The trucking industry is filled with millions of self sacrificing, dedicated, hard working individuals, who are oft misunderstood by the rest of the working world. While most of us go about our busy day, these steadfastly committed professionals work feverishly to make sure that everything we need gets there when it’s supposed to. For them, it’s just another 14 hour day!
The Long 14 Hour Day
Trucking is no ordinary 9 to 5 industry. The people who make the magic happen every day don’t get to punch out after 8 or ten hours and let things slide until the morning. Federal law currently limits a truck drivers work day to 14 hours — 11 hours of which can be spent behind the wheel. 14 hours after they start their day, they are forbidden from getting behind the wheel. You heard it, 14 hours of work with 11 hours of it navigating a 40 ton vehicle safely down the road. Shippers, receivers, and trucking companies each expect drivers to put in that full 14 hours, and for years have pressured drivers to squeeze in a few extra hours “just to get it there on time”.
Not Necessarily a 14 Hour Paycheck
For hourly employees a 14 hour day usually means hefty paychecks laden with overtime. Unfortunately, most truck drivers are not paid by the hour, they are paid by the miles they drive. This means that drivers are generally not compensated when their trucks are stuck in traffic, being loaded or unloaded, repaired or serviced, or anytime they are forced to wait during their 14 hour day. While a driver can perform non driving work after 14 hours on the clock, it is usually non-compensated and can complicate other hours of service regulations. So this means drivers are essentially limited to a 14 hour work day and every unpaid hour reduces the number of hours a driver is able to earn a living. To put that in perspective, imagine a cashier scheduled to work a 14 hour day, required to stay at the check out the entire shift, yet only receiving pay when customers are at the register.
When The Wheels Stop Rolling
When the wheels stop rolling at the end of a long 14 hour day, drivers don’t generally return home to their family and friends. Every evening begins with the 14 hour clock ticking, and a battle for a limited number of parking spots. Pressured by the 14 hour rule, many drivers are left no recourse but to pay for parking, or create a makeshift parking spot in what is often an unsafe or illegal location and hope for the best.
After a bite to eat and a hot shower (if at a truck stop) they end their day in a small 5 X 8 space behind the driver seat that serves as their living room, dining room, and bedroom combined. The quarters are tight, but most drivers find space for a TV, microwave, a mini-fridge, and a few other comforts from home. They finish their day lulled to sleep by the purr of a diesel engine, the hum of freeway traffic, and the hope that tomorrow will be another successful day.
Making Everyone’s Life a Little Better in Just 14 Hours a Day.
10 hours later, these road warriors inspect their trucks and hit the highway. Knowing full well that they bear responsibility for making everyone’s life a little better in just 14 hours a day. Please, the next time you see a truck driver making a delivery to your home, your office, or to your favorite retailer, stop and take the time to thank them for all that they do.
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