Fueling and Flagging - Log Question

Besides writing "fuel", town name and state takes very little ink! Ink pens are tax deductible! Some drivers like to "push" DOT officers and auditors not knowing that to do so, the ink the DOT uses will hurt a whole lot worse than that gun! Some people just have no intelligence when it comes to a log book or dealing with LEOs!

Me, I'll take the easy route every time! And as stated before, why take that time out of your driving time! A brake always looks good on the book!

 

All fueling must be done on line 4. All you have to flag is city/state technically (legally speaking but some companies may require drivers to add notations), but it doesn't hurt to write fuel on there. In my experience it usually takes about 8 minutes to fuel around 200 ish gallons (depending on the pumps) but some fuel stops (Pilot ahem) seem to take longer. If it takes 30 minutes I log 30 minutes lol.

Most of the time I log 15 minutes.

 

Perhaps they desire you to show at least 15 minutes.

I have decided that for a driver to catch their log up; remove their fuel card; exit the truck; swipe the card; enter the relevant data; remove the nozzles; remove the fuel caps; insert nozzels into tank; pump the fuel; do the necessary functions any good driver would do, i.e. check the oil, check their tires, wash the windshield and mirrors; remove the nozzlea; replace the fuel caps; replace the nozzels; obtain their receipt (sorry folks, the receipt is proof the transaction was completed, carriers with missing fuel receipts are cited for missing supporting documentation); get back in the truck and leave at least 15 minutes has lapsed.

I cannot tell you how many times drivers have been cited for false logs when their fueling time indicated they fueled at 3:00 PM 180 miles from say Chicago and their log indicated they arrived in Chicago at 4:00 PM. It doesn't take rocket science to figure out the truck cannot do 180 mph.

Log it as you drive it, CSA2010 will have a severe impact on your employment eligibility if you're cited for log violations too many times.

Be safe.

 

I agree log city/state. It is really none of anyones business, and there is no law saying you must write fuel or pre-trip, etc. I had an instructor tell me once not to write what you are doing. As an example you log lunch at mama's diner in anywhere, USA. Then the DOT officer tells you it burned down a month ago. Now you are in trouble for falsifying your log book.

I guess you could note how many sheets of toilet paper you used at the rest area, or what you ordered for lunch.

 

If I ate lunch there and LEO tells me it burned down a month ago, then they either rebuilt in a hurry or that LEO is full of swamp gas.

As for fuel receipts- having a paper receipt is not needed. If it comes up in legal proceedings, they can get a copy of the card activity from Comdata (or whomever). Of course, this does presume you are using a card and not cash.

In any event, in my limited experience, NO LEO has ever asked me for my fuel receipts during any inspection. Of course, I never tried to log fuel in Omaha and arrival in Chicago an hour later, either.

 

It won't matter if you used card or cash. If you're sitting in an audit or court all they need is the fuel receipt number and they don't even need the paper! They contact the company, the company gives them your logs and fueling statements that were wired over the internet , the DOT looks at the date and sees where you fueled, which pump, which lady controlled the transaction, what time you hung up the pump (THIS is where the TIME of FUELING comes in at unless there was a problem with whoever you use as a card ) and how you paid.

You mentioned cash. It doesn't matter, as if you look at any fuel receipt you have, there is a transaction number and if it went through a computer there is a TIME. UNLESS you stopped at some place like the mom and pop south of Aurora, MO and paid with cash then all they have is a date! They are one of a few that still hand write their fuel receipts out.

You need to get out of the idea that cash is a free pass! It isn't at any of the chain fuel stops AND some of the small convenience store types with a diesel pump. If it was given through a modern register it has all the pertinent information the DOT or lawyers need! Up to and including a picture or video!

CSA2010 is around the corner! Time to start thinking in a different direction such as getting legal! Yeah fueling in Omaha and being in Chicago n hour later will kinda look funny! I thought I had a fast truck! LOL