The Runner Gunner Lunch Skippers are HATING the new DOT lunch rule

'Lord Brown's bidding'

Well-Known Member
There are two types of runner-gunners, from what I gather: those who skip their lunches because they want to, and those who skip their lunches because they feel they have to. The first group I understand the angst and frustration they can cause others, but that 2nd needs pity more than anger, and helped to see there is a better way. If I ever came across a driver who feels he has to skip his lunch and breaks, I'd ask them about their day and how it is run, see if there are places they can save time. My supe was telling me of one driver who would go to the door, knock, wait 30 secs, knock again, and then start to write the service cross on the package. It became very apparent after just a couple doors why he was so over-allowed!

Locking the boards removes a lot of flexibility from the operation. The DOT laws require us to take a lunch before 8 hours; in my center that is 5:30. If someone was a driver who gets done regularly by 5:00-and I know several-this law doesn't change anything. Drivers who run and gun because they want to generally do so because they want to get off early. Now they may have to postpone the end of their day by a half hour to hour.
 

Ghost in the Darkness

Well-Known Member
What I don't get is how can the company lock you out of your diad from 12-1 in certain regions across the country? How are they able to force you to take lunch at a specific time, is it agreed to in the supplemental?
 

jaker

trolling
How is this a new rule since we have been doing this in califorina for awhile and our diads get lock out already to
 

'Lord Brown's bidding'

Well-Known Member
Seeing as how dispatch gets their orders from someone above, I wouldn't blame dispatch. In addition, there are at least a couple of drivers on BC who admit to working slower so that they don't get more work. They aren't pulling their full share, meaning someone else has to get that work. I wouldn't be surprised to see some of that fat squeezed out due to this new law, before a mass hiring of drivers and adding of routes.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
There are two types of runner-gunners, from what I gather: those who skip their lunches because they want to, and those who skip their lunches because they feel they have to. The first group I understand the angst and frustration they can cause others, but that 2nd needs pity more than anger, and helped to see there is a better way. If I ever came across a driver who feels he has to skip his lunch and breaks, I'd ask them about their day and how it is run, see if there are places they can save time. My supe was telling me of one driver who would go to the door, knock, wait 30 secs, knock again, and then start to write the service cross on the package. It became very apparent after just a couple doors why he was so over-allowed!

Locking the boards removes a lot of flexibility from the operation. The DOT laws require us to take a lunch before 8 hours; in my center that is 5:30. If someone was a driver who gets done regularly by 5:00-and I know several-this law doesn't change anything. Drivers who run and gun because they want to generally do so because they want to get off early. Now they may have to postpone the end of their day by a half hour to hour.

There is a third type of runner/gunner-----the driver who goes all day and then takes lunch when it is convenient for them.

Your second paragraph has some misconceptions. Everyone will be affected by this new mandate. The runner/gunner who is regularly punched out and gone by 5:00 will have to take a 30 minute (or longer) unpaid meal break before punching out.
 

oldngray

nowhere special
12-1 is when most normal people take their lunch.

Actually no. Very few companies on my route took lunch from 12-1. Most were earlier except some doctor offices that took lunch later ( from 1-2). For UPS to decree that it is written in stone that lunch is from 12-1 is a stupid idea dreamed up by someone in an office out of touch with the real world.
 

'Lord Brown's bidding'

Well-Known Member
There is a third type of runner/gunner-----the driver who goes all day and then takes lunch when it is convenient for them.

Your second paragraph has some misconceptions. Everyone will be affected by this new mandate. The runner/gunner who is regularly punched out and gone by 5:00 will have to take a 30 minute (or longer) unpaid meal break before punching out.
You assume that runner/gunner 1.Doesn't finish well before 5 (had one driver call me one day because it was 3:00 and he had no more work to do before the route's pickups began at 5:00), and 2.Cannot make similar adjustments to free up 15-45 mins so that they can still get off close to the time they were before.

And 8 hrs is really a lot of time to move some things around (at least on an urban route).
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
I would think that only way to avoid having to take the 30 minute break would be to run Code 05 (hours worked); other than that, we all have to at least show 30 consecutive minutes (or more) in the DIAD before the 8 hours is up.
 

Johney

Well-Known Member
I have talked to guys already who simply sort their entire truck for 30 minutes and count that as the 30 minute break. No deliveries show up on DIAD in that time and truck is not moving for 30 minutes on Telematics report. Runner Gunner problem solved. Everyone always can increase their SPORH when your truck is loaded stop for stop I don't care who you are.
 

Ghost in the Darkness

Well-Known Member
12-1 is when most normal people take their lunch.

Whether it is or not isn't the point, they are forced to take it that hour. It must have been agreed to in the supplement out there. I generally start lunch between 1230 and 1245 because of where I am on the route and I have a 1330 pickup after. We are to take it (contractually) between 3.5 and 5.5 hours after starting work that day.
 

over9five

Moderator
Staff member
I have talked to guys already who simply sort their entire truck for 30 minutes and count that as the 30 minute break. No deliveries show up on DIAD in that time and truck is not moving for 30 minutes on Telematics report. Runner Gunner problem solved. Everyone always can increase their SPORH when your truck is loaded stop for stop I don't care who you are.
Agreed, but it's definitely breaking the law.
Sheesh it's 30 minutes, take your break and hold your head up like a man.
 
S

serenity now

Guest
Actually no. Very few companies on my route took lunch from 12-1. Most were earlier except some doctor offices that took lunch later ( from 1-2). For UPS to decree that it is written in stone that lunch is from 12-1 is a stupid idea dreamed up by someone in an office out of touch with the real world.

I deliver to a hospital and all the surrounding doctors and dentists * I deal with various lunch closings that can begin as early as 1100 and end as late as 1430 * many last for 1 hour, but some go for 1.5 hours * difficult to keep up with *
 

over9five

Moderator
Staff member
While I agree that it is not the intent of the law I disagree that the letter of the law is being broken. If the driver wants to sort during their lunch that is their problem.
The letter of the law says "an off duty period of 30 minutes". It very much is the letter of the law that is being broken, unless you're suggesting the FMSCA thinks we should be sorting while off duty.
 

oldngray

nowhere special
So much effort is being wasted trying to think of ways to get around the law. Just take your freaking lunch like you are supposed to and its problem solved.
 
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