For Us Truckers
- lumpocoal
- Member
- Posts: 781
- Joined: Thu. Jan. 21, 2010 6:47 pm
- Location: Titusville, Pa
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Cheerful Monogram 211 B
not a big fan of Peterbuilt, I like the older freightliners and Internationals, my first truck I drove everyday was a 1972 International transtar 4200 w the 8-71N screaming at me, loved it, went for diesel mechanics when I was in highschool and all I worked on was the ol 2 stroke Detroits I love the bellering scream,lollumpocoal wrote:had Jason Aldean's CD bouncing many of miles with this song on repeat love it
- MURDOC1
- Member
- Posts: 559
- Joined: Fri. Aug. 14, 2009 10:00 am
- Location: Harleysville, Pa.
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Harman Mark 3 Top Flue
A little bit off topic, but not really as it pertains to trucks, but mainly for the drivers of said trucks... Did you know that truck drivers are considered "Exempt" employees?? What I mean by that is that the employer of truck drivers does NOT have to pay ANY overtime to their drivers regardless the amount of days/hours worked behind the wheel!!! I found this out last year after always having been paid overtime after 40 hours driving, then things changed, someone passed this info on to the owner and she decided to no longer pay overtime above 40, instead she now pays overtime based on how many nights a driver is scheduled to work in a 7 day period times 8, so scheduled to work 5 nights- 5 X 8= 40 so anything above 40 you would collect OT, 6 nights- 6 X 8= 48 anything over 48 Hrs I collect OT.... Just so happens I have been working 6 nights for years straight including holidays., just worked Christmas Eve into Christmas day and same for new years, same thing every year, work into every holiday... This not having to pay OT nonsense is total B.S. in my opinion, but what most people don't realize is that truck drivers are not governed or regulated whatsoever by the FLSA (fair labor standards act) like nearly every other employee in the nation, instead we are governed by the Secretary of Transportation with an entirely different set of rules...
- lumpocoal
- Member
- Posts: 781
- Joined: Thu. Jan. 21, 2010 6:47 pm
- Location: Titusville, Pa
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Cheerful Monogram 211 B
Guess im fortunate, I do 5x9 1/2 hrs and an occasional 6hr saturday, I get OT over 40, I run a mixer and triaxle some other drivers get paid a different rate between the 2 but I get paid the same wether Im in triaxle,mixer, or mowin the grass at the shop. But Im laid off for a few months this year, Ive been drivin for 9 years but Im no green horn by no means, that is nice to know that some of us just get screwed over in our line of work
- MURDOC1
- Member
- Posts: 559
- Joined: Fri. Aug. 14, 2009 10:00 am
- Location: Harleysville, Pa.
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Harman Mark 3 Top Flue
Yup, real nice isn't it!!! I just put it out there for others to know if they didn't already... I would seriously like to fight this, here's why- very simple, as a truck driver that is required by law to fill out a drivers log book on a daily basis, right off the batt we are regulated in the amount of hours that we can work, period... So here is another example of something that most do not know about work hours and a drivers log book- Lets say that I work 40 hours behind the wheel every week, no more no less, but, I want to work a second job flipping burgers at BK for some spare change, ANY and ALL hours worked at BK MUST be logged in your drivers daily log book as "on duty not driving" and apply directly to your remaining hours available to drive the truck at your primary job and you still must satisfy the 10 hour off period within every 24 hour period, so how in the hell can a guy ever make more money legally? Yes, this is fact as I heard it straight from the man, called the FMCSA myself and asked this very question to the regulatory supervisor and thats all she wrote... So I say that truck drivers are limited when it comes to seeking gainful employment outside of their truck driving job because of this... Again, total F'ing nonsense in my book!!!lumpocoal wrote: that is nice to know that some of us just get screwed over in our line of work
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- Member
- Posts: 540
- Joined: Wed. Feb. 13, 2008 8:29 pm
- Location: Sussex County N.J.
If you cross state lines you are working under Fed labor laws. You can be paid by % or by the hour. If you don't cross state lines you are working under your states laws only. My old boss tryed the % in NJ and got nailed for not paying OT over 40 hours. He had to change us all over to hourly. The state wants thier tax money on the OT.Back in them days I was running 60-80 hrs in 6 1/2 days. The things you do when your young and dumb.
- MURDOC1
- Member
- Posts: 559
- Joined: Fri. Aug. 14, 2009 10:00 am
- Location: Harleysville, Pa.
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Harman Mark 3 Top Flue
Negative at this point in time my friend!!! What I speak of IS Federal Law and in fact a driver is worse off if they engage in Interstate Commerce... I'll find it and post it up...crazy4coal wrote:If you cross state lines you are working under Fed labor laws. You can be paid by % or by the hour. If you don't cross state lines you are working under your states laws only. My old boss tryed the % in NJ and got nailed for not paying OT over 40 hours. He had to change us all over to hourly. The state wants thier tax money on the OT.Back in them days I was running 60-80 hrs in 6 1/2 days. The things you do when your young and dumb.
Here it is:
http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs19.htm
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- Joined: Wed. Feb. 13, 2008 8:29 pm
- Location: Sussex County N.J.
That's why there is a driver shortage, nobody wants to put up with the BS running over the road. It's not going to get any better in the years ahead.
- MURDOC1
- Member
- Posts: 559
- Joined: Fri. Aug. 14, 2009 10:00 am
- Location: Harleysville, Pa.
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Harman Mark 3 Top Flue
I certainly don't disagree with you on this, in fact you are right when you say that it isn't going to get any easier, come February it gets worse yet again, more new HOS regulations go into effect as passed into law just prior to the new year with more to be phased in at a later date... Another thing to consider when talking about the driver shortage is that one of the most significant causes of this shortage is that some 60% of new hire applicants cannot pass the drug test and those that do get past it once they get out on the road they can't seem to operate in a safe manner as reported by several trucking industry publications and consequently are let go of their employment as a result...crazy4coal wrote:That's why there is a driver shortage, nobody wants to put up with the BS running over the road. It's not going to get any better in the years ahead.
- lumpocoal
- Member
- Posts: 781
- Joined: Thu. Jan. 21, 2010 6:47 pm
- Location: Titusville, Pa
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Cheerful Monogram 211 B
I don't like the DOT's "points system" they are using now, we had a meeting about last year, points that don't necessarily go on your license but they make up your driver "profile" I don't agree with it but what can ya do
- MURDOC1
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- Posts: 559
- Joined: Fri. Aug. 14, 2009 10:00 am
- Location: Harleysville, Pa.
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Harman Mark 3 Top Flue
In ways I both do and don't agree with it... Here's why: I agree with it in that it removes some burden of responsibility from the driver in that the employer also receives points for these very same violations, so it encourages the employer to be 100% compliant by offering and maintaining a better fleet and also puts the driver in a position where he CAN refuse to operate the vehicle if found to be unsafe or missing a mud flap!!! But here's where I don't agree: Considering the above, what driver in his right mind is going to refuse work in this piss poor economy, yes I understand that an employer cannot fire you for refusing to operate a piece of junk truck but again, who is going to say no to a paycheck!!!lumpocoal wrote:I don't like the DOT's "points system" they are using now, we had a meeting about last year, points that don't necessarily go on your license but they make up your driver "profile" I don't agree with it but what can ya do
At the end of the day this only works if everyone starts out with an even hand in the beginning as far as equipment etc... but we all know that is not the case... Just more failed legislation and regulation of the very industry that keeps us ALL alive...
- lumpocoal
- Member
- Posts: 781
- Joined: Thu. Jan. 21, 2010 6:47 pm
- Location: Titusville, Pa
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Cheerful Monogram 211 B
We run alot of R and DM model Macks in my company I work for, I run an 1988 and a 1986, and those two trucks are probably the most Likely to pass a dot check wich I have 4 times last year other guys w the newer models got tagged or fined. I try to keep my ol macks up to par but the Mechanics get whiney and lazy when ya write somethin up. So alot falls on the mechs. shoulders too in my company
- lumpocoal
- Member
- Posts: 781
- Joined: Thu. Jan. 21, 2010 6:47 pm
- Location: Titusville, Pa
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Cheerful Monogram 211 B
then again Im not claiming to be a highway hero I jrun about 250-325 mi a day in the bucket, we don't run logs, bc we run within the mileage limit from our terminal. other companys I worked for we ran logs, this one we do just a simple time card, I guess it would be considered a "short log" Time + what you do + end, I can post pic of one if ya like, But I also operate a cement transit mixer, and a single axle if im needed alot of slip seating, but my bucket is my bucket, my mixer is my mixer, and the single axle is the village bicycle, everyone gets a ride
- MURDOC1
- Member
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- Joined: Fri. Aug. 14, 2009 10:00 am
- Location: Harleysville, Pa.
- Hand Fed Coal Stove: Harman Mark 3 Top Flue
Yup, hey nothing wrong with well maintained equipment no matter what the age!!!lumpocoal wrote:We run alot of R and DM model Macks in my company I work for, I run an 1988 and a 1986, and those two trucks are probably the most Likely to pass a dot check wich I have 4 times last year other guys w the newer models got tagged or fined. I try to keep my ol macks up to par but the Mechanics get whiney and lazy when ya write somethin up. So alot falls on the mechs. shoulders too in my company
Here are the new HOS guidelines coming the end of February:
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/topics ... qanda.aspx