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http://www.plime.com/plime-com/l/50748/1/rss0_91.rss#q4« alton : When she said "My working hours are over", what she meant was she had driving all the hours she could, per day, by DOT rules.

The rules are, for every 10 hours of driving, you must take 8 hours off. I forgot what they were, but you also can only drive so many hours per week.

Oh, and had she stayed sitting, behind the wheel, technically she would still have been working, and could thus be fined for it for going over hours. The fines aren't cheap, either.

To give you an idea, 15 years ago, I picked up a trailer (18 wheeling, but same rules) full of engines from one of the big three car companies. I should have weighed it on some scales, but figured from the paper work it was legal and I was pretty sure an engine plant would know how to load a trailer. Anyway, a few hours later I pulled across my first set of DOT scales, and one set of axles was over weight by 5,000 pounds. My total weight was fine, but each axle has a limit also. It was over because they loaded everything in hte front of the trailer. Anyway, that infraction cost me, the driver, $5200.00 in fines plus, I had to pay someone to come with a fork lift and rearrange the load. It took four hours.

So, while she should have made some sort of arrangements, I really don't blame her.Dammit! You beat me to this.

My mother and step-dad ran a trucking business and the rules are VERY strict about the amount of driving allowed. (just like you said)

I do agree that she should have stayed with the bus until another driver got there or informed her supervisor that she would not be able to complete the run.]]>http://www.plime.com/plime-com/l/50748/1/rss0_91.rss#q3
The rules are, for every 10 hours of driving, you must take 8 hours off. I forgot what they were, but you also can only drive so many hours per week.

Oh, and had she stayed sitting, behind the wheel, technically she would still have been working, and could thus be fined for it for going over hours. The fines aren't cheap, either.

To give you an idea, 15 years ago, I picked up a trailer (18 wheeling, but same rules) full of engines from one of the big three car companies. I should have weighed it on some scales, but figured from the paper work it was legal and I was pretty sure an engine plant would know how to load a trailer. Anyway, a few hours later I pulled across my first set of DOT scales, and one set of axles was over weight by 5,000 pounds. My total weight was fine, but each axle has a limit also. It was over because they loaded everything in hte front of the trailer. Anyway, that infraction cost me, the driver, $5200.00 in fines plus, I had to pay someone to come with a fork lift and rearrange the load. It took four hours.

So, while she should have made some sort of arrangements, I really don't blame her.]]>http://www.plime.com/plime-com/l/50748/1/rss0_91.rss#q2
It is pretty amazing how common sense goes out the window sometimes though. I can certainly understand the dilemma but maybe.. (Just maybe) the driver should have

'Called ahead',
'not taken that bus in teh first place',
'drove them anyway',
'stayed with the bus till a replacement had arrived',
etc. etc.]]>