I am curious about how much pressure I will feel to run with two logs. Currently I am attending school at NETTTS in Somers Ct. I asked the question to an instructor who is a retired O/O and he looked at me like I was from another planet and gave me a BS response that he never handed in an illegal log which is code word for "I can't tell you that because you are a student and I could get fired."

The truth is I really don't want to run two logs. 14 hrs a day for me is plenty. My question to you experienced drivers is how much pressure from companies do you get to run illegally? Or if I choose to stay within my hours of service how much am I scrapping to get by? Can you still make good money by running with in hours of service?

I have been driving for 27 years .SAFELY for 27 years. I have'nt used two log books. Sometimes you have to be creative in your log book entries. Keep it current!! Especially if your crossing scales. Use the three ring loose leaf kind of logbook. I'll help If I can be safe

Disclaimer: All the information contained in this post is theoretical. No one in the trucking industry would ever do anything illegal, ever.

If you don't want to run more than one log, don't. In all seriousness, I've never run more than one logbook in over 11 years of driving. Really, no lie. If you actually receive pressure from the company you're with to run double logs, get out of there. ASAP. It's not worth the consequences if you get entangled in an accident. Even 'squeezing' one logbook is chancy at best.

You may catch pressure from various sources, but you will be the one hung out to dry if anything goes wrong, and your company will simply deny all responsibility, toss you and your ruined career into the dumpster, and roll on down the road. If you want to destroy your life for someone else's bottom line, that's your decision--but I don't think it's a smart one.

__________________
No load is worth your life. Or anyone else's.

RON PAUL IN 2008!!

Thank you for your replies. I don't think it is responsible to run on two logs but I also know that this industry was built that way. And from experience as a non-cdl driver I know how companies sometimes will pat the other guy on the back because he is 'fast'.

But how are your incomes. Are you having to settle with meager earnings in order to be legal?

Please don't be afraid to comment. I know drivers like to dance around this topic with phrases like 'creative writing' skills and the like.

Well, let's see.....when I drove I didn't get paid for waiting around docks while being loaded or waiting to be loaded. I also didn't get paid for waiting to be unloaded or waiting while being unloaded. I didn't get paid for waiting on load assignments. I didn't get paid for counting freight. I didn't get paid while waiting on my truck to come out of the shop. I also didn't get paid for about 10% of the miles I drove. I used a second log book only when I wanted to move on down the road, so yeah, I made a pretty meager income compared with the time I had to give my employer.

__________________
--Paved Dudley--

Yeah I drive a Swift truck
And that means one thing
It means she's slow
It's a typical company truck
It's just all show and no go

I'm gettin' passed by Yella
And even Overnite
I'm gettin' passed by ever' body in sight
46 days on the road
And I'm not gettin' home tonight

No, my hometown's nowhere in sight
And if you think I'm pissed off
You're right
46 days on the road
And I'm not gettin' home tonight


Love pissing off those trucking company insiders.

I've heard rumors of such things for years, but have never seen nyone actually use two log books. Not sure the effort would be worth it.

Loose leaf is the only way to go. If you mess up and miss draw a line that can be easily corrected without turning a messy looking log into the company.


Burky that is some thing that bull haulers are famous for among others.

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yea run 2 log books, and at some time its gonna happen. Your tired, going through scales, you give them log book, they look at it for a second, your tired, they ask for your other log book, and you give it to them. At least that was a story from our instructor.

Sounds plausible.

__________________

"Sir, I need to see you log book"
"Which One?"

LOL

Safe answer, run legal. Use loose leaf logs if you can, but only, as stated earlier, so you can turn in neat looking logs to the company. Never use them for evil.

You will get pressured by dispatch at times to get a load somewhere. Just remember, that you have the ultimate power in that situation. Also, if you are getting pressured by dispatch, don't get mad at them and throw a fit, get even. Record a few of the conversations, and let the safety department know about it on your next trip through the terminal. At that point, you can request a new dispatcher, or possibly you will be getting a new one (that replaced the one that just got fired).

Whatever you do, be consistent about it. Don't be the driver that will fudge his log book in order to keep a good load with a lot of miles, then use the log book as an excuse to get out of a load that isn't so good. This may not make any sense right now, and that is as far as I am going to go with the statement (at the risk of getting called a supertrucker or something), but once you are out there, you will learn your ways and figure these things out for yourself.