elogs or paper?

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Elendil, Apr 5, 2011.

  1. Mattkujata

    Mattkujata Medium Load Member

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    My truck is e-log equipped, but I've been using paper. I go back out tomorrow morning and will start using the e-logs. I kind of like the fact that the e-logs go minute by minute, as opposed to 15 minute increments on paper. If I stop for 7 minutes, or 22 minutes, I don't "lose" or "gain" anything, it is what it is. One thing I do know about the qualcomm system on my truck is that once you stop driving, it puts you on line 4 automatically. So I have to remember to change it to off duty asap unless I'm working. However, lines 1, 2, and 4 can be edited before they are approved. Drive line cannot. Enough rambling. I think I will like the system, but we'll see.
     
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  3. ronin

    ronin Road Train Member

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    I don't get the assumption that small companies will go out of business because larger companies use e-logs. It doesn't make sense, since the e-log mandate (when it happens) won't apply to companies under 100 trucks, and they'll just run like they have been.
     
  4. Paddington

    Paddington Medium Load Member

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    In the FMCSA's January Notice For Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM), they proposed that ALL interstate carriers who currently use paper logbooks to document drivers' HOS be required to use EOBRs. Carriers found to be in violation of the EOBR requirement would face civil penalties of up to $11,000 for each offense. Noncompliance would also negatively impact a carrier's safety fitness rating and could put their DOT operating authority at risk.

    The only exemptions so far in the proposal would be short-haul interstate carriers who use timecards to document HOS compliance.

    This proposal (and it is only a proposal...much like the proposed HOS revision) is a universal mandate. I haven't read anything in the NPRM that suggests fleets under 100 trucks get some sort of exemption from EOBR's. If so, this would be interesting to say the least. Do you have a link?
     
    Last edited: Apr 11, 2011
  5. ronin

    ronin Road Train Member

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    Ok, understand the proposal - I was just going off the initial talk of a mandate, where it exempted small carriers.
     
  6. cruisecontrol

    cruisecontrol Medium Load Member

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    If fleets with 100 trucks were to be exempt, whos to say if they owned 200 trucks, they couldnt split the fleet in half, and put a different name on the door of the half the trucks. Also, it would be alot harder to get a job with a smaller company cause they would only be able to keep 100 drivers. They wouldnt be able to expand unless they equipped all 101 trucks with elogs.
     
  7. ‘Olhand

    ‘Olhand Cantankerous Crusty

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    so far EVERYTHING is just a PROPOSAL--and the sad fact is--when they finally do come out with the NEW RULES--somebody will challenfe them--and it will be back in COURT AGAIN--been going on since the first changes in 04?(not even sure of year anymore)and there we will go waiting--speculating etc....again--I've been in this business ALL MY LIFE--whatever they do--I will survive--I just wish they would get on with it already--too much speculation--companies that might increase capapcity therefor higher more people--buy vehicles etc...contracts--both shippers and carriers are tentative to ink--the ramifications of all this are brutal--and Washington claims to care about the economy--but I DO NOT DARE bring this up--or they will find it necessary to BLOW another 8-10 MILLION DOLLARS on a study to determine how the uncertainty in rule making and court decisions have effected the Supply Chain--
    One thing I will bet the ranch on is--by the time it all plays out--and I do not expect that to be anytime soon(due to lawsuits--etc)We will all have Balck Boxes of some sort--face it trucking is the ONLY regulated transportation industry in this country that doesn't all ready have it--One can only hope the gov't does side with O/O and smaller companies--and allows us to use something affordable--without having to pay maintence fee or whatever to someone else when we can't get any higher rates--and I would also hope that they will give us little guys a one time tax break when we are forced to purchase these units...
    just my $.02
     
  8. Elendil

    Elendil Heavy Load Member

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    I don't know why anyone would have a problem with elogs unless your intention is to skirt the law in the first place.......
     
  9. Saienga

    Saienga Medium Load Member

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    I couldn't help but laugh a little at this one.

    I drive for Marten Transport (currently), and they just finished the transition to all elogs.

    I do like the system.

    But, as far as paper logs and "skirting the law"...our miles took a huge hit when the fleet was up to 75% converted. Dispatchers were having to repower loads left and right. It was crazy. Know why?

    The load planning was used to a fleet of trucks that could "stretch it out" and get loads to where they needed to be with a little fudging. All of a sudden, when you have to plan it realistically, and when a healthy chunk of your driver corps realizes they can't trip plan a legal run, things go to hell in the proverbial hand-basket. Talking to some of the older hands here, there was once a company culture that said, "Out of hours? No you're not..." hands driver a blank log book.

    Money is the simple answer about skirting the law. Revenue for the company, wages for the driver. The more loads you run, the more money you make, and when you get to thinking that the DOT is just interfering for the sake of being annoying, you get really casual about demolishing the rules with some creative penmanship.

    Again, I like elogs, because, believe it our not, I like being legal...and having the built in proof when I have to say, "I can't do that."
     
  10. ronin

    ronin Road Train Member

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    I left Total because they switched to e-logs, but couldn't dispatch around them... most guys who were running strongly (like me) lost at least 30-40% of their miles.
     
  11. Paddington

    Paddington Medium Load Member

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    Exactly why this will kill off alot of small fleets and independents.
    Because they just don't have the drivers, equipment, terminal system, etc to repower loads like the big guys do.
    You will also see more freight shift to the hub-spoke LTL carriers like UPS Freight, Conway, Old Dominion, etc.
    Because the rates for multi-stop LTL done via truckload will have to go up and the service will go down...some carriers will give up doing LTL completely.
    This is why ATA is so much for EOBR and OOIDA is so much against.
    Anyone who thinks this is all about safety is crazy.
    That's why you should be a buyer in big TL stocks like Swift, Heartland, Werner, JB Hunt, Conway, etc as these carriers will benefit from a (eventual) universal EOBR mandate.
     
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