The Dreaded Electronic Logs

You want people to represent truckers in Washington, better come forward with lots of bucks.

The ATA practically buys their influence like all special interest.

The truck driver will never have someone to speak for them. It is the sad truth.

 

I haven't been on the site for 2 months and it is nice to see sensible discussion on the elog issues. I'm an optimist at heart and I hope when they are mandated it will be for the good of the drivers. On the other hand when someone from the guberment comes knocking on your door and tells you it's for your own good and will help you a bunch, I tend to get really suspicious and VERY NERVOUS.

 

One of the few draw backs with elogs specially peoples is that if you accidently try to go on duty even 1 minute before you're suppose to. It's like you never were on break and have to start it all over.

 

We truck drivers are probably the largest group of professionals in the country by numbers. However when there's a threat of a strike or whatever we're much like the Indians in the wildwest. The unions and non union drivers will not support each other. Just like the Indian tribes wouldn't support each other.

 

Great point!

And look what happened to the Native Americans.

 

I respectfully disagree... I believe in the next year or two a person with a clean driving record and a good CSA (psp) score will be a valued asset to companies, and pay will be based not on experience , but by your record and scores. Just my .02

 

What about the cost? Many of you work for large companies who can afford these machines in every truck, where do you think you next pay raise, and the one after that are going. I am a one truck company, we pull our own product. I do not have anyone to come and repower my load, it me or its not moving, and it cost my company when I am not moving.
I maintain my log at every duty status change, the way its meant to be, one to 3 minutes at each change, and maybe seven minutes at night to close out the page. I am not going to worry about 4 or 5 minutes of extra time to eat or talk on the phone, and when I need to leave 7 minutes early in the morning no on will be questioning me.

I am guessing E Logs will become cost effective over the years for the larger companies, but for the OO and smaller companies it will be a large expense, and there will always be a few that will look the other way on maintenance when they have to pay their Qualcom bill. Just some thoughts.

Have a safe day out there, and as my Dad always told me, Watch out for the Crazies.

Larry

 

Some very good points Larry. If you've been around very long at all you know that what your talking about is exactly why alot of these big comnpanies are getting the ATA and congress to push this stuff through. They want the little guys gone so they have less competition from real truckers. Good luck to you friend.

 

More money in your pocket???????????? Yeah ok!