The date has been set for the opening arguments in what is sure to be one of the biggest legal battles in trucking. One side bills it as a fight for safety, and the other side claims to fight for privacy, constitutional rights, and small business owners. It’s OOIDA vs. the FMCSA’s federally mandated Electronic Logging Device (ELD).
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has been fighting to put ELDs in trucks for years now to replace the pen and paper log system. They are also commonly known as Electronic OnBoard Recorders (EOBRs) and E-logs.
According to the FMCSA, using ELDs in trucks will make our roads safer by more effectively enforcing the hours of service rules. Some companies even use ELDs to track an increasing pile of data including driver location, speed, fuel efficiency, braking habits, performance, footage using front- and driver-facing cameras, and more.
The Owner Operator Independent Driver’s Association (OOIDA) has put forward many different arguments against mandatory ELD use in commercial motor vehicles. They claim for example that:
- There is no proof that ELDs decrease crash risk
- ELDs are no more accurate than pen-and-paper logs
- Dispatchers could use data gained from ELDs to harass drivers
- Prohibitively expensive systems could drive small carriers and owner-operators out of business
- Mandatory ELDs violate drivers’ fourth amendment right to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures
This is not the first time OOIDA has taken the FMCSA to court over ELDs. Twice before a court has ordered for the FMCSA to go back to the drawing board with the rule, most recently because the ruling failed to sufficiently protect drivers from harassment. While anti-harassment rules were put in place, OOIDA claims that they are not enough.
A panel of three judges for the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago will hear the case this time. OOIDA has filed the case as the main plaintiff, but also named are two OOIDA members, Mark Elrod and Richard Pingel. Both Elrod and Pingel were named as plaintiffs in the case brought successfully by OOIDA in 2011. Opening statements are scheduled for September 13th.
Source: overdrive, fleetowner, ooida, truckersreport, fmcsa, truckersreport, truckersreport, truckersreport
Omar Lopez says
I support all the effort OOIDA is making. Please do not give up.
Jose Orozco says
So how do we know , that Qualcomm, people net, and all the other EL companies are not behind this. I put my paycheck that they are putting money in the pockets of government officials, to push their product in the name of safety just so they can make billions on selling the equipment and subscription. It’s a lost cost people. This government gives a rats ass about you your constitutional rights.
Jc says
I work for a Temp/employment placement service which is temp to hire usually and I also pickup extra work some Saturday’s. All the work I do is within 100 air miles. One company I work for on a regular basis has elogs in most of the trucks except mine and the other company I work for on some Saturday’s doesn’t fool with logs at all. I paper log everything for this reason. How I’m I suppose to elog someone that doesn’t have logs at all since you are supposedly to log line 4 for any work outside the truck?
Deke says
It’s quite easy to go back and change between off duty and driving or on duty on whatever log you ARE keeping. Not as easy as just keeping a paper log, but it’s not difficult.
I only used e logs for a few months, because I quit that company over elog related driver harassment. But I remember editing to ADD work time was easy, taking it away…not so much.
Clyde says
We can edit any line except the drive line, it’s untouchable..
J Ossowski says
Also, how would Company A’s logs transfer to Company B’s truck when you go from one customer to another? Does FMCSA intend to make log sharing between companies mandatory? Talk about an invasion of privacy!
Bernardo Sadovnik says
I’m a member of OOIDA for 6 years already and I don’t agree with you guys, if ELD will control time and a least speed, it will work because on the East coast where I drive there are a lot of crazy maniacs that cut you off with their trailers and insult me on the radio because I’m driving on the speed limit.
Joel Long says
Actually…you are exempt from all HOS regulations for any day that you start and return to your home terminal within 12 hrs. You have up to 16 hrs once a week. You have to keep a time sheet.
Rufus Crank says
The FMCSA has it wrong. Elogs aren’t safe. How can they prove that pushing a button will make you go to sleep? If fatigue were the issue,they would remove the 14 clock and give me 11hrs drive time without the stress.
Amanda says
YES YES YES!!!! Let me drive my 11 in the best way I’m able to. If that means stopping for a 45 min power nap to taking a break during rush hour!!!
Joel Trout says
I’ve been saying this for years. Want Elogs to work? Get rid of the 14 Hour clock and let drivers rest when they need to, not when the desk jockeys think we’re tired.
Bryan says
The OOIDA has a chance here. The biggest argument that I think they can use, if they get all the data, is the crashes and the cost. I don’t know how having an elog decreases the risk for crashes. I saw a report that says elogs will decrease crashes by 1800+. How did they come up with that number? The reality is that he government is overreacting to crashes. You can’t avoid crashes. They’re not always related to driver fatigue. That’s why I hate stars because they don’t tell the whole story. Almost a million loads, maybe more, are moved daily. Take that number, and put it up against the number of crashes there. In the big scheme of things, it isn’t that many. As for small companies and owner operators limited to hauling broker loads, the cost of an elog is constant. It’s probably more expensive monthly for the service than it is to have paper. For mega carriers it’s cost effective. Small companies and owner ops don’t make that much as it is, so to add yet another costly expense to an already low profit margin. It’s a clear cut move to clear the path for mega carriers, who haven’t proven that they can keep drivers. The fmsca just cry safety as a cover up. Anybody with common sense can see it’s more about money. The way I see it is, if they want every truck to have an elog, the fmsca should pay for it. I just don’t understand why it has to be so hard to make a living
Tim says
None of the above bullet points (or any others) are going to stop the ELD industry from pushing this through. (I like the optimism but I can tell from how you worded your comment that you are aware of this.)
If OOIDA could somehow figure out a way to tap into the NRA’s power supply, things would be different…
russell says
I find myself rushing to beat the 14 hour clock all day or night. In my opinion they have made me somewhat less safer as a driver.
Only advantage I have for them is the convenience. Safety is more important than convemience.
Toddie says
E-logs are dangerous because you are forced to pull over when HOS are up or you are in violation. You can’t always pull over there are not enough places for this system to work as far as shutting down at end of shift.
Toddie says
Alos those cameras are going to far no privacy we as drivers have no rights we are treated with no repsect a good strike would end the hassel
Crazy Cat says
Keep in mind ATA is pushing the ELD. They want the O/O to go out of business. It’s not all about the government. It’s a lot to do with ATA lobbyists.
Sandra Jones says
Bravo! Thank you for your ” right on” insightful comments. I am a 19 yr truck driver and agree with everything you wrote! I’ve also been on the office end of the trucking industry and know first hand about the large companies using blogs to cut down on paperwork and employees. All about the money….not safety. The federal government has castrated the trucking industry and the large companies are to blame for enabling it!
Keith Piercy says
The federal government is down sizing because of over spending, and pork bellie projects. They know that they can eliminate several dot officers, by forcing companies to comply with the new elog ruling.They will shift the burden to state troopers, or cause troopers to work a double duty standard. This means more portable scales, and further intrusion into a companys business. Any time over regulation is imposed on business, it is bad for the economy! Usually a business cannot absorb, or pass on a cost of this magnitude. It will create a real mess. The big companies will get bigger, and the small ones will fade out!
Kenny Gates says
Something we don’t take into account when siting crashes is who was actually at fault. If CDS scores are the source of the data then the data the FMCSA is using is WRONG
Kenny Gates says
That is suppose to be CSA scores not CDS
Mike Stewart says
I am SO glad that after 40 years behind the wheel I sold my truck and trailer and retired! Enough of big brother and his BS! Not in my truck!
Northstar says
Best dam thing I did was to get the hell out of trucking.
Samuel says
Here we go
Jimmy Chesteen says
I so want a way out of driving for a living…
Soupie says
The problem isn’t electronic logs, it is the asinine HOS laws that are in place. Fix the problem(the HOS laws), don’t add to it(ELD’s). Any time government has a problem they try to pass a law to fix it. This time they created the problem now they are trying to pass more laws to fix the laws that they messed up in the first place
Charles Varney says
It’s really simple. Check the number of crashes with Elds versus those that don’t have them. Seems like every big truck crash I see out here is one of the Big company trucks and hardly ever an O/O. I’m sure it’s been done but I’ve never seen any published findings on it.
Justin says
Should do a study on the number of crashes caused by big companies with e logs that put anyone behind the wheel vs true professional driver’s with paper logs
Northstar says
Well that truly is it in a nut shell.
Robert Normand says
Good point, but they won’t. They know the truth just as much as we do. Politics and big money support the studies. We’re just a bump in the road to where they want to be. Look at swift, they kills hundreds of people and injure thousands a year. There still on the road. We all know that safety has nothing to do with it. It’s a shame that the government thinks they need to control everything in this country. What happened to the American dream? Sue has nothing to do with trucking anymore. It makes me sad.
Ron says
Your right i use paper and i see more company driver with elogs that wreck because they don’t care about safety they just need someone to hold the steering wheel to get thier profits !
John310 says
Already did. ELD and speed limited trucks have a significantly higher crash rate and a higher rate of speeding tickets. Those numbers are right in the CSA scores. Now ATA made sure those numbers were hidden so that they could “justify” ELDs as “safe”.
Tim says
Big trucking wants them so they can squeeze every second out of a driver and use the data against them if they under perform for any reason.
That’s the bottom line and anyone that’s been around the trucking industry knows this.
They want them because they’re going to make more money pushing drivers and eliminate competition from smaller trucking companies that can’t afford the costs associated with them.
Trucking companies don’t care about training or fatigue management and safety has always come second to the dollar in this business and the fact that the trucking companies are pushing this should make everyone very suspicious.
But like the ridiculous 14 hr non stop clock I’m sure this will pass too because big trucking owns the FMSCA however I wish OOIDA the best of luck and thank them for fighting the good fight!
Jim McGraw says
Why does the FMCSA feel as though they can dictate when I sleep. If I choose to sleep through rush hour and then carry on with my day, why not? For one its SAFER if I’m not in a 80,000 lbs vehicle during rush hour. Number two if I have to drive during rush hour I want to be on point. Not fatigued at all. Do they understand that commercial drivers literally have to drive for everyone around them? Predicting other drivers actions. Having to drive somewhat slower in order to give yourself reaction time. Hence cars weaving in and out around tractor trailers. You can not turn this industry into a 9 to 5 job. Limit the work day to 14 hrs but let the driver dictate how they work it.
Jim Boyd says
I’m a O/O leased out and my wife and I enjoy the elogs. It’s much simpler and since putting the ‘Using Elogs’ decal on my truck we’ve never been asked for our logs at a scalehouse.
I agree that there could be an invasion of privacy issue if inward facing cameras are used but thats the only aspect of eobrs that might be invasive. All other data recorded (speed, hard braking, etc) will, I believe, be deemed legit business info usefull to a company your leased to. If your an indepentant it’s moot since this info isnt transfered to any company anyway. The costs of these units have dropped dramatically and an independent can get a basic unit installed for under $1000 (which then is a tax writeoff).
All of the points contended (except possibly the 4th Amendment violation) are really bogus. No, clicking a button wont put a driver to sleep but many if not most drivers who are sleep driving are only doing so to try to make more miles/$$. If they were forced to stop, most would sleep.
If you listen to drivers at truckstops talking about the ‘good ‘ol days’ before elogs, 90% are complaining about not being able to falsify their logs or that they got in trouble for too many hard brakes, not the ‘invasion of privacy’.
There are many problems in the industry that need to be addressed (parking, excessive delays at shipper/consignee, hazmat regs, etc) but I dont see elogs as being very high on that list. I think we would be better off addressing real issues and not fighting something that, if the truth were told, are really fighting it because it makes it more difficult for them to break the law (falsifying paper logs).
Andrew H says
I personally have no problems with electronic logs, as long as they’re just that, electronic logs. But the logging system as a whole is flawed. The current system is good for LTL, but isn’t that great for long haul trucking where you don’t work a fixed schedule.
I also don’t approve of all the data collecting either. My boss can track where I’m at, but that’s the extent of the usage of the system, and we use that ability to help communicate location, delays, and I can even call to get help with routing if I needed to. But the company I work for now is small, I also worked for Werner before this and their excessive use of the systems to control you is absurd.
Head Games says
This started under the Bush administration kept in play by the Obama administration and regardless of which party makes it to office next it will continue and you THINK your vote counts?
Gary Harvey says
Mr. Mike Stewart… YOU ARE RIGHT ON TRACK
I was never so happy as when I retired from the ever increasing BS heaped on the OO. I pity EVERYONE that is blindly coming into trucking thinking they can make a good living the way it was done in the 60s & 70s when it was enjoyable.
pc
Max says
After more than 40 years on the steering wheel side of things, I am now on the inside. So I see both sides.
ELDs are here to stay. OOIDA et al does not have the money to fight the large fleets. Even if the rule is stayed again, there are very definite advantages to ELDs on the dispatch side.
I can determine a driver’s available hours to see if he can pick up a load that MUST be picked up tonight. I can determine if the driver has enough hours to run a load from Chicago to LA and deliver by next tuesday. I can likely tell if a driver is going to be too tired to do something for me if I ask him now. I can tell when a driver is just bagging it and it’s time for me to find another driver or put him on low priority loads only.
There are many advantages to ELDs from the company side. I wouldn’t say safety is one of them, tho.
Customers demand location and ETA to the shipper or receiver, 7/24. If you can’t provide it, they will find a carrier that will. Many larger shippers have real time access to their loads via your ELD, and they aren’t about to give that up.
This reason alone will push more and more loads to carriers with ELDs and force the smaller carrier (and I was one, once) to embrace this technology.
Amanda says
And this is part of the problem with large companies. Just because your computer and my hours say I’m ready for a load does not mean that I am. If your system says I can make said load but half way through I’m stuck in traffic then you start the harassment. We are humans not part of the systems the companies are looking at on a daily basis. We have flaws not perfect. If we turn down a load there is usually a good reason.
Personally I’m not forced dispatch anymore but if and when I was I always wrote down in my books who and why. Meaning if I tried to stop or not run yet was bullied into a load I sent the who and why to my family so they know who to go after for the lawsuit!!
Keiler says
This is why we need to change the hos. I don’t have a problem with elds just HOs
Ron Brennan says
They can get your location etc through GPS also. So your point about EDL’s is moot.
Robert Allard says
This is all good I also did work for a large company and used the elog it worked very good but the guy behind the desk has to be able to use the data before promising to receiver the exact time the driver will be there.
They also are able to manipulate the data as if there was a delivery schedule on a certain time and the driver is out on his 14 hour clock they let the delivery happened even though it was in violation it is fixable on the main computer.
But it is not happen too often and thank to the on board electronic device the dispatch has no choice but to work with the regulations.
It is a piece of mind and it become easier to do the job.
Crazy Cat says
Its not about the mega-carriers. All good for them. It’s the small fleet operaters. They don’t need, can’t afford and don’t get any benefit from ELD.
Shaun Lowe says
That’s great…Your company can use them all they want. That doesn’t mean I should be forced to use ELD’s just because it works well for you.
J Ossowski says
This is all well and good if the dispatcher (most of whom can’t find the front of the truck with three hands and a map) knows a little about living on the road and how physically draining certain areas are. Driving through Chicago isn’t the same as driving across Wyoming. I’ve actually had dispatchers tell me I “can’t be tired. You still have 4 (whatever number it is) hours available to drive.” Snotty nosed college grads!
Groo says
“Safety” is a code word for government control.
Amanda says
Yep!!
Northstar says
There are so many aspects to trucking. E logs only work if your the 8 hour a day drive in a straight line trained monkey wheel holder. Here’s the one area and there are thousands (tell your story) in trucking that E logs don’t work. Multiple stop Produce pickups in a geographical area. Well unless lets say your smart enough to get to your first pick up log that your in sleeper then shut the idiot box off and then spend the next 6 to 10 hours in that area doing your pickups sleeping while waiting, then hit the spot reconnect the idiot box… And there you go you didn’t waste half a day…Take that idiot box lost day in your life. multiply it 30, 40 times a year. Then you start to see how the idiot box is slowly taking your productive life away.
Northstar says
And again there are thousands of trucking related inconsistency’s From weather, accidents, road work, loading unloading, repairs, driver sickness. You can’t take the human life and try to shove it in a box. Then apply laws when you need to break out of the box. Which driver would have less risk of a accident. Let’s use Los Angles (could be any city) the driver is caught in afternoon major traffic. The crawl kind. driver (A) is on the old paper log (elastic enough) to forgive crap like this. Driver (B) is the trained monkey wheel holder who every two minutes is watching as the box is about to run over hours.. Driver (A) already in this case had his pick up rescheduled do to the traffic. And is listening to radio, watching in front of him without the worry of time. Driver stress level close to zero (b) has the idiot box telling them to pull over now. Hours of service are over. Who has no knowledge of anywhere in the area to park, will be two hours over on the idiot box by the time they get all the way out to Ontario truck stop. And has his dispatch screaming why they didn’t make the pickup. Is all stressed out. Has a huge blow out with some after hours flunky. Is ready to quit. Can’t take it anymore. So who has less risk of a accident..That’s right Driver (A). Outside of making that pickup getting 3 hours of sleep during that time. Driver (A) is then able over night in light traffic and cooler conditions take that load down the road… Driver (B) stuck in the truck stop over night and awakes the next day to find out that he now has to wait till 4Pm to get that load loaded. And is told that he has been put on suspension for his remarks and breaking the idiot box hours of service…By 4pm that day Driver A is 850 miles down range with the load just having steak and eggs. Is going into shower and then heading to bed. Driver A is stuck again in afternoon rush hour traffic with the idiot box time clicking away…
Amanda says
I can relate to this scene. I’ve been on both sides. Im so much more relaxed and in my own opinion safer since I’m no longer being dictated by a clock so to speak. I am less stressed and more productive. Yes I follow the rules but if in a scenario like you described I’m driver A.
chris welch says
Traffic, weather, time of day. All things I learned how to PLAN for going thru truck driving school. My truck never rolls unless I know where I’m gonna stop for the night with at least one alternate 2 hours before my planned stop. It’s common sense ladies and gents. I don’t like it either, but with elog my dispatcher can’t ask me to run illegal. When a driver is in the driver seat of a truck, that’s like clocking in at work. Your at work, if your company wants cameras on u 24/7 or a way to monitor your job performance, they can do it. Time to accept harsh reality and move on.
Tony says
I’ve run elogs for the better part of ten years now. Am I a safer driver because of it? No. Logs or elogs and safety have little in common. Are elogs for everyone? No. Should they be mandated? Absolutely not.
James willett says
I think the cost is the big factor. How many drivers is the industry gonna lose because of this.Will it be enough to hurt the industry? They say we have a shortage now. And if you lose a lot more it will drive the price of goods for the consumer up.Hell most of the stuff we buy now is outrageous. I got two more years to retirement. I hope I make it.
David Hostetler says
I was never so fatigued, tired, dangerous as the time I had ELDs.
Bill says
I don’t understand why people want to work more. they should be fighting to make more money for the work they already do. I love my eld, but I only work 47 1/2 hours and sleep at home
patrick says
you do realize that all the carriers, I mwan all, in the entire nation do not haul for the same customer you do right? that was a stupid comment to even make. this is not a cookie cutter industry
who says
i been on e-logs for 4 years. they are unsafe. the system induces high stress, fatigue, anxiety. then there how dispatch uses them to harass,retaliate against drivers. this i have actual proof of. so if ooida. wants something to damage the fmcsa plot to sell/mandate elogs. maybe ooida should setup a way to have the “company” drivers the ones who do use it. submit proof to help them in the case against the fmcsa.
Jerry says
I too have had great success with eld’s. I no longer have to push to get the hot freight to the dock. When Im out of hours thats it, bed time. No arguments with dispatch. I get up in the morning, punch a few buttons, and all day I know what hours I have for the day/week/duty cycle at a glance, and I can’t get over my smug smile when a dot officer demands my log book, I just say would you like to see my onboard log or have the computer fax it to you? When I’m stopped I KNOW I’m legal, no stress, no mistakes I missed. Sure, I’ve had times I was 1 hour away from customer and ran out of hours, in convienient but at least I didn’t have to spend 3 hours at the end of a long day to deliver my load when I’m tired anymore. It’s easy to dwell in the negative but many drivers are overlooking the positives.
Kennet says
First thing is first. Safety is the condition of being protected from or unlikely to cause danger, risk, or injury. But Elogs doesnt provide full protection, since we live in liberal market economy there is a place to be for both elogs and paperlogs ( by the way, in most cases officers they dont understand elogs). Competition between big companies leaves smaller with nothing. in this situation they creating monopoly in this industry of course with the help of government. One tool is to enforce elogs.
Tim W says
I don’t see ELDs making drivers safer. When I run through California, the truck speed is 55. I set my cruise at 57-58. No problems.. But I DO see these larger companies on e-logs, such as Knight and Swift, running as fast as they can go. E-logs put drivers in a “stress” mode. Get every mile they can before the e-log expires. Safety is out the window.
I run on paper and Safety is Huge for me. When I’m tired, I rest. No machine can track that. I’m human.. I run as legal as I possibly can. I can’t afford the Huge tickets. Sometimes I have to run over. The truck stops are full and if you park on the street, you get a ticket. E-logs would sink me and my career would be over.
chris welch says
Driver, if you are hitting the truck stops when they are full, then your doing it wrong. Run legal, it’s real easy. Go by the law. Done.
Anthony says
Before my heart attack in 2011 I was driving for a company that had the ELD box, and quite frankly it doesn’t take into account how the hours evolve…A driver has a niche in which he/she likes to drive…When the clock on the box winds down the hours in which driver drives evolves, and puts the driver into a time of operation that doesn’t conform to his/her body…At some point the box has the driver operating at a time when he/she is fatigued…Now the driver is operating in the danger zone.. No doubt this is not about safety at all, but about controlling the amount of money a driver can earn…Government control is what it’s all about!!!
Daniel C Swift says
Wonderful analogy!
Willuam says
I’ve been a driver for 28 years and every day on SiriusXM and on social media I hear drivers coming up with every known excuse to not use a eld.
Drivers openly admit to lying on paper and cannot handle a elog because they cannot lie on the 14 HR clock.
Do we need eld ?
YES !!
Vic says
Paper log gives driver the ability to sleep at times best for my body clock. This is number one reason why there should be no ELDs. Example: Driver just got to work at 5pm. After a weak off. 5pm was the time his trailer got ready to go. Hes got total 1200 miles to go. He drives till 10pm and hes body wants to go to sleep. But he was driving for less than 5 hrs and he knows hes dispatcher will give him hard time for not using whole 11 hrs first day. Because tomorrow hes not gona make it to delivery and day after in the morning hes got appoitment for delivery. So 11pm driver keeps going and going sleepy as hell till the morning. Than sleep somehow during the day against his body clock, wake up with headache. And keep driving for another half day and nite, so he makes it for appoitment. You must get in to drivers shoes to understand this. With paper log he could go to sleep at his favorite 10 or 11. Sleep nice and tight like all other mother efers -eld pushers. Wake up in early morning all refreshed and in good mood and health. Drive a bit more than legal and go to sleep at same 11 mabe leave some hundred or two miles for tomorrow. Than wake up in early morning again like hes usual and finish it in 3 hours make it perfectly for 9am appoitment. This way the job is done and driver was supersafe not driving 5 minutes being sleepy on the road. Paper log is flexible and it helps drivers to be in the golden middle between making delivery on time and sleep at best for his body clock times. Eld will push more sleepy drivers to drive. And will make more loads to miss their appoitments, which will make companys to lose days for rescheduling and unloading their trailers. And this business is so dependent on money-time ratio. Right now companies strugel to make their payments for trucks, insurances, fuels, tolls, registrations, taxes, its already hard to find free money for new pair of steer tires. And you guys want to make it even “better” thank you, for making America Worse again, thats another step down. Im not even saying how many drivers will like to work in such slavory environment.
Mr. Hollywood says
Im wondering when drivers will unite and tell the government, “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!” If we don’t the government will find something new down the road that will effect our livelihood (in the name of safety, my butt). As we all know, many of there mandates are actually counter active for safety.
Dave says
It’s not about safety, like the FMCSA claims. Make any issue about Safety or for the Children to get the most people onboard. If the FMCSA really cared that much about safety. like they claim, then they would do something immediately to fix the issue of CDL mills that keep on graduating students allowing them to get their CDLs, all the while never teaching them what they really need to know to be safe drivers and how to properly handle a tractor trailer in all kinds of weather/highway conditions. Instead, the FMCSA is allowing the CDL mills to graduate “steering wheel holders. Today’s trucks are coming with automatic transmissions, auto braking systems, warning systems to tell you a vehicle is beside you, GPS to tell you where to make your turns etc., just to name a few The vast majority of drivers are using these driving aid in a reactive manner instead of proactive. They depend on them to help them drive their truck. So when the FMCSA says it’s about safety, I call bullshit!!!
Roadghost says
There is absolutely no doubt that the Elogs will be used by companies and law enforcement to harass drivers and to invade their privacy. However, the paper logs simply are not doing their job. I believe in the long run companies will be forced to pay drivers more money for less work because of EOBRs.
Dave Patraschuk says
Everybody seems to blame the eld’s for their short comings. don’t get me wrong I usually don’t like government rulings in most cases.
However they are really trying to help us out and we have to take advantage of that.
The positive side of this and there are probably a few .
1. Dispatchers can’t force you to drive, and if one gets their nose out of joint, it’s about time to look for other employment or go up the the ladder to the managerial level and point out to them on how the dispatcher is trying to get the company in trouble by breaking the rules. Upper management don’t like to blamed for shoddy work.
2. Putting the blame on personal body functions or preferences as to one wants to sleep and when they are supposed to because a box says we are on a program designed by whoever. It’s time to smarten up,,, we sleep when we are tired and drive when we are not.
3. The rush load syndrome. there is no such thing as a rush load, it gets there when it gets there. If there are a number of drops and you run out of hours for the day, you simply stop. Should a customer put a time factor on when they want it picked up or when they will receive it, maybe they should be open or available to receive it when you get there so your hours are not wasted.
Many times the shipper/receiver are bold enough to hold us at ransom therefore screwing with our workable hours. This is where the blame is. appointment times are rarely or mostly honored by the shipper/receiver. Wait time should apply and charged back to them by the trucking company for this willful hostage of their truck. The driver should also be paid for load and unload time from the appointment time and not have to give up two hours of their time for free. Just ask if the people in their office or even in your office that agree to this if they would give up two hours of work every day without pay. This is where you will probably hear,”ARE YOU CRAZY” but they expect the driver or O/O to do this crazy thing.
4. By using these eld’s it can benefit all of us if we use it properly. We can work fewer hours and get paid more for it.
5. If you want to be home every night or every weekend maybe one should look at city pick up and delivery or dock work then one would not have to worry about the eld’s.
One could debate the hell out of this subject, but if the government wants the trucking industry to abide by a certain bunch of rules, maybe they should also make the people we service more accountable in making sure we can follow our rules closer. Without putting all the responsibility on the trucking industry.
Mike says
My arguement is I own my own truck and now they want a computer to keep track of where my truck is. what happens when it gets hacked and some burglar finds out oh this guy is not home he’s in Texas, good time to go break into his house, maybe rape his wife. this is a violation of my privacy and safety. if a company owned my truck there would be no way of a person like that knowing who is in the truck. and what about if I use my truck for personal use? ( I have a dually pickup and use it to run errands in town when I’m not working)
Ron says
Heres the problem with only 14 hr to do your drive time is abouserd if your stuck like i am waiting on a load for 7 hrs and your clock has started then you don’t have enough time to do the trip . But if you show at least 3 to 5 hrs in sleeper than you should be able to drive your 10 hrs with in A 24 hr period . Same goes if you drove 3 hr and were held up for 6 at shipper or delivery you should be able to do the rest of your 11 hrs of driving in a 24 hr period !
D. DUPREE says
All i can say is yes to paper logs it keeps you sharp and on point, and yes to being a safe and smart driver camera’s i dont mind so it can help protect us in a situation. Qalcoms just waste of money, cause if you dont trust your driver to be the safe driver you hired then. Its all a waste of money put that extra money in MY POCKET.
Ken says
Hours of service rules are flawed, to begin with. Now, force every driver to use these flawed and dangerous HOS rules. I run legal but if I get stuck waiting, I am can stop the clock. But for just one example of HOS stupidity. Say I go on duty at 0600. Work till 1200. Then, at 2200 I can drive for 11 hours, LEGALLY. And elogs makes this kind of behavior more common place.
Drew says
Only one thing to stop this is all drivers of every race creed or color male and female. SHUT down for one week . All at once we got to stop this . They are telling us what to do . Government works for us not we for them SHUT IT DOWN!!!!!!!!! Sept.
Joel says
Crazy Cat hit the nail
Keith says
“e-logs” have nothing to do with safety. You ought to know by now, that when government spouts “safety”, it really means more rules are laid on the “free” people for reasons of revenue and control.
I used e-logs for a few years and the only thing different from paper logs is that I more or less had to log according to the rule-book. E-logs didn’t improve my driving or help me rest, they only ensured that I followed the rules.
Elana Smith says
They have lost their mind
DAVID ROUSE says
I have never used them. I’m sure i could get adjusted to driving with them. But, in this not so perfect world, i prefer the elasticity of paper logs. An experienced driver has all the important numbers running in his mind all the time. I know how many hours i have and how far i can go at any given time. When you’re tired, you’re tired. Pull over and rest. The only safe thing to do.
Eddie says
I drive flatbed and and most of the time I tarp at a truck stop or empty lot while in sleeper berth. Anything to get me home faster and be with my family for the weekends.
Eric says
Under the 10 & 15 hour rules there was a lot more courtesy and commonality among drivers. Use to be truck stops withe diners where you could stop for awhile to get pie and coffee when you had time for a break. Now it’s fast food and get out of the way I’m running out of time. Making a difficult job worse seems effortless for big government regulators selling their next term in office to the bidder with the deepest pockets. Want e-logs and highway safety? Go back to the old hours of service where I have the option of going off duty when I’m stuck at a dock but can still drive my hours out when the trailers loaded.
Bayoublue says
I was just on fmcsa website, elogs can be many different ways.
“The ELD Final Rule permits the use of smart phones and other wireless devices as ELDs, so long as they satisfy technical specifications, are certified, and are listed on an FMCSA website. Canadian- and Mexican-domiciled drivers will also be required to use ELDs when operating on U.S. roadways. ”
I don’t really see it as being a safe or unsafe issue, but some way of logging, almost same as paper, but now digital. There is also a link to what they claim will be acceptable
https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-12-16/pdf/2015-31336.pdf
Paul M. says
If they really wanted to make the roads safer they’d focus on protecting us from the 4 wheelers.. because we all know that 3/4 of the accidents are caused by cars.
Donald W says
Okay, say OOIDA wins. Court just say , do another study and hit them again with more legislation next year and they will eventually comprises or run out of money too fight you. Win-win for the Government. Notice it used to be about ELogs and now it’s about else Elogs and sensors monitoring us.
Roberto says
I heard that the rule applies to trucks manufactured from the year 2000, what if you have a 2000 model truck that was manufactured in 1999?
Jesus Trucking says
I have 5 kids, it pains me to think that it is their innocent blood that will be needed to pay for our apathy and indifference. Every job, in every sector is affected by some sort of rule or regulation that prevents the pursuit of happiness, making a fair living.
Big companies and FMCSA are like the South during the civil war. Talk points; safety (wealth and profits), HOS (slavery), Compliant driver (slave).
“HOS is here to stay”- Said by Dispatchers, Arm Chair Lawyers, Off duty police and Slave masters. Welp, the south also stated that slavery was there to stay. Look what happened with that.
brett copeland says
it,s time to set a date and shut down,this must happen if you want to keep your 4th admendment wright,I am all for it ,lets set a date ooida,