Alone on the Open Road: Truckers Feel Like ‘Throwaway People’

Re:Alone on the Open Road: Truckers Feel Like ‘Throwaway Peo... by mikey_p on Monday May 22, 2017 @11:38PM (#14398635)

The big problem here is that if you're at the terminal waiting on a load, you're "on-duty, not driving." This is a specific status as it relates to federal motor carrier regulations that govern the hours a driver can operate. Once you've hit 14 hours of "on duty" time for the day you can't drive any longer.

Some major carriers will ask drivers to fudge this, although the rules are actually pretty strict about this. Notably, Wal-Mart has come under a lot of criticism in the past for asking drivers to mark time waiting for a truck to be loaded/unloaded as "off duty" instead of "on duty, not driving."

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Re:Alone on the Open Road: Truckers Feel Like ‘Throwaway Peo... by twothamendment on Tuesday May 23, 2017 @12:18AM (#14398767)

There are parts of the job that are 100% essential to have done, yet it is OK to not pay a driver for doing it - like putting fuel in the truck. I don't understand it.

There are too many companies that ask drivers to fudge the books. My dad has worked for a handful of them and finally found a nice place where he doesn't have to worry about that kind of request. I think it is more common than people think.

[ Parent | on HN ]