Official 2009 DOT Audit Thread/Rumor Mill

[Sinister]

Anyone heard the latest on the DOT audit? The last message I got was that they were going to be watching macros sent vs. location vs. logs. I've heard nothing since, though I have been pulling my hair out trying to stay completely book legal.

Thing is, I've noticed other guys seem to be running just as hard as always, and a few times I've been pretty convinced that there is no way at all theyre running legal.

What are they going to do, mail the tickets to your house or something?

My GPS has quit on me twice since May when I started, so how can they possibly use this totally flawed POS to write me tickets. I think if any tickets show up at home, I'll be calling a lawyer.

[TripleSix]

I was up in Cloud last week and DOT was set up in 2 areas where our drivers frequent 2 different days. Major harrassment.

[passingthru69]

Last I heard was they were coming back in Nov. to check the specialized side.
Was there before when office was under lock down. You go to safety and they would email person you needed to see and they came and got you.
no wandering around like we could normally do.
Wonder if this will happen when they come back?

A few drivers I know have to send in their logs every day.
Was told they are on the aduit check list.

[Sinister]

Ive also met a few guys who have to fax in logs every single day.

I've also met one company driver who is supposedly one of five currently experimenting with electronic logs through the driver tech.

He said - as I'm sure we all suspect - that it was impractical and foolish to try to incorporate such a thing, and was thinking it was going to kill productivity.

Unfortunately, my GPS is again working, but with little differences in the "history" part of the driver tech. For example, it no longer says "driving detected" as soon as I put the truck in gear - even if only to move around a parking lot.

I think they are playing with it.

I also think that e-logs are next for everyone. I've heard conversations where guys say, "Man, can't wait until this is over, so things go back to normal."

One word comes to mind - naive.

The writing is on the friggin wall...

6 months down on my lease, 6 to go.

[passingthru69]

I have a question for you.
Can you have them change it over to just the old style qualcom?

I'm still using the old style. Yes it still shows the location, but would it be better?
I know they still track and montior me?

Got nailed on a "false Log" notice last week.
Was told I logged my arrival 2 hours later than the system showed me getting there.

[Sinister]

Apparently there is a guy named Jim in charge of safety now. A driver told me recently he was talking to Jim, and said that if the DOT tells ATS they need to go with e-logs, one of the options is to pull the GPS's totally, and go back to the Cell Phone/Pad and Pen method of dispatch.

I kinda think that's a complete falsehood though.

Anything which shows your location is going to bust you. I still want to know how it can be used for enforcement though, given the rampant innaccuracies of the thing.

[passingthru69]

I got a strange feeling it will be the e-log.

Hope that it will not lead to that.

[Maddad56]

Hey guys & girls, I'm starting on lease program after turkey day I have 25 yrs O/O doing O.D. work which I sold my truck in 4/08 when fuel hit $4.40 so I'm looking to learn any thing new I dont know anything eyes wide open, although I'm starting out as class 2 driver, was just wondering over all is ATS a good co. to pull for. I can get myself around so I was more up tight about Q-comm never dealing with that stuff, I try to do OD work so running at night and hot I dont care about always been sunrise-sunset guy, but if things dont match how hard does safety come down on u, how many letters do you get, I mean i know how to do creative logs even running some what leagle, anyways thanks for your input, one more thing I know this is a bad year 2009 but could anyone truthfully tell me what you are going to gross this yr or what ur normal weekly pay is I know ATS rates are the lowest in the country but they always have freight. thanks love & peace
" You cant send a duck to eagles school"

[Sinister]

Originally Posted by passingthru69

I got a strange feeling it will be the e-log.

Hope that it will not lead to that.

Maddad, not to be a jerk or anything, but there are several threads regarding the going on at ATS, and this one is about the audit were currently under.

Regarding e-logs, yeah, it's going to be really weird if it really happens. Funny thing is, I don't think the guys pulling big stuff and driving 4axles are going to mind it much, as they pretty much stay legal anyway.

Not that the rest of us are total outlaws mind you, but if I need to run half a night extra to deliver a load, and make a decent check I do.

E-logs will hurt the general freight guys a lot more than the 4 axle guys.

[passingthru69]

Well there have been a few times I got the message to call logs.
Worked over my 70 or my 14 for the day and I'm in H.H.
Not this year though.Not much work.