The Blue Side Up

Pilots that fly for a living are supposed to get the FAA minimum rest period of eight hours after their work day.  This varies with the amount of time on duty, but the minimum is eight hours.  So here is what happens, the crew flies all day and then has the minimum eight hour duty rest.  They leave the airport and go to where the hotel van picks them up.  However the van is not there because they are hardly ever there when they are supposed to be.  So lets be kind and say you wait ten minutes, then the ride to the hotel is 20 minutes.  After you get there you have to check in and figure out where your room is etc.  By the time you get to the point where you can sleep you have burned 40 minutes.  This is actually a good day, most of the time its an hour.  Now your down to seven hours and 20 minutes.  Then you wake up and have to be at the van at their specified time.  Most vans leave at certain times of the day only like every 15 minutes.  So to make your time you have to take the previous van and then journey back to the airport.  So now your down to 6 hours 20 minutes.  Realistically you had to get up earlier since no one sleeps in their clothes or makeup and you lose even more time.  Chances are most crews on the 8 hour rest rule are flying on five plus.  This is a far cry from the rules that were regulated to keep passengers safe.  So you may ask yourself, why does this not get fixed?  The answer is, the people that make the rules, do not go to the airport, so they have no idea nor are they inclined to change it.