Log Book question

[ParkerFly]

Not really a newbie, but a newbie question. I've been OTR trucking for the past couple of years but never ran into this situation before. I work off the 60 hour/7 day rule, and in the past I've always been off duty well before I neared my hour limits. I've got a few questions regarding this. Here's my last week with hours on duty each day.
Day 1 - 1 3/4
Day 2 - 10
Day 3 - 9 1/2
Day 4 - 10 1/4
Day 5 - 14
Day 6 - 7 1/4
Day 7 - 6
I've been told my hours on duty last 6 days and hours on duty last 7 days should always be equal. This doesn't make sense to me. By Day 7, if I add up my last 6 days it's 57, and my last 7 days is 58 3/4. Is that how it should be done?
Also, does this leave me with 1 1/4 hours or 3 hours available on Day 8?
How many hours do I have to be off duty now before I can restart my 60 hours? I've been told 24, and I've been told 34. In the past I've always been off at least 34 hours, so this wasn't an issue.
And lastly, do you always have to take a break before the 60 hour clock restarts? I've also been told that it automatically restarts after 7 days, which didn't sound right to me either.
You can probably tell my company never put me through any training on this. I was pretty much thrown to the wolves and figured it out as I went. Thanks for any help getting all this figured out.

Justin

[vwaggs]

Originally Posted by ParkerFly

Not really a newbie, but a newbie question. I've been OTR trucking for the past couple of years but never ran into this situation before. I work off the 60 hour/7 day rule, and in the past I've always been off duty well before I neared my hour limits. I've got a few questions regarding this. Here's my last week with hours on duty each day.
Day 1 - 1 3/4
Day 2 - 10
Day 3 - 9 1/2
Day 4 - 10 1/4
Day 5 - 14
Day 6 - 7 1/4
Day 7 - 6
I've been told my hours on duty last 6 days and hours on duty last 7 days should always be equal. This doesn't make sense to me. By Day 7, if I add up my last 6 days it's 57, and my last 7 days is 58 3/4. Is that how it should be done?
Also, does this leave me with 1 1/4 hours or 3 hours available on Day 8?
How many hours do I have to be off duty now before I can restart my 60 hours? I've been told 24, and I've been told 34. In the past I've always been off at least 34 hours, so this wasn't an issue.
And lastly, do you always have to take a break before the 60 hour clock restarts? I've also been told that it automatically restarts after 7 days, which didn't sound right to me either.
You can probably tell my company never put me through any training on this. I was pretty much thrown to the wolves and figured it out as I went. Thanks for any help getting all this figured out.

Justin

Most OTR guys are 70 hours in 8 days. However, based on you 60/7 here is the breakdown.

Day 1 - 1 3/4
Day 2 - 10
Day 3 - 9 1/2
Day 4 - 10 1/4
Day 5 - 14
Day 6 - 7 1/4
Day 7 - 6
Using these numbers, a total of 58 3/4 hours were worked in 7 days. This means you are not in violation. To figure your available hours for tomorrow, you need to take total hours used in the last 6 days and subtract from 60.
This means you used 57 hours in the last 6 days, leaving 3 for tomorrow. I would ask your company how you can be an OTR driver and not use 70/8. 60/7 is normally for local operations as OTR drivers run 7 days a week. You would need a 34 hour restart to legally zero your hours and have 60 available.

[ParkerFly]

Thanks for the help, but I guess that brings up some more questions for me. Is changing to the 70 hour/8 day log as simple as just starting to fill that out once I start a new logbook? I was told by one of our part time drivers to use the 60 hour/7 day log, which makes sense for him but not me after reading what you said.
Also, just so I'm clear on this, 60 hour/7 day means I can be on duty a maximum of 60 hours during a period of 7 days, right? If at the end of the 7 day period I am not at or over 60 hours, can I drive on the 8th day? Or do I need to take 34 hours off and restart? Thanks again, I'm slowly getting this figured out.

Justin

[aggressor]

clock restarts after 34 hours off. you could work 1 day take off 34 hours and restart your clock.

[vwaggs]

Originally Posted by ParkerFly

Thanks for the help, but I guess that brings up some more questions for me. Is changing to the 70 hour/8 day log as simple as just starting to fill that out once I start a new logbook? I was told by one of our part time drivers to use the 60 hour/7 day log, which makes sense for him but not me after reading what you said.
Also, just so I'm clear on this, 60 hour/7 day means I can be on duty a maximum of 60 hours during a period of 7 days, right? If at the end of the 7 day period I am not at or over 60 hours, can I drive on the 8th day? Or do I need to take 34 hours off and restart? Thanks again, I'm slowly getting this figured out.

Justin

Touch base w/your employer. Verify its acceptable and correct to use 70/8. Then I would start at beginning of month in new logbook. On duty 60 hours in 7 days. If you total 57 hours for the 7 days. The next day would be 60-57= 3 plus the number from day 1 of the original 7 days. In your previous example 1 and 3/4 or a total of 4 and 3/4 for day 8. Otherwise 34 hours off duty to restart.