Am I the only 1 to think that EOBRs are going to keep me from making $???

I pull a tank usually loading and unloading daily sometimes multiple stops. Have been on an electronic log for awhile now and am not being hurt. Get a job that pays enough that cheating isn't needed. How Dave is only getting .34 with 15 years is beyond me. You can make that after one year at some of the driver mills.

 

I for one believe we need less government, not more. I have never really worked for a mega carrier. Never really used qualcomm or sat tracking. Kind of creeps me out. How long until we have cameras everywhere like they do in England. Can literally follow someone anywhere they go. I don't want big O tracking my every move.

Who cares about fuel receipts? There is no time on them, at least at truck stops. Tolls are a different matter. I am still working on that one. I understand that many companies want these items, but I do not recall reading a DOT regulation stating that you personally have to provide these to an officer. I may be wrong, if I am can someone please cite the code section?

Thank God for small companies with no log or safety departments. You only have to cover your ### for the last 8 days. The company has to keep your logs and such for 6 months. If it is longer than 8 days, the violation goes to them I do believe. Look out for your great company all you want. They will replace you the next day for any reason if they feel like it. Force you to run illegal, then fire you for doing so.

I am considering carrying 2 phones: one in my name, one that is in a fictitious name. Turn off the one in your name, take the battery out, and use the other one.

I do not like to drive illegal, but it has been a neccessity from time to time. Like others have said, I know when I am too tired, I do not need Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid to tell me.

 

Photolurp your forgetting a few small but important things. The first is most of the Cell Phone companies require a ssn. Second is when you put your battery back in "your" phone and you turn it on it pings the nearest cell tower. Third is when you go thru a scale your truck is entered in a computer and that is time stamped. Fourth is DOT officers have learned what it takes on average how long it takes to get to the next scalehouse. Fifth is most Highway Patrol Officers aren't stupid.

 

Wrong, If they get an audit not only do they get dinged for not checking your logs and making sure you are logging legal. But you get get dinged for not having done it in the first place. Allot of drivers fail to realize that that legal document is there for 6 mos. And if they find a mistake it is likely to lead to others and before you know it. You have several thousand dollars worth of mistakes.
Also there is a new rule which says that if a company is found to be a repeat offender of the log rules that they must install EOBR on all trucks. Small companies are the ones that this is aimed at to force them to get legal.

 

Most all O/O's operating 1-5 trucks are not bidding on anything!! You call the broker and they tell you what the load pays...If you dont like it...find another load or broker. Oh dont forget to factor in that time for searching....I've been as high as 3 days, depending on what part of the country your in... NEVER NEVER NEVER go west with a flatbed!!!

 

TLEAHAEART
Higher rates are what you argue.. OK, but how you gonna keep those shop rates from jumping from $80 hr to $100hr, or how you gonna stop those parts from taking a rise, or your food, and ummm everything else you buy from goin up off setting your gain? I mean after all your makin the money, you can afford it right? Apparently someone figured $80hr shop rate was fair for the money we make now, so if we get a raise, why not the mechanics? The more you make, the more they'll take!!!! I can remember when a $10hr shop rate was considered to be a good rate!!! But now, since were makin all that money runnin illegal and stealin all that good freight from those legal guys, yea, why not $80hr... Lets just not metion to anyone about that 45-50% of gross going towards fuel alone.. What difference is higher rates gonna make if you cant afford to eat?

 

The first is most of the Cell Phone companies require a ssn.
Not if you know someone who works for a cell provider. A nice pre-paid cell phone, no contract, put whatever they want into that computer.
Second is when you put your battery back in "your" phone and you turn it on it pings the nearest cell tower.
Only use it away from the truck.
Third is when you go thru a scale your truck is entered in a computer and that is time stamped.
That is possible, but that does not happen very often. They do not have the time to do that. The car hauling trucks and trailers I drove had no numbers on them, and you would never be able to read the company name, DOT or MC number from more than 10 feet away, and they are going to read that while weighing or inspecting someone else? Meanwhile you are driving by at 30-45 mph.

 

When I was a LEO one of the best things was learning that the easiest criminals to catch. Was the ones who think they are to smart to get caught or can out smart the cops. They always blow it. Don't believe that if something happens they won't link all of that to you. And more.

 

One thing that seems to be overlooked in all this...

Maybe you can avoid location detetection by DOT and such when it comes to matching logs and doing your runs. But, you have to factor in that enterprising lawyer at the law firm of Burn 'em and Run. They can get access to cell phone, credit/debit card, Bill of lading, shipping/receiving offices where you have been, and any number of other items to track where and how someone has run. There is always a paper trail somewhere, and if there is a flaw in any of that, you rear end is going to be left hanging out there for someone to smack it. True, for day to day operations, you will probably avoid that log violation, but if there is ever an accident, you are screwed. A law firm does not have any restriction of virtually giving you a rectal examination on every move you have made to see if there was any violation. Recently, a driver in PA that was found, at the scene, to be at no fault in an accident but was later taken to court in a civil suit and found guilty because of a faulty logging from months previous to the accident.

EOBR's, much as I am not happy about them and the Big Brother mentality, can be a good thing in the broad picture. If anyone is naive enough to think that nobody can figure out their whereabouts just because they don't have a qualcomm or are using only a prepaid throwaway cellular phone, needs to bring themselves up to the 21st century. It may take someone a while to dig up what they are looking for, but that person who is hell bent on sueing the snot out of truck operator and ruining their business will turn over a lot of rocks till they get what they want. Then, the jury is hand selected and the odds of that driver winning is slim at best. All a good attorney has to do is show that the driver is a renegade, other facts get lost in all the mess. In civil suits, it isn't always a matter of law. It is what a good attorney can get a jury to believe. Just ask an attorney sometime. And don't be under the illusion that just because your operation is a corp or LLC that your personal property is safe. Again, just ask one of those enterprising, ambulance chasing lawyers.

I don't like EOBR's, and I would prefer that my truck never has one in it, but at least they will make a lawyers job a whole lot more difficult. They will eventually be mandated, so might as well view how they may be of benefit. Since the deck is usually stacked against us out here, EOBR's and engine ECM's just might be that ace up our sleeve. Only time will tell. I have been at this game for nearly 3 decades and have seen a lot of drivers or companies go down in court. Drivers may slip under the legal radar frequently, but that is only because no one is looking. Once they have you in their sights, it is virtually impossible to keep from getting hit. Just the legal fees trying to protect oneself can destroy them financially. Why not just do the job right and limit being a target. I used to do some of the goofy stuff that anyone out here for any length of time has pulled. However, for the last several years, I have run pretty much compliant all the time (probably have overlooked something somewhere), and have done just as well financially and with less stress.