the bunk driver (where otherwise a tour manager or main person in the band would sleep) get in immediate touch with the driver to check on things.

Often times I've thought it would be nice if they incorporated something like that in trucks.... so a sleeper or driver could just ring the other person without shouting or having to stop to rouse a sleeper.

BigBusBob.
 

BigBusBob

Veteran Expediter
Driver
One more quick tidbit... I think even the feds know that it's not a big enough deal to have a law about- it's common sense that most people prefer the bottom bunk when in transit.
 

nightcreacher

Veteran Expediter
Back in Aug. 2008, OOIDA had a case where a 2 male team drivers where placed OOS in a chicken house for driving a truck with only one bed .
they show sleeperborth at the same time in the logbook. :eek:
OOIDA actually helps the defenders in court, but i never herd the end of it. anybody know ?

Back in the 1989.I had a 1986 freightliner,but only had 1 bunk.Nothing was said when I hired two ladies to drive it,but couldn't qualify 2 guys to drive it,funny thing
 
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