E-LOGS

Ask AIR FRANCE how accurate the black boxes are, my A/C quit again, my starter quit again,These items have been around longer than EOBR,s and they are not reliable.

 

this is a case where you just have to take the hit,,the dot does recognize that it will happen,,,just do the best you can and for the times it does happen,let your e-log coordinator know BEFORE you approve the log,,,they cant change the drive time but they can add on appropriate notes,and they do have a few other steps they can take to minimize the violation

 

i for one have done paper logs for 16 years and ill miss the "flexibility",,however,,,,,all trucks will be equipped with e logs within the next 36 months give or take so the time to get in there and learn how to utilize them to your benefit is now people,,,after one month of being on e logs i can say that first off,,,communication with load planners/dispatch daily is crucial,,,second off,,dont try to run more than 600 miles per day,,,slow it down and plan to keep hours available for every day,,its better to plan out a "perpetual recap" than to burn thru your 70 to fast (450-550 miles a day for weeks on end is much better than 400 today 715 tomorrow,,,350 the next 650 the next,etc etc.. then the dreaded 34 restart) think more in terms of "just in time delvery" and repowers/relays than the old way of "run like hell get there early" those days are going bye bye,,,,havent seen my pay diminish by any significant amount,and i run a lease to own truck so as you can imagine,,i have to pay close attention to my profitability,,,that being said,,you must have dm's/planners that are willing to learn the system of e log dispatch,,,,,,,if they are not then its time to leave for a company that will learn,,,,again,,all trucks will have them shortly so get onboard now and be ahead of the curve,,,,,,,or find a new career.

 

Agreed - its mostly about doing things a little differently.

Get in the habit of checking your time and distance to go enroute - to make adjustments in your speed and trip plan that will get you to your destination on time.

 

Being forced to buy an EOBR is about freedom of choice. It is about the government and some of the major carriers forcing the rest of the industry to spend money on something that we can do with paper logs. If we are to use logs, then it should be a matter of personal choice as to how we comply with the law.

 

No it is about compliance and enforcement. Pure and simple it is much harder to falsify an EOBR.

 

Paper logs encourage violation. Unless the payscale is changed where miles don't equal money people will continue to cheat. Feel free to fight going on eLogs, or fight the regulations. If you dont' agree with them make your voice heard, if you aren't going to do that than make the switch or leave the industry. There is enough noise out there being directed at the wrong places. what's that saying, "Lead, Follow, or Get out of the way"

 

I don't think that paper logs encourage violations any more than buying an EOBR encourages compliance. It is the hos that is really the culprit. If drivers were allowed to run when rested and shut down when tired, then there would not be a problem. Whether you have paper or electronic logs, you will have those who don't follow the rules. But, lets put the blame where it belongs, on the hos. The way these special interest groups have pushed for rules that don't make sense in the real world, it does encourage non compliance. By the way, there are ways to cheat using the EOBR's as well as paper.

I do make my voice heard. I have posted my opinion on the hos, EOBR's and other issues that I have opinions on for years. I also take the time to contact my elected representatives to make my voice known concerning certain issues.

 

HOS, EOBRs - all are a reaction. Let's put the blame where it really belongs.

It's us.

All of the regulatory regime that we operate with now is here because of horrific accidents caused by tired truckers. We could get away with that in the 60's because of the low traffic volume on the roads, but as the 80's and 90's showed up - with more and more 4-wheelers, single truck accidents started becoming multiple-vehicle accidents with lots of dead non-truckers.

It's reaction. The world and this industry has changed - and with the numbers of non-compliant outlaw truckers they've caught, its no wonder we have an alphabet soup of restrictions placed on us.

 

Well, that does sound politically correct, but the evidence contradicts it. The last several years has shown a continual decline in truck related fatalities and the last couple of years, the lowest rate ever recorded since stats have been kept. Time to get up to speed on your assumptions.

And of those fatality accidents that occur, roughly 20% are the fault of the commercial truck. That's right... 80% are the fault of the non commercial vehicle driver. All of this is available at the government websites. Have fun.