Electronic Logs... Good or bad?

**Tanker Hauler** · 07.15.2012

If you had read my post, I said that they can get the records for an audit, such as one that might be done after a major infraction, not just a simple roadside inspection, although, I agree, I would never give any information to any DOT officer on the side of the road, but, in a full scale log audit, information like this can be obtained by officials.

**Hurst** · 07.16.2012

Originally Posted by Tanker Hauler

If you had read my post, I said that they can get the records for an audit, such as one that might be done after a major infraction, not just a simple roadside inspection, although, I agree, I would never give any information to any DOT officer on the side of the road, but, in a full scale log audit, information like this can be obtained by officials.

Anything is obtainable. How ever if done correctly you can be very creative with paper logs and pass any audit thrown at you.

I work for a company that is routinely audited by both, DOT and his insurance company. I may write up 4 log pages during the course of a day to get to where I need to be before I am satisfied with what I have on 'paper' can be turned in. Confident that they can load the logs into any software reader they want and they will come out clean.

You ALWAYS work around fuel stops and time stamps on BOL's. Some white out tape, scanner/printer and BOL's can be 'corrected' as well. It would not be very profitable for an O/O if he was 100% legal on his HOS all of the time. You dont drive to the point of exhaustion, but bending the rules will always be part of trucking.

**Klatu** · 07.16.2012

Originally Posted by Blue_Knight

Neither DOT nor any other law enforcement agency can subpoena anything without probable cause that a crime has been committed. I know from first hand experience that it is hard to subpoena cell phone records and it takes time. It's not something that will happen while you're waiting. And, I would not give any officer my cell phone for any reason.

I'm afraid I don't understand. Why do they need your cell phone to check what it was doing? If you have any incident or accident they will check it. You won't need to be notified.

**rturner63** · 07.16.2012

what is meant by PITA if they make you leave?

**YachtMan** · 07.16.2012

Originally Posted by Road2dreams

I have heard several comments on Electronic logs and just wondered what drivers think about them. I would think they are a good thing because there is less paperwork taking up your 10 hour break time. But since I am only at the beginning of my driving career (headed to CDL training on the 16th) I don't claim to know anything about anything at this point.

Would love to hear your opinions about this

Thanks for your time

I like them. Honestly thought I would hate them at first, but after the first week I tossed my paper logs for good. I found that at the end of the week, I had more time to run due to not needing to round my log entries to the next highest or lowest 15 minute interval. I think that first week netted me 2 hours on my 70. I was shocked, to be honest. I'll never voluntarily go back to paper logs, but I like to log legally in the first place. It's always been easier and safer to run legal. Folks who like to fudge their logs and ignore the law absolutely hate elogs, lol.

Pretty sure I just made a similar post a couple days ago in another elogs thread, lol.

**YachtMan** · 07.16.2012

Originally Posted by rturner63

what is meant by PITA if they make you leave?

PITA = Pain In The #####

**duckdiver** · 07.16.2012

screw paper, maybe because im lazy lol, i use my 14 everyday anyways

**TrucKer 999 TriLLion** · 07.16.2012

on Elogs i just wish that if u stop 2 take a 1-2 hr nap ur clock would stop to...and u will still have ur remaining drive time...

**rturner63** · 07.17.2012

thanks, that's funny, never heard that.

**RickG** · 07.17.2012

Originally Posted by Hurst

Anything is obtainable. How ever if done correctly you can be very creative with paper logs and pass any audit thrown at you.

I work for a company that is routinely audited by both, DOT and his insurance company. I may write up 4 log pages during the course of a day to get to where I need to be before I am satisfied with what I have on 'paper' can be turned in. Confident that they can load the logs into any software reader they want and they will come out clean.

You ALWAYS work around fuel stops and time stamps on BOL's. Some white out tape, scanner/printer and BOL's can be 'corrected' as well. It would not be very profitable for an O/O if he was 100% legal on his HOS all of the time. You dont drive to the point of exhaustion, but bending the rules will always be part of trucking.

If you use a fuel card the times are also on the billing statements . One thing really nailing drivers during audits is the gps data on company cell phones .
But as I've said before the FMCSA isn't the one to fear . If any of your drivers has a fatal accident the info found by an accident attorney's discovery will make FMCSA auditors look like amateurs . The more violations they find the more they are awarded for willful negligence . Then to top it off they bring all the records to the DOT OIG and demand criminal charges be filed . Falsification of logs is a felony and juries don't like reckless felons .

Ronald L. Reider, a truck driver for Ontelaunee Transport Services, was ordered imprisoned for ten months and fined $1,000 by a U.S. District judge in Philadelphia for making false statements in his driver’s daily logbook. Reider is the seventh and final Ontelaunee truck driver who pleaded guilty to falsifying logbook entries to conceal the fact he was driving over the maximum number of hours allowed.

http://www.oig.dot.gov/library-item/3208