Hours of driving per day
#11
Board Regular
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Southern IL
Posts: 219
Originally Posted by newbiehopeful
All the replies have been very helpful.
#12
Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 101
The more you make yourself available the better miles you get.
What you need to understand is! 1) You can drive (line 3) more than 11 hours in a 24 hour period if done correctly. 2) Your line 4 time does not come out of the available hours of driving time however it does come out of the 14 hour rule as lines 1,2,3 & 4 does. To understand split breaking and you will see your miles grow at times or at least keep afloat of the "other" drivers. I am going to try and post a picture of a log that is legal as long as you started with a 10 hour consecutive break prior to Midnight on the previous day. Ok I can't post the log image! But draw this picture: Line 4: 12:00 am to 12:30 Line 3: 12:30 am to 11:30 Line 2: 12:00 pm to 10:00 Line 4: 10:00 pm to 10:30 Line 3: 10:30 pm to 12:00 am Line 3 totals to be 12.5 hours of driving in that 24 hour period. Many drivers "believe" they can't do that when in fact they can. DOT just says you can not drive over 11 hours within a 14 hour period. Your 14 hour period restarted at the end of the 10 hour break. Which means your 14 hour period will end @ 12:00 pm the following day and you can not drive over 11 hours from 10:30 pm to 12:00 pm the following day. Line 4 started at 10:00 pm which means your 14 hour ends @ 12:00 pm. I hope this helps you just a little
#13
In reality, if you are going to drive OTR, your average daily driving time is going to be around 9 to 10 hours, sure you will have days you will max yourself out to 13.5 hours in a 24 hour period (maximum legal possible drive time in a 24 hour period), and then there will be days you might spend 2 hours driving, the rest of the day you ask? Twiddling your thumbs at shipper/receiver/truck stop
#16
Rookie
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: York,Pennsylvania
Posts: 20
Much thanks for the responses.
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25 year old male working towards obtaining a CDL A license in the state of Pennsylvania. Hopes to get work driving long distances across the United States.
#17
Senior Board Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Near Cincinnati, OH
Posts: 573
I can honestly tell you that I have never drove 11 hours in a day. I drove something like 10.75 once, but most times 8-9 hours is the most I put into line 3. Unless you're pulling a reefer coast to coast there won't be much opportunity for 11 hour driving days (legally) and in the regional driver scenario's that we have today there is hardly ever a need to drive 11. I won't say that you won't see plenty of 14 hour days, I usually do, but driving more than 9 or 10 is a rarity. I will tell you that a straight 900 mile run wipes me out and fortunately I seldom have to do it.
There are a lot of drivers that push driving for 12 and working 16-18 hours per day, but there is absolutely no need to. If someone can't make a living and do it legal or very close to legal, they really need to find another line of work. Some people talk about how much easier on you and better local gigs are than OTR, but I know just as many "local" guys that break the 14 hour rule on a daily basis as I know OTR guys that do it. Getting home every day can be nice, but when you work 14-15 hours, drive an hour to get home and turn around and do it all over again 7-8 hours later, you look forward to your weekend just as much as an OTR driver. IMO, there are definite pros and cons to both.
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#18
Originally Posted by redsfan
I can honestly tell you that I have never drove 11 hours in a day. I drove something like 10.75 once, but most times 8-9 hours is the most I put into line 3. Unless you're pulling a reefer coast to coast there won't be much opportunity for 11 hour driving days (legally) and in the regional driver scenario's that we have today there is hardly ever a need to drive 11. I won't say that you won't see plenty of 14 hour days, I usually do, but driving more than 9 or 10 is a rarity. I will tell you that a straight 900 mile run wipes me out and fortunately I seldom have to do it.
There are a lot of drivers that push driving for 12 and working 16-18 hours per day, but there is absolutely no need to. If someone can't make a living and do it legal or very close to legal, they really need to find another line of work. Some people talk about how much easier on you and better local gigs are than OTR, but I know just as many "local" guys that break the 14 hour rule on a daily basis as I know OTR guys that do it. Getting home every day can be nice, but when you work 14-15 hours, drive an hour to get home and turn around and do it all over again 7-8 hours later, you look forward to your weekend just as much as an OTR driver. IMO, there are definite pros and cons to both.
#19
Senior Board Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Near Cincinnati, OH
Posts: 573
Originally Posted by matcat
Originally Posted by redsfan
I can honestly tell you that I have never drove 11 hours in a day. I drove something like 10.75 once, but most times 8-9 hours is the most I put into line 3. Unless you're pulling a reefer coast to coast there won't be much opportunity for 11 hour driving days (legally) and in the regional driver scenario's that we have today there is hardly ever a need to drive 11. I won't say that you won't see plenty of 14 hour days, I usually do, but driving more than 9 or 10 is a rarity. I will tell you that a straight 900 mile run wipes me out and fortunately I seldom have to do it.
There are a lot of drivers that push driving for 12 and working 16-18 hours per day, but there is absolutely no need to. If someone can't make a living and do it legal or very close to legal, they really need to find another line of work. Some people talk about how much easier on you and better local gigs are than OTR, but I know just as many "local" guys that break the 14 hour rule on a daily basis as I know OTR guys that do it. Getting home every day can be nice, but when you work 14-15 hours, drive an hour to get home and turn around and do it all over again 7-8 hours later, you look forward to your weekend just as much as an OTR driver. IMO, there are definite pros and cons to both. Like I said, I have had one 10.75 hour driving day and probably several that were 9-10 hours, but have never hit 11. Could I have chosen to cheat on my 14 and run 11 or more several times? You bet I could.
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#20
Member
Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 101
Originally Posted by matcat
Originally Posted by redsfan
I can honestly tell you that I have never drove 11 hours in a day. I drove something like 10.75 once, but most times 8-9 hours is the most I put into line 3. Unless you're pulling a reefer coast to coast there won't be much opportunity for 11 hour driving days (legally) and in the regional driver scenario's that we have today there is hardly ever a need to drive 11. I won't say that you won't see plenty of 14 hour days, I usually do, but driving more than 9 or 10 is a rarity. I will tell you that a straight 900 mile run wipes me out and fortunately I seldom have to do it.
There are a lot of drivers that push driving for 12 and working 16-18 hours per day, but there is absolutely no need to. If someone can't make a living and do it legal or very close to legal, they really need to find another line of work. Some people talk about how much easier on you and better local gigs are than OTR, but I know just as many "local" guys that break the 14 hour rule on a daily basis as I know OTR guys that do it. Getting home every day can be nice, but when you work 14-15 hours, drive an hour to get home and turn around and do it all over again 7-8 hours later, you look forward to your weekend just as much as an OTR driver. IMO, there are definite pros and cons to both. |
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