How long do you keep your logbooks?

It is your choice.

I prepare tax returns for a living in addition to driving and I have a different opinion.

 

your logs are your proof that you were NOT AT HOME for per diem

 

And proof of employment if the company goes out of business.

I don't throw any records away. But I'm not handing any records over to anyone unless I'm pretty certain the outcome will be in my favor either.

 

Way too many reasons were given pro and con with some really BAD reasons to chuck them!

IF YOU CLAIM PER DIEM:

Keep them! They ARE what you used to total your per diem deduction on your taxes, thus they become part of your tax file. Don't have them as proof then be very prepared to pay your Uncle Sam back every penny that, that deduction you got, but at a percentage rate that makes the people the RICO act was made to punish look like a bunch of sissies running around! The IRS has some insane intrest rates that start as soon as the auditor signs his name!

The hype that the IRS can only audit back ONLY 7 years is just that, a hoax! I know. Been there done that at a 10 year back check. I had them because my dad was correct about the IRS! I still have them back to 1975. Anmd with whats going on the past couple of months and years to think that the IRS won't look at a mere truck driver when the country is broke and needing those dollars you claimed is being overly optimistic!

If you want you can scan them into a file. The IRS doesn't care. You can also only keep a "representation" of your logs BUT remember with the IRS it's NOT innocent until proven guilty but you ARE guilty until YOU can prove you aren't! This is not a court of law but in their eyes everyone out there is trying to screw the gooberment out of money. (note: The per diem pay these BFIs steal from you and don't pay those taxes for you.)

Any way, keep them, until the IRS is abolished. Yeah, wishful thinking but 32 years of taxes fills 1 1/2 of those big office boxes you can buy at Staples. They in turn are in 2 steel footlockers my dad got off of a ship after WWII that was being scrapped. pretty much fire proof and hold those files nicely!

With E logs or Drivers Daily Log and others just save the file to a flash drive or CD (FYI: CD's DVDs that you burn your self do NOT last for more that 5 years before they start to lose data burned to them.)

Keep the file active on your computer with a backup somewhere (Moxie or whatever it is with the online backup) and on a CD. You can burn a new one at the end of the year when you do your taxes. If your company says that they don't have to or refuse to give you a copy them my best advice to you is to get something like DDL or others and as your day progresses keep it running like your E Log one but this one ensures that you have your per diem taken care of. It can also help if some hooya comes after you saying you ran him off the road in BFE when you were sitting in NYC eating a Coney Island Dog or you get picked up by a cop for murder as the "Highwayman serial killer" or whatever!

But you are a grown person so do what you want! I just give advice because I'm bored spit less! And have been there! LOL

Anyway, My dad did right when he pretty much ordered me in that Navy Commanders voice of his about keeping any and all tax files for life. Do as you want but when that letter comes from Uncle Sam wanting you to prove that you paid what you owed on taxes those 12 books will come in handy! Now that electronic copies are legal they could care less!Besides those two big boxes don'yt take up that much room!

Now: If your company uses that ELogs or any electronic log ask them about getting yours downloaded to a CD or to you on line to your email. They ARE your files and worth a lot of money in deductions towards your taxes. I also read in here TTR somewhere by a rookie that said that if you didn't have any or very many deductions claiming your "3 martini Lunch" deduction was a waste of time.
If you think something like a percentage of $59.00 a day(it changes every year ) for everyday you are gone then who do you work for as we would all want to work for your company!

You have many deductions you can claim being an OTR driver. From the time you leave home til the time you get back is counted as a per diem day. Then you have uniforms, safety shoes (YES! This is an OSHA regulated job and you better have 1 pair in the truck because there are an awful lot of docks or job sites where if you don't have them you'll be sitting until you have a pair! Your supplies used for your job, this computer you're looking at software needed to perform your job and the paper towels to clean the windows! There are many, some experienced drivers overlook or don't care.

Keep all those tax claiming papers until you die! I am because an IRS audit is way worse that doing a root canal on yourself! I refuse to go to that gun fight with a gun but a box of bulletproof paperwork!

 

we have been in business for 17 years. 3 of these years we have our own authority....but to answer the question we have all log books for 17 years.

 

Makes NO sense to me to keep em past 7 days....to each his own I guess.

 

I'm a DOT manager and you guys ABSOLUTELY have to keep each and every log book dating back 10 YEARS! They audit the driver on log books, not the company. Especially if you're an independent contractor! You can have your company keep them, if you trust them that much but I'd still be keeping copies. 30K fines, 700K fines... they'll shut you down and ruin your life.

 

Wow. #### DC terrorists. What an illegitimate organization of thieves and criminals.

 

I kept them until I filed my taxes and waited an adequate amount of time to make sure I wasn't getting audited. Now I just fill out a daily pre-trip book and that's about it.

 

1 yr. They have come in handy in certain legal situations.