I Love Feeders

[anonymous6]

I think Orangputeh went over 60 because of adverse conditions. (snow). You are allowed 2 extra hours to complete your run in a safe manner.

actually that rule was changed. we are no longer allowed 2 more hrs "drive time" hrs even if you did not know the weather was coming . We absolutely have to shut down at 11 drive hrs. We can invoke the 16 hr. total on duty time ( 11 drive and 5 on duty not driving ) once in a 7 day period.

we can travel a few more minutes to get to a "safe Haven" . I was in bumper to bumper traffic in snowstorm about 12 miles from the hub and went out of hrs. the highway patrol said i could drive to the yard( which took 20 minutes ) so I and the general public would be safe. the tractor and trailers would be a safety hazard if parked on side of road, or off ramp, etc.


we have had shifters work 70 hrs or more a week during peak. they are not allowed to leave property in a commercial vehicle after 60 hrs.

 

[anonymous6]

in all fairness , there are some downsides to feeder work. most of ours is graveyard hrs. less sleep, more fatigue, more depression, more obesity, more divorces.

studies have shown that truck drivers who work nights have a life expectancy of 10-12 years less than a person who works normal hrs.

not much of a bargain.

 

[menotyou]

in all fairness , there are some downsides to feeder work. most of ours is graveyard hrs. less sleep, more fatigue, more depression, more obesity, more divorces.

studies have shown that truck drivers who work nights have a life expectancy of 10-12 years less than a person who works normal hrs.

not much of a bargain.

True, but package is still way worse.

 

[Dracula]

in all fairness , there are some downsides to feeder work. most of ours is graveyard hrs. less sleep, more fatigue, more depression, more obesity, more divorces.

studies have shown that truck drivers who work nights have a life expectancy of 10-12 years less than a person who works normal hrs.

not much of a bargain.

Maybe, but since I've been back here, my diet is much better (because it has to be), I force myself to exercise much more, and I get good sleep in the day. As long as I get to bed when I should, I easily sleep seven to eight hours a day. I think studies like that mainline the average person who works nights. If you don't get proactive about it, yeah, I could easily see how this lifestyle could creep up on you. My wife stays at home, so on a typical day, I see her more now than I ever do in package car. Except this week, of course. Anytime your working 13 hour days, you're not going to see much of anyone.

 

[bluehdmc]

.25 hour more for doubles? you are underpaid, I get .50 more and hour. I turn 42-45 hours a week, just like clockwork......

We get $.85 and all we have to do is hit leave with a dolly.

 

[menotyou]

We get $.85 and all we have to do is hit leave with a dolly.

I'm in the wrong division.

 

[want to retire]

Maybe, but since I've been back here, my diet is much better (because it has to be), I force myself to exercise much more, and I get good sleep in the day. As long as I get to bed when I should, I easily sleep seven to eight hours a day. I think studies like that mainline the average person who works nights. If you don't get proactive about it, yeah, I could easily see how this lifestyle could creep up on you. My wife stays at home, so on a typical day, I see her more now than I ever do in package car. Except this week, of course. Anytime your working 13 hour days, you're not going to see much of anyone.

Well maybe too.........my natural waking hours are about 6 a.m. to about 10 p.m. My feeder schedule is 9:45 p.m. to 7 a.m. I get about 4 hours sleep in a row and then lay in bed and such trying to go back to sleep for the duration......it's been like that for 10 years! As I type this I should be in bed. Asleep. I'm not sure what being "proactive about it means". I'll never have a day job in feeders. I believe living like this will kill you sooner. I want to retire.

 

[anonymous6]

Well maybe too.........my natural waking hours are about 6 a.m. to about 10 p.m. My feeder schedule is 9:45 p.m. to 7 a.m. I get about 4 hours sleep in a row and then lay in bed and such trying to go back to sleep for the duration......it's been like that for 10 years! As I type this I should be in bed. Asleep. I'm not sure what being "proactive about it means". I'll never have a day job in feeders. I believe living like this will kill you sooner. I want to retire.

the dr gave me xannex to sleep and it worked great. too well actually and I used to sleep thru the alarm. now I use an occasional swig of Nyquil and that works. 6-7 hrs of sleep.

i wonder if i will start taking uppers and then downers then pot then meth on the weekends and them heroin. all in the name of service. maybe then i can be a "drug victim" and collect 85% pension disibility.

 

[over9five]

actually that rule was changed. we are no longer allowed 2 more hrs "drive time" hrs even if you did not know the weather was coming....

Who told you that? Better tell the DOT, cuz they still think you can!

 

[anonymous6]

Who told you that? Better tell the DOT,


I stand corrected. i just checked out several sites and you are right. 2 extra hrs are allowed but you must not DRIVE past the 14th hr.

I was going by what a UPS road manager told all of us. In fact it is posted at our workplace. It might be just for our hub since we have had so many snow related accidents.

I'll have to talk to them about this. Thanks for checking this out. I try to be on the ball on HOS regs.

.

 

[Dracula]

Who told you that? Better tell the DOT,

I stand corrected. i just checked out several sites and you are right. 2 extra hrs are allowed but you must not DRIVE past the 14th hr.

I was going by what a UPS road manager told all of us. In fact it is posted at our workplace. It might be just for our hub since we have had so many snow related accidents.

I'll have to talk to them about this. Thanks for checking this out. I try to be on the ball on HOS regs.

.

NEVER listen to an on-road supervisor for advice. It never ceases to amaze me how stupid these people can be. I got in an argument this week with an on-road sup because I insisted my trailers needed to be secured before I pulled them off the doors. "NO, they do NOT need to be secured," is what he told me. I got my green book a few weeks ago for just this kind of situation, and the book, indeed, clarified to my sup, that ALL loads need to be secured before the doors are closed. I also told one of my sups that all of the valve stems on the trailers HAD to have stem caps before I would leave. He instructed me to leave. I told him no, I needed to go to the shop so my trailers would in a safe condition. The word safe kind of put him on his heels, and I went to the shop and got my valve stems.

Generally, if your sup tells you something that doesn't sound right, it probably isn't.

 

[bluehdmc]

What's a "green" book?

 

[UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)]

What's a "green" book?

A book written for tree huggers.

 

[want to retire]

NEVER listen to an on-road supervisor for advice. It never ceases to amaze me how stupid these people can be. I got in an argument this week with an on-road sup because I insisted my trailers needed to be secured before I pulled them off the doors. "NO, they do NOT need to be secured," is what he told me. I got my green book a few weeks ago for just this kind of situation, and the book, indeed, clarified to my sup, that ALL loads need to be secured before the doors are closed. I also told one of my sups that all of the valve stems on the trailers HAD to have stem caps before I would leave. He instructed me to leave. I told him no, I needed to go to the shop so my trailers would in a safe condition. The word safe kind of put him on his heels, and I went to the shop and got my valve stems.

Generally, if your sup tells you something that doesn't sound right, it probably isn't.

Please clarify: secured as in load retainers?

 

[Dracula]

Please clarify: secured as in load retainers?

No, by a metal brace bar, or those blue and yellow brace straps that hook into the wall of the trailer. Your load, by DOT rules, has to be secured when it is ready to hit the road. So a wall of packages doesn't shift, or packages are on the door, waiting to drub the unlucky person who opens the door. The unload supervisors know they're supposed to secure the loads, but many don't do it for whatever reasons. I never leave until I verify that my trailers are secured.

 

[over9five]

No, by a metal brace bar, or those blue and yellow brace straps that hook into the wall of the trailer. Your load, by DOT rules, has to be secured when it is ready to hit the road. So a wall of packages doesn't shift, or packages are on the door, waiting to drub the unlucky person who opens the door. The unload supervisors know they're supposed to secure the loads, but many don't do it for whatever reasons. I never leave until I verify that my trailers are secured.

Definitely should be a retainer in every trailer. I've been that unlucky person opening those doors....

 

[Dracula]

The green book is the federal motor carrier safety regulations book. Another feeder driver here put a link to JJ Kellers web site where the green book can be bought. It's about 4 bucks. It has everything regarding safety that you would ever want to know. Mainly, it's aimed at feeder guys. And it has WAY too much info, but it is good to be able to find out things like securing loads and pre-trips, etc.