Question:
Was up in Gering, NE a few weeks ago loading sugar. One of your drivers was there at the same time loading. It was his first trip solo. Remember the 65mph winds a few weeks back on I25? He got to drive by the Werner truck laying on it's side in the median at the CO/WY border!
Gets to talking to him about the new HOS and things and how he is running according to the new regs, less the 11 hours driving and 34 hour reset.
My question: He was telling me how when and if he (Werner) runs out of hours to drive he can just go to "personal" drive time? Was he confused or am I?
I know Werner is a big company, but do tell how you get around the 10 hour drive time! Personal drive time?? HUH?
Drive on! bandit58....

Answer:
I also drive for Werner, they are no diffferent than any other "paper" log driver. The driver you were talking to was in error. You cannot use "personnal drive time" to "extend" your 10 hours driving. You can use peronnal drive time only if you are clear of all loads and relieved of all duties and responsiblities. Personnal drive time allows the driver to use the truck for personnal use. When relieved of all responsiblities for any and all loads we can request to use the truck for personnal use. This must be approved by Werner first. While on personnal time with the truck the driver is on a continuous line 1. If the driver changes his duty status at any time this will cancel the personnal drive time and return the driver to duty. (Like stopping to fuel the truck while on personnal drive time. Instant line 4.)

Answer:
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[This message was edited by Shuffler on December 05, 2003 at 13:16.]

Answer:
The "paperless log system" uses exactly the same basic HOS rules as paper logging. The only diffference is you input all your log entries thru your QualComm unit and your actual "logs" are kept in a computer in Omaha NE.
And of course -- unlike paper logging -- the paperless system compares your entries with the actual movement of the truck, which eliminates virtually all opportunities to falsify your driving time.
Paperless logging isn't so much about using a computer instad of a paper log book. It's about running legal. You have to actually run the truck in accordance with HOS regulations -- not just "log" it legal -- and it's illegal to drive off-duty (personal drive time) except in very specific circumstances...
note: Us Werner drivers have been trying to explain how paperless logging works for five years now. Naturally, many paper logging drivers just don't believe we can get good miles and run it all legal. Unfortunatly, some of our drivers have given-up trying to explain how it works and make-up stories about how they cheat the system. I suppose they believe it makes them look better in the eyes of those who think our mileage is severly restricted by running legal on a paperless system that tracks the truck's every move. The fact is, Werner makes up for running virtually legal-perfect with precision load-matching (mostly ) --- something many other drivers just don't think is possible with any company.
Do NOT come to Werner thinking you can cheat around the paperless system. You MUST run legal and there's no way to disable the system, trick it, falsify your driving time or anything else....without getting caught and fired. You can "correct" SOME line-4 time you've previously logged to set-up more advantageous sleep breaks under SOME conditions...but it isn't much. With paperless, you have to plan your time very carefully and move the truck in strict complance with HOS regulation -- and that includes logging ALL significent drive time on line-3 unless you're unavailable for a load, unassigned a load and not under a load, don't have a trailer, AND released by management from a terminal location.....just like the regs say. (thank you John Q Public )

Answer:
And of course -- unlike paper logging -- the paperless system compares your entries with the actual movement of the truck, which eliminates virtually all opportunities to falsify your driving time.
Really? How about extended times of idling like being stuck on the Cross-Bronx, waiting time at a rail crossing or bad weather?
___________________________
According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety: "Loaded tractor-trailers take 20 to 40 percent farther than cars to stop, and the discrepancy is greater when trailers are empty." And in a sample of truck inspections in 1996, "29 percent were ordered off the road because of serious vehicle defects, more than half of which were brake defects."
But, the institute concluded, "the risk of death and severe injury is a direct exponential function of speed, not speed differences."
Groups like AAA remain neutral.
"I think the jury is still out" on whether slower speeds for trucks improves safety, said Scott Osberg, research director for the association's Foundation for Traffic Safety. "There are different ways of looking at it. There's no good empirical data at the time. AAA does not have a position on this, even though a lot of our members are pretty upset about this."
-Atlanta Journal Constitution


Answer:

"....virtually...."
Read it again. I said EXACTLY what I meant and EXACTLY how it works.

Answer:
Hey Shuffler, hopefully you will stop in here again, or someone from Werner will. Wondering about those Werner trucks pulling Wal-Mart trailers. Are those Werner drivers on a Wal-Mart dedicated account, or do they hand those loads off on to any available truck. In the last member photo album Shuffler had a Wal-Mart trailer hooked up to his truck.

Answer:
nert,
I don't think we're doing as much "WalMart dispatch" stuff as we were a couple years ago when I took that picture. Swift seems to be doing most of it now. But once Werner's has charge of the trailer, there are a number of possibilities depending on the load and what the customer wants. It can be split (dropped) at a yard, or swapped enroute with another truck...whatever gets it there when they want it.