How to log

L.O.L. I was talking to the hubby about that Friday. I gotta get my but in gear! I have started it's really hard to be legal and using easy terms. Plus I need a few drawing programs so financially haven't been able to get them yet.

But yes it's on my mind daily & yes it will be plain english and I will probably have one made in spanish.

Thanks for the support and I will try to get it done soon!

 

Hey now the bozo is definately an idea there l.o.l. I don't know if I would be a good speaker though, grrrr! Sounds fun though!

I don't think we could donate to my book yet! I will get it done! In the mean time you all are special and get one on one training with Logs R Us!

 

Logs,

I don't know how detailed, etc you want your drawings to be, but for what I *think* (hah! who's writing this book?) you might take a look at the drawing portion of Open Office.

Open Office is a free download, reverse engineered version of Microsoft Office - so you get a lot of good stuff.

I've been using it for years now, and have been VERY satisfied with it (yes, it will read/write Microsoft variants of each aspect (spreadsheet, word, etc)

The second week of school, when we started in on logs, I slapped together a quickie Recap spreadsheet. (Before I discovered DDL)

I would think that the drawing program included *should* be sufficient to your needs. Especially if you can add in clip-art and the like.

 

It's will need to be powerpoint type stuff so I am not sure either. I guess the biggest problem is having it pubished and all that.

I will check into the open office however on my computer I am missing allot of my drives so AT&T guy told me. I can't do anything on it hardly. Videos etc?? So yeah I am basically working on the basic part of it now, the typing

I also want to find every log sheet there is out there and look at all the different ways they do a recap. Then I am going to ask the Federal DOT why we can not have one standard recap for the 60/7 & 70/8 rule. THis would help eliminate driver errors on filling them out and everyone should know how to do it. Keeping hte one on the front of the book (which I will have to learn how to do it, yeap 20 years and I don't know how to do it). Got me on one thing there

 

missing drives? or drivers?

Sounds to me as though you need to re-install windows. It's generally a good idea to do a re-install every 6 months or so. More often if you are a heavy user.

Open Office does have a PowerPoint equivalent, but I've not used it, so can't tell how good it might be.


Publishing:

You can self-publish (be-bop down to Kinko's and print up (and bind) a hundred copies or so - any time you need to.

You can Publish on Demand (much the same as above, but you use your own printer and binding equipment (things like those black plastic coily things)

You can Vanity Press them. There are companies out there who will take your proofs and print off a bunch of copies for you. Very professionally done, but probably the most expensive option here.

See if somebody else will publish for you, and give you a cut (say, J.J. Keller)

And, finally, Electronically Publish. Set up a web site where us dumb truckers can drop in a PayPall or Credit card type payment and get the file instantly. Then WE can print it in the form we prefer.

The nice thing about this last is you could set up a subscription service - for $x per year, you make updates available.

You can also tailor each file to a given trucking company's policies (sure, you can't do that for ALL companies, but I bet it wouldn't be all that difficult to hit maybe the big 50)

(you can also make the book available on CD... all kinds of options)

 

I have heard the phrase "A company can relieve you of all responsibility for showers, meals, shopping etc." and have heard that some drivers have received violations because they did not have something in writing from the company. Where in the regs is this identified?

I also saw the results from an audit where the violation was 395.8(e),
Failing to properly enter duty status during meal stops (total of 45 counts) and a fine of $18,900. I have been looking for the specifics in the regs so I can make certain we are "in compliance."

 

my opinion is to log sleeper time on line 1 not on line 2 i had a coworker get ticketed for falsifying not sure about all the details but the short version was the scale master saw a fast food recite with a date and time some how and it said he was in the bunk sleeping i know on several occasions ive goten up went inside to drop off a stinky one and grabbed something to eat or drink for later but i didnt change my duty statise and who is to say that you werent camping/sleeping outside or in a hotel/motel room or getting a little action and staying at his or her place. but in recponce to the original post id tell the dispatcher to bite it its your wallet the money comes out of if you get caught

 

okay, here is one. Seeing how, after training, ill start in the right seat, pretty much if i am a truck that is on duty, i've gotta be on duty. I think the whole log thing is pretty simple, however the 10-14 hr rules are still a bit fuzzy

 

I've seen several people asking about meal breaks , etc. counting on the 14 hour clock . I want to point out if you are authorized to take breaks and log a break off duty it will count on the 14 hours but will not counts an on duty on your recap and will not count against your 70 hours in 8 days . Example - 5 14 hour days will use up the 70 hours . If you start at 6 a.m. and finish at 8 p.m. 5 days in a row but log a 2 hour off duty break each day , at the end of the 5 days you will only have 60 hours on duty and 10 hours available the 6th day . You can also use short sleeper berth breaks . Don't be confused by regulations stating a sleeper berth break must be at least 2 hours . That only applies when you want to combine it with an 8 hour break to equal the required 10 hours . Shorter sleeper breaks can be logged and reduce the on duty time during the 14 .
Regarding the written permission for off duty breaks , many companies just list the policy in the handbooks they give the drivers .
We have hazmat tankers and the customers do the unloading . Here's our policy . If we cannot remain with the truck while it is unloaded and go to a break room we can log it as off duty as long as we leave the truck unlocked and a customer's employee is capable of moving it during an emergency . If we have to stay with the truck while it is unloaded , if the custom o.k.'s us being in the sleeper we can log sleeper berth .

 

Greetings all...

Im Kimmyskunk I live in Pa between Philadelphia, and Allentown, and Reading.

I just got hired for TruckMovers from Kansas City.
It's a Driveaway company where I will be delivering new semis from the factory or dealerships to customers.

I have been a truck driver for 4 years and mainly did local driver runs for a concrete company using a day cab and a small trailer. All runs were between Philly, Scranton (Pocono mtns.), and Carlistle, Pa. West of Harrisburg.

While I was a company driver, I did use my logbook to work the week's hours, even tho I was within the 150 mile radius of the company I worked for. And I was diligent in keeping good logs.

However my question now is, I read this from LogsRus...
((d) Exceptions. The rules in this section shall not apply to a private motor carrier of passengers (nonbusiness), a driveaway-towaway operation, or any motor carrier operating only one commercial motor vehicle.))

My question is... Since I will be a contractor and will be driving trucks, mainly CDL-A, B, and some bucket trucks usually hundreds of miles, do I need a log book anymore?

Reading the (d) above says I don't, but what about the DOT, scales, or troopers that ask for my logs, or asks how many hours I have been driving like checking for fatigue?

Id like to have a better answer for the Trooper or DOT Officer than...
"I'm a Driveaway Driver and I am exempt from Logging my hours on-duty and driving. That's why I have no log books."

I just want to be certain, and I do not want to sound like a smart ### to anyone, especially a Trooper.

Any and all answers are like Gold to me.

Kimmy-skunk