I had a busy day last night and yesterday. Started off in Minneapolis and off to alexandria mn, then off to Aberdeen South Dakota for a load headed to Joplin MO.. On the drive to Joplin a message comes over the QC "call safety sup ext blah blah blah" Being the first time I have seen this I wonder what I did wrong. I had just gone through a coop but was green lighted. So I called. First thing he says is "looks like you started off at 6am and your running about 3 hours ahead. At midnight you should be 5 to 6 hours ahead. I want you to take a 5 hour nap. That way you get some sleep and you arrive on time." I said "excuse me??" he repeated get some sleep at midnight. I said well.. alright. I did stop at midnight but not for 5 hours, only the 2 I needed. Here is my question. Can a company tell a contractor he has to sleep and for how long? I drive a cargo van so no logs to deal with. Just kinda rubs me the wrong way. I'm over 30, I know my limits. I don't need a company telling me I need more. If my van broke down, or I had a flat tire running that close to deadline do you think the company would take the hit for being late? Or would they hit me with it (they would beat me over the head with it).
Safety Sups and "manditory sleep" in a cargo van..
- Thread starter merkurfan
- Start date
RE: Safety Sups and "manditory sleep" in a cargo v
Just my .03 on it. If the day started very early in the morning and went through that much stuff it sounds like some rest was a good idea. If you were truly 5 hrs ahead at midnite then more than 2 hrs rest would have been a good idea. Maybe not the entire 5 hrs in case of a flat like you said but maybe 4 hrs.
As far as the company telling you when to rest or not I don't kow if they can however if the safety sup decides to I'm pretty sure he can put you out of service until he chooses to put you back. That's not saying it's right or wrong, just that it's possible.
Again, just my .03 on it.
Leo
truck 4958
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.
Just my .03 on it. If the day started very early in the morning and went through that much stuff it sounds like some rest was a good idea. If you were truly 5 hrs ahead at midnite then more than 2 hrs rest would have been a good idea. Maybe not the entire 5 hrs in case of a flat like you said but maybe 4 hrs.
As far as the company telling you when to rest or not I don't kow if they can however if the safety sup decides to I'm pretty sure he can put you out of service until he chooses to put you back. That's not saying it's right or wrong, just that it's possible.
Again, just my .03 on it.
Leo
truck 4958
Support the entire Constitution, not just the parts you like.
RE: Safety Sups and "manditory sleep" in a cargo v
You started at 6 a.m. , ran 18 hours until midnight then only slept 2 hours and started again ? How long did you run then before getting sleep ? I doubt you get little if any support from drivers on this issue . I don't just worry about my limits . I worry about who I'm sharing the road with , especially in the middle of the night . Suppose you were involved in an accident , maybe even the other guy's fault . Anytime a trucking company is involved the attornies know where to find negligence . It doesn't matter if you have to log or not . Your QC data shows you ignored safety's request and ran over 18 hours with only 2 hours sleep . You face personal liability . The jury will be the one deciding your limits.
You started at 6 a.m. , ran 18 hours until midnight then only slept 2 hours and started again ? How long did you run then before getting sleep ? I doubt you get little if any support from drivers on this issue . I don't just worry about my limits . I worry about who I'm sharing the road with , especially in the middle of the night . Suppose you were involved in an accident , maybe even the other guy's fault . Anytime a trucking company is involved the attornies know where to find negligence . It doesn't matter if you have to log or not . Your QC data shows you ignored safety's request and ran over 18 hours with only 2 hours sleep . You face personal liability . The jury will be the one deciding your limits.
RE: Safety Sups and "manditory sleep" in a cargo v
I woke up 2 hours after I stopped. Not be cause of a alarm clock or a noise. I rarely sleep more than 4 to 5 hours a night. I drove another 2 hours, I delivered drove to a place to get some sleep because my next pickup was a short distance away and I had lots of time. I again only slept for a few hours and woke long before the alarm clock wanted me to. Say what you will. We all have different sleep requirements. I should also mention I was out of service for 2 days before I left and got as much sleep as my body would let me. I can't force myself to sleep. Trust me, when waiting for the next load I would LOVE to sleep more than I do. I have with my previous company told them to kiss my you know what when they wanted me to run past what I felt was safe.
I woke up 2 hours after I stopped. Not be cause of a alarm clock or a noise. I rarely sleep more than 4 to 5 hours a night. I drove another 2 hours, I delivered drove to a place to get some sleep because my next pickup was a short distance away and I had lots of time. I again only slept for a few hours and woke long before the alarm clock wanted me to. Say what you will. We all have different sleep requirements. I should also mention I was out of service for 2 days before I left and got as much sleep as my body would let me. I can't force myself to sleep. Trust me, when waiting for the next load I would LOVE to sleep more than I do. I have with my previous company told them to kiss my you know what when they wanted me to run past what I felt was safe.
RE: Safety Sups and "manditory sleep" in a cargo v
Well i drive a cargo van-- I drove from 10a Friday morning-- and stopped at 1a Saturday-- slept at home for three hours got back up 5am saturday morning- finished my run- got two hrs sleep at the customer while waiting for them to get my delivery ready- then drove from 7:30P Saturday until 1am sunday- stopped at home and slept again for three hours-- woke uyp at 5am sunday morning finished my load- drove home and got home at 11:30A sunday. I did just fine-- I have never had safety tell me when to sleep. But that one driver is right- if they told you to sleep in th QC and you ignore it- then get in an accident-- attorneys will use it against you.
Diesel
Well i drive a cargo van-- I drove from 10a Friday morning-- and stopped at 1a Saturday-- slept at home for three hours got back up 5am saturday morning- finished my run- got two hrs sleep at the customer while waiting for them to get my delivery ready- then drove from 7:30P Saturday until 1am sunday- stopped at home and slept again for three hours-- woke uyp at 5am sunday morning finished my load- drove home and got home at 11:30A sunday. I did just fine-- I have never had safety tell me when to sleep. But that one driver is right- if they told you to sleep in th QC and you ignore it- then get in an accident-- attorneys will use it against you.
Diesel
RE: Safety Sups and "manditory sleep" in a cargo v
It was not a message sent on the QC. The only message was to call them. No referance to what about. I did call contractor relations about this today since I was bored. I was told the run was given to me because I was the only van with in 300 miles of the pickup, heck I was the only anything with in 300 miles. Had they had it their way they would have given me a shorter run so I could have got some sleep. Would I run that hard every day? Absolutly NOT.
It was not a message sent on the QC. The only message was to call them. No referance to what about. I did call contractor relations about this today since I was bored. I was told the run was given to me because I was the only van with in 300 miles of the pickup, heck I was the only anything with in 300 miles. Had they had it their way they would have given me a shorter run so I could have got some sleep. Would I run that hard every day? Absolutly NOT.
RE: Safety Sups and "manditory sleep" in a cargo v
Trust me, it's going to happen more and more, I think. I heard that hours cargo vans are running, is going to be looked at with a little harder. Your right, we all have our own limits, but the Safety Sups are just looking out for everyone, us, the company and the customer.
I've also heard rumors that if you've run a long run, and you get another load offer for a long run, (in a cargo van running with P2T), you'll end up getting switched out somewhere along the line.
My only guess, and it's just a guess, is, that something has happened, most likely a crash, where fatigue was the factor. As I said in another post, my guess is, that cargo vans will be logging before long.
Trust me, it's going to happen more and more, I think. I heard that hours cargo vans are running, is going to be looked at with a little harder. Your right, we all have our own limits, but the Safety Sups are just looking out for everyone, us, the company and the customer.
I've also heard rumors that if you've run a long run, and you get another load offer for a long run, (in a cargo van running with P2T), you'll end up getting switched out somewhere along the line.
My only guess, and it's just a guess, is, that something has happened, most likely a crash, where fatigue was the factor. As I said in another post, my guess is, that cargo vans will be logging before long.
RE: Safety Sups and "manditory sleep" in a cargo v
I don't like to be critical or judgemental but fatigue is a big factor and we're watched closely by groups like PATT and Public Citizen . While there was nothing to show what the QC message was about , do you think the company would not try to lessen their liability by saying they told you to sleep 5 hours ? Hey , I've run like that too . Most of us have but there's a big liability risk to it . If you were the only one within 300 mile and had to run like that to deliver on time the company should have turned the load down . Sooner or later there will be a serious accident and FHWA will make it rough on everybody and all cargo van owners will suffer . I don't sleep more than 5 or 6 hours myself and taking 10 hours off doesn't make sense to us but it gives lawyers an easy way to show negligence and find fault .
I don't like to be critical or judgemental but fatigue is a big factor and we're watched closely by groups like PATT and Public Citizen . While there was nothing to show what the QC message was about , do you think the company would not try to lessen their liability by saying they told you to sleep 5 hours ? Hey , I've run like that too . Most of us have but there's a big liability risk to it . If you were the only one within 300 mile and had to run like that to deliver on time the company should have turned the load down . Sooner or later there will be a serious accident and FHWA will make it rough on everybody and all cargo van owners will suffer . I don't sleep more than 5 or 6 hours myself and taking 10 hours off doesn't make sense to us but it gives lawyers an easy way to show negligence and find fault .
RE: Safety Sups and "manditory sleep" in a cargo v
HI
They have done the same thing to me. I don't mind them doing it but, sometimes their schedule and mine just don't mix. I can't just lie down and sleep just when ever. So now anytime I run a trip that is more than 700 miles I lie down after the first 5 hours. That way Im beating them to the punch and it is on my schedule.They do not seem to have a problem with this and I feel alot better at the end of the trip.
HI
They have done the same thing to me. I don't mind them doing it but, sometimes their schedule and mine just don't mix. I can't just lie down and sleep just when ever. So now anytime I run a trip that is more than 700 miles I lie down after the first 5 hours. That way Im beating them to the punch and it is on my schedule.They do not seem to have a problem with this and I feel alot better at the end of the trip.
RE: Safety Sups and "manditory sleep" in a cargo v
Sounds like a good idea. I am 200 miles in to a 750 mile run right now. I'll probably run another 3 hours and try to get some sleep. See what happens. I have LOTS of time to deliver. I am not due in till 9:30 tomorrow morning. Just stopped to nuke lunch and streach a bit.
Sounds like a good idea. I am 200 miles in to a 750 mile run right now. I'll probably run another 3 hours and try to get some sleep. See what happens. I have LOTS of time to deliver. I am not due in till 9:30 tomorrow morning. Just stopped to nuke lunch and streach a bit.