CDL driver--Too many hours?!!

[cocobunny]

What is the name of your state? Ohio

My question is this: How many hours are too many hours to work?

I worked for a charter bus company this summer. They had a multi million dollar contract with the local hospital to transport its employees from a shopping center parking lot to the hospital. (because their parking garage is under construction for the next 2 yrs)

I worked 9 days straight for 8 hrs a day on third shift. There is an employee that works every single day!! (8 hrs a day)

There were 2 employees whose work shift was 16 hours one day and then 8 the next day--all week long. Which gave them 80 hours each in a week!

And there are a host of employees that work doubles (16 hrs days here and there). There was a man that got fired becuase his relief didnt come in and he was told to work another 8 hrs. He declined to work the extra 8 ( 16 hr ttl. for the day). They fired him.

So........ How many hours are too many hours to work?

 

[Warped]

Speaking as a former truck driver, the last I heard, the Department of Transportation's limit for local (non over-the-road) drivers 12 hours per day. The problem is that local drivers don't keep a log book so, if stopped, they can say they just started driving a couple of hours ago or whatever. If your only duty with that company is to run a routine route transporting passengers from A to B and your time sheet shows 16 hours in a day then you have a record of it that you can use in court. I'm not sure of the legal aspects of it but, if your friend wanted to cook that company's goose for firing him, he could probably file a lawsuit and subpeona the time records of the other drivers or the other drivers themselves but it would cause them problems if they testify against the company, even when compelled to do so legally so it's really a no-win situation.

 

[minerk]

The limit for CDL drivers is 70 hours on duty in 8 days, or 60 hours in 7 days, whether you are a local driver or not. Either remind your employer of this or leave an anonymous tip with law enforcement.

 

[cocobunny]

What Department?

I dont work there any longer. But I have friends who still work their that are suffering because of the long hours.

We did have to keep log books of when we clocked on and how many miles we drove. Im afraid that the books will be lost, or 'cooked'. ( I noticed one night that one drivers log had be removed from the log book. Thought nothing of it then, but it adds up now.) We also got paid twice a month. So there are the payroll records that could be looked at as well.

I would like to report this to someone. What agency would I report these incidences to? Is it the Ohio Department Of Transportation?

Thank you for all of your advice.

 

[cbg]

As far as I know, the DOT is the correct agency. However, it would be better if the report came from someone who is still working there.