so, you think your safe with the elog and hos.

You're implying that for some reason the "automated logbook" that elogs is sticks it's mechanical hand out, puts a .44 magnum to the driver's head and demands compliance with its dictates on all ensuing actions. That has nothing to do with reality. Elogs only enforces compliance to line 3 when the truck is in motion. Nothing more. Claiming that anyone is forced to do anything is a cop-out. Everything is still up to the driver... managing his fatigue level, driving safely and compliance with the laws and regulations.

 

You can disagree, but the facts state that for every million miles of truck traffic, there were more fatal accidents in the 70's and 80's than there are today.

E-logs have very little to do with accidents, it is the quality of the people hired today to drive trucks, and the government sponsored training programs that pay for free training for people who should never drive a large vehicle, and the government payments to the "training" companies for every student that completes the training program.

In 2000, there were 4,930 large trucks involved in fatal crashes, 101,000 large trucks involved

in injury crashes, and 351,000 large trucks involved in property damage-only crashes for a total

of 457,000 large trucks involved in crashes. Large trucks are defined as trucks with a gross

vehicle weight of at least 10,000 pounds.

Since the late 1970s, approximately 12 to 13 percent of all traffic-related

fatal crashes were the result of a crash involving a large truck; see Figure 6, pg. 6.



Since the inception of FARS in 1975, the number of large truck fatal involvements had a

minimum value of 3,977 in 1975 and a maximum of 6,084 in 1979. In 2000 4,930 large trucks

were involved in fatal crashes; see Figure 1 pg 4.

Since 1989, the number of large trucks involved in fatal crashes has ranged from 4,035 in 1992

to 4,984 in 1989. To gain additional insight, the raw data of Figure 1 are adjusted by the vehicle

miles traveled, (VMT), Figure 2, pg 4 and number of registered vehicles,

Figure 3, pg5. In both cases there is a general downward trend since 1979.

from the US Department of Transportation, National Highway safety traffic administration
http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/809-569.pdf

 

many people today do not know what personal responsibility is, and look towards technology, and anything else to blame for their mistake. And due to the fact those people do not have any critical thinking skills, due to lack of education, and are indentured servants to carrier, and the government, they do not have the back bone or the will to stand up for themselves, and do what is safe and right.

 

Actually, I feel that there is more blame to the companies than the drivers. The drivers are not being told that they have the control and are being misled by the companies that they have to work by the EOBR. So, even if they are tired, they are pushed to work.

Education is the key.

 

Yes education is the key, but since our public school systems no longer teach one how to think, but only to accept what they are told, to pass a standardized test, the driver has no idea that what the company is telling them is wrong. The drivers do not understand the concept that they are the captain of the ship, and have the final say.

Critical thinking, and questioning authority is no longer taught.

WE all see it everyday by the discussion about hours of service... "my company told me this" and they do it even though it is wrong.

 

Oh but you are forced to comply with laws rules etc that are not about safety but instead to protect the corporate atmosphere that you work in.
Yes to a small degree you do have the appearance of being in control but from top to bottom the laws rules regs controls you!
Try this should you go to court, "I did an abrupt lane change to avoid one situation (such as killing a kid) only to find that I killed another civilian instead"
The law says stay in your lane but your sense of absolute right and wrong say otherwise yet the law is always right? How can it be when others that have faced similar situations are now in prison and as to the person or persons who wrote the law where are they so they too can do time and or be sued since they wrote an imperfect law to begin with? The good folks at the FMCSA and or DOT are still alive they too wrote an imperfect law or laws that we must abide by why have they not done any time? Because they are protected no matter what they write! The e log will find its self morphed into a living entry that can never lie and will be respected as such even though software can malfunction the e log can never be wrong the laws written by an inexperienced and yes corrupted institution can never be wrong but the rest of well knowledge hands on experienced drivers can be???

 

" It is the nature of man to disobey any order, law or rile that is unsafe illegal or immoral "

If you have seen this on a T-shirt you have seen me. Hey just walk up and shake my hand I don't bite.

 

As a parent you shouldn't be relying on the the school system to be the only means of education for your children. It's important to recognize where the shortcoming are and manage those areas yourself as a supplement. The good news is there are more programs than ever to fill the gaps.

As for the elog/regulation issues it's time for everyone in the industry to know the regulations that govern them. Too many people take the easy way out and just do what they are told without knowing what the regulations state. I get to hear excuses several times a week on why one drivers violations shouldn't count. The fact of the matter is there are very few reasons why a violation would not count, and even in those situations, as a company, we're going to count it as a violation and let the comments that explain the situation speak for themselves.

 

I agree that parents need to educate their children. But in reality, how many actually take the time today to do that? There has been generations now of people who depend on the government for everything.

Elogs do not change the regulations, they just make it easier to catch the violations.