Recently we launched on our website a Truck Driver Poll. The question was regarding hours of service and how they can be improved:
What do you most want to see from an hours of service rewrite?
The poll was active for around a month, 32 applicants participated sharing their vision upon hours of service: what should be changed, or it shouldn’t if respondents are satisfied.
Truck Driver Poll Results
In around a month, we got the following initial results:
| A | More flexibility, generally | 12 (37.5%) |
| B | Less flexibility, generally | 0 (0%) |
| C | More available on-duty or driving hours | 5 (15.6%) |
| D | Fewer available on-duty or driving hours | 2 (6.3%) |
| E | A more flexible approach to split-sleeper logging | 5 (15.6%) |
| F | Removal of the mandatory 30-minute break provision | 2 (6.3%) |
| G | A return to pre-14-hour-rule hours regs | 2 (6.3%) |
| H | I wish they would just leave the regs alone for a change | 1 (3.1%) |
| I | Other (drop a comment to specify) | 0 (0%) |
| J | Not sure | 3 (9.4%) |
| 32 total respondents |
First Position
A – More flexibility, generally – 37,5%
As we can see from what we got, most Drivers are concerned with flexibility. That’s quite a wide option, which shows generic dissatisfaction with flexibility. That’s rather predictable and fits our own experience as a Trucking company.
But there are more interesting numbers further.
Second Position
C – More available on-duty or driving hours – 15.6%
E – A more flexible approach to split-sleeper logging – 15.6%
The second place is taken by two options, sharing equal :
- More available on-duty or driving hours
- A more flexible approach to split-sleeper logging
The former most probably detects a group of Drivers that are eager to work (and earn) more and are heavily dissatisfied with limits set by officials.
The latter seems to introduce the issue with a rather complex and rigid split-sleeper logging system.
Third Position
J – Not sure – 9.4%
Option J is “Not Sure”. And we are surely not sure why those guys are not sure. 🙂
But we can surely state that those respondents have concerns about hours of service. Otherwise, they would choose option H (“leave regs alone for a change”).
We can assume they just couldn’t define the dominant issue.
Hours of Service Insights
The analysis gives us valuable insights. For us as a company and for us all as an industry.
Obvious But Detailed
To some extent, they are obvious for us as a mid-size Trucking company. When you’re on the road, it’s always about using your time wisely since it’s naturally limited.
Nevertheless, the poll’s results diversify and deepen our vision and understanding.
What to Work On?
We can surely state that we need to work on flexibility. Drivers are mostly able to, and want to drive more and manage their time more efficiently.
Main points: make hours of service system money-wiser and more time-efficient.
Also, we need to assume that general dissatisfaction with flexibility is connected with new legislation that made the usage of electronic logbooks mandatory. We received some feedback, you know. New rules definitely narrowed the space in which Drivers could operate with their hours of service records.
Don’t get us wrong. Digital transformation and digital records are definitely a good thing for the industry. What’s more, it’s a huge improvement for Safety (which we all know, is the most important thing!).
Besides… come on, guys! Digital is just much more usable.
However, the numbers say that, maybe, new rules need to be further developed in terms of flexibility.