Comment on Gel and lithium-ion tech could enable 1000-mile EV range on one charge
sorghum@sh.itjust.works 9 months agoTruck drivers have to take breaks every 4.5 hours for 45 minutes.
Is this a specific state requirement? I ask because that’s not what the FMCSA says. It’s 30 minute break every 8 hours (USA) and it can be any activity including including work (except driving) that would satisfy the requirement. Source, am a truck driver and …dot.gov/…/summary-hours-service-regulations see 30-minute driving break section.
Sprry im in the UK and was going off the uk and eu laws.
30 minutes every 8 hours must be tough. Do you do back to back periods of 8 hours?
I was just thinking that if its 8 hours then a break but your shift is done, then the break is just the end of your shift.
All of our driving has to be completed in 14 hours (11 hours driving total). When I drove over the road (not home every night) I usually tried to aim for a leg stretch every 4 hours. I’d usually walk around the rig and check things out for leg stretchers. For the 30 min break I would find a rest area or a truck stop and have a proper meal and I usually took longer than 30 for that break unless the place was boring. When i would take breaks were usually determined by location along the route.
ItsGhost@sh.itjust.works 9 months ago
I’m most familiar (although casually) either UK/EU rules, and this page has an excellent breakdown of what’s considered the bare minimum this side of the pond for safety.
gov.uk/…/1-eu-and-aetr-rules-on-drivers-hours
Personally I prefer to have a 20-30 min break every 2 hours which leaves me feeling sufficiently refreshed, and conveniently works perfectly for changing a 64kWh EV enough to do the next leg at the same ratio. I honestly believe switching to an EV has forced me to become a safer driver with regard to taking breaks.
sorghum@sh.itjust.works 9 months ago
I think most of the regulations for truckers here in the US were made in mind with how long the distance is between everything.
As far as driving my EV goes, ideally I would like to get 3-4 driving hours in before recharges, but only when the drive is longer than 6 hours total. I’d rather just get there sooner. I currently drive a Bolt EUV and it’s an hour charging for every 2-3 driving. Longer road trips take some planning especially when driving across middle America where the charging network isn’t that great yet. Meals are easy, but in between meals planning an hour long stop can be challenging.