Oh what fun! Elogs

I'm new and just finished log classes and was told to use off duty every chance we get whether it be long waits at the shipper or receiver and accidents or whatever .

 

I've been using sleeper while sitting at a dock. It's safer than off duty. I'd use it for accidents too, if you need to, as long as you're not creeping through in traffic jam. If the highway is stopped, that's where I'll probably be anyway.

 

My previous company required you to be in sleeper if you were sitting in the truck waiting at a dock/ts/drop lot, etc. I guess if off duty, they wanted you away from truck, probably for CYA purposes.

 

I've never had it happen to me but I've heard of incidences where the DOT has disputed off duty entries when you try to use them that way. The rules back up the DOT version but they can't contest sleeper time unless they catch you out of it when you've logged that you're in it.

 

If you're not on the dock supervising unloading or doing the work... why worry about it? If you are in the sleeper - reading, watching a dvd, getting some chow - or heavens! - SLEEPING... what's there to dispute????

 

Nothing to dispute if you're in the sleeper. That's why I use it. If you log off duty, some wiseguy officer can say that he doesn't think you were really off duty and it's his word against yours. They just don't like to see large sections of off duty time in the middle of your day. Like I said, just what I've heard.

 

Even off duty. Who says I didn't walk down to the pizza joint down the street? Can't prove I didn't.

 

Who says I wasn't at the only designated smoking spot the whole time?

 

Absolutely correctomundo! And then there are those shippers/receivers that require you to be in the break room while they do their stuff.

So what are you supposed to do? Falsify your log to show you were in the sleeper to avoid being given a hard time about showing off-duty time???

 

No. According to some here, you must log on duty, not driving because you are waiting to be loaded, regardless of the fact you are sitting in the break room.

Not an issue for me anymore, but do you seriously think I'll give that time to DOT? Pshaw!