Paper logs

Discussion in 'Questions From New Drivers' started by Hurst, May 29, 2012.

  1. Hurst

    Hurst Registered Member

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    Company I am soon to be departing makes us do paper log. Loose leaf,.. need I say more?

    Anyway they have a log nazi that sends us scanned copies of logs they want us to rewrite and send back to them so when they get audited (They get regular audits for obvious reasons) it will be corrected.

    Now I screwed up on a couple, one I stopped at Grand Island NE and accidentally wrote IA instead of NE. But other logs they want me to change or fix hours driven, stating that what I put is incorrect. Distance from one location to another should be 5 hours and not the 4.5hrs that I wrote on my log.

    I am pretty accurate when I write my travel times down. If I wrote 4.5hrs, then I did the distance in 4.5 hours. Is this legal? Can they make me rewrite new logs? Is this common practice in the trucking industry?

    I'm quitting in the next 3 weeks, 1 week home time after being on the road for nearly 6 months with no home time. Then calling to give my 2 weeks notice. My question is that if I decide to refuse to 'correct' the logs, can I be held accountable? Or what is the legality of changing logs/documents once they have been sent in?

    Thanks,

    Hurst
     
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  3. HDFatboy

    HDFatboy Light Load Member

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    They cannot force you to change your logs, they are YOUR logs. If they are accurate and you change them that is illegal--falsifying logs.
     
    Emulsified and sevenmph Thank this.
  4. dibstr

    dibstr Road Train Member

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    It is legal for your company to request you to correct a RODS and it is legal for you to offer corrected RODS. It is not legal for you to falsify, or for a company to force you to falsify.

    The biggest reason I can think of them wanting you to "correct" this is that there may be too many miles for the time you logged. It's a good idea to look at the miles in a given time period so your speed average is not to high which would indicate an error (Or driving too fast) requiring "correction".

    Question 8: May a motor carrier return a driver's completed record of duty status to the driver for correction of inaccurate or incomplete entries?

    Guidance: Yes, although the regulations do not require a driver to submit "corrected" records of duty status. A driver may submit corrected records of duty status to the motor carrier at any time. It is suggested the carrier mark the second submission "COR RECTED COPY" and staple it to the original submission for the required retention period.
     
  5. texan007

    texan007 Medium Load Member

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    I would never rewrite mynlog books! (your asking for trouble.....since SOMEONE ELSE IS AWARE)

    Its kinda hard to believe you have been driving for six years and dont know this! There is NO WAY I would ever do that and then turn it over to someone else!
    Tell the if theybwant to do it DO IT, but i would photo all my REAL logbook entries for future record, sounds to me like they are having you do it so if the poop hits the fan they can just point the fan at you.
     
  6. dibstr

    dibstr Road Train Member

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    So you never have made or never will make a mistake on a log, catch it later or have it pointed out to you, and if you did you would not fix it?
     
  7. Raiderfanatic

    Raiderfanatic Heavy Load Member

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    Every month our office sends out a list with any errors you might have made on your logs the previous month. For instance, the past month I had two mistakes....I forgot to check the box on the vehicle inspection report on two days. I re wrote new logs, with the correction, and sent them in.

    They leave it up to us if we want to make the corrections. We have ten days once we get the paper in the mail to submit corrected logs. If you get them in within ten days, then they'll give you perfect logs and 25 bucks for the month.

    I don't always send in corrections. There's been a couple times that I've disagreed with the lady who says I made a mistake. Or I'll get one that says "speeding", even though the average mph for the miles is less than 65. We can't average more than 65. A couple times I've average 64.5 or so and get flagged for speeding. Blah...

    I don't see anything wrong with this practice. If it was illegal, Dahlsten wouldn't be doing it. They're big on safety and not getting on DOT's s*&t list. Sometimes I think no matter how careful I am, that lady is going to find something wrong. It amazes me at times. lol
     
  8. Hurst

    Hurst Registered Member

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    I havent driven since 1995. I have only 6 months of 'RECENT' experience. Hence,.. why I posted this in the newbie section. When I was last on the road we were not 'Required' by our boss to keep accurate logs. We were supposed to keep logs but they were not enforced. We did what we wanted to do. As long as the load was delivered on time and safely with no damages to product or the unit, no one cared.

    Its all different now from when I last drove. When I last drove a test drive, handshake with eye contact and you were one of the 'family'. Today they will hire a kid straight out of school with zero real world road experience before they hire a guy with zero 'recent' experience,.. even though he has a 6 year prior hauling heavy over size loads and a flawless record. Schneider turned me down. The only ones who would hire me wanted me to pay $1500 for a refresher course and sign an 8 month contract.

    I finally find a guy who will hire me and it turns into a nightmare. I will make a post about my experience with this company as soon as I have all my documents and facts straight. I dont want to get into too much detail just yet. I am waiting for a bay door right now as I type this, emptying my last load before heading to the house.

    Hurst
     
  9. Hurst

    Hurst Registered Member

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    Basically all I am asking is if this is common practice in the industry (Thats what the owner of this company is telling me)?

    Or what legal point do I have if any to stand behind if I refuse to correct logs that are false in the first place? Example: My truck is govrned at 69 mph. Yet they want me to run 750 - 800 miles in states that have 75 mph speed limits because I can 'Legally' show 72 - 75 mph. I am 'encouraged' to make the miles.
     
  10. chompi

    chompi Road Train Member

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    This is an easy one! Been in your situation many times! You take the logs back, keep them, or photo copy, then correct them or rewrite them and send them back. You are then covered. You original log is documented and correct and there copy is the one they forced you to redo. If there is a problem down the road, you now have the upper hand!

    Do what you need to do to please them and keep them happy until you leave. They can really screw you if you don't. Once you leave then do as you wish or report the logs if you want. It will be much tougher if not impossible to fight them after they make the accusation against you. (been down that road too!)
     
  11. chompi

    chompi Road Train Member

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    Just wanted to add, that yes this is somewhat common. I have experienced it at just about every company I have run paper logs with. Especially the companies out there that have problems with DOT. They usually hire a "log nazi" to insure nothing gets by un-audited!

    As far as showing 72-75mph on your logs, I believe that to be illegal. (I will probably get reemed for saying that without proof but am to lazy to look it up) If I recall correctly there is an average that DOT uses. I wanna say its like 60mph.

    Gizmo help me out on this one. I just remember hearing this more than a few times but have never looked into the truth of it.
     
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