New Hours Of Service

Yeah, I guess it did push my buttons a little. I just get tired of being lumped into a category that I don't deserve to be included in. As for the settlement thing, we are on a different system of scale from you, but I do have the spreadsheets from the last 3 years right here on my laptop, of which the 1st one is on paper logs. There is not decrease in gross revenue. 2010 revenue, $191, 213. Mid December 2010 went on e-logs. 2011 revenue, $190,340. 2012 revenue, $194,155. 2013 revenue, first quarter, $48,468. So, I guess it would depend on one's operation and how they do things as to whether the e-log would have a negative effect. I understand the apprehension that many feel about e-logs. I felt the same way myself. I figured I would give it a try and see for myself and verify my own contention that they were a terrible thing. Didn't happen. I like 'em. But I also will readily concede that they will not work well for each and every situation out here, they are not necessary, and it should be totally voluntary unless a carrier has shown they are flagrantly violating things and need to be monitored. In other words, innocent until proven guilty instead of guilty until proven innocent. And for the paranoia crowd out there... e-logs are not "big brother" or some other spook story. No one is watching! It is simple logging and storing of data. It is not some rigid thing that cannot legally be edited in the event it inaccurately stored something, like on duty time that should have been off duty time. Or hitting the wrong selection and showing off duty or on duty when it should have been sleeper. Those can be edited, legally. Unless someone really messes up and causes someone in an office to take a look, no one really cares. Is anyone that paranoid to think that there are 3 million government hacks out there watching what each of 3 million drivers are doing? If so, I feel sorry for your parents.

And there are almost as many "creative" ways to play with e-logs so they are not nearly as a burden as some think. Like some of what you mentioned. Like stopped traffic on the highway due to accident. No problem. I go to OFF DUTY while sitting there. While technically a violation, no one is measuring coordinates to find the truck is sitting in the middle of a road. Waiting to fuel? I go OFF DUTY the minute I pull into a fuel stop. I do not show ON DUTY till the nozzle is in the tank and fuel pump on. As soon as I am finished, back to off duty. I rarely ever show more than 15 min on duty at any customer, be it drop and hook, live unload, lumper, or whatever. 100% compliant? Hardly. So what. Unless someone is standing right there watching, no one really knows how much time I was actually doing something that needed logged on duty. And no.... all time at a customer property does not need to be shown as on duty. I regularly, like last night, take full breaks at customers. So the e-logs are not some rigid "nanny" that will whack you up side the head if you get out of line. They are merely an electronic "tool" to do virtually the same thing as on paper. Now for those that, for some reason, are playing the multiple log book game, yep, it is going to be a problem. But for minor "playing with things", one would be somewhat surprised at what they can do with an e-log. And, of course, that would depend on what a carrier allows if that individual is leased onto a carrier. But that would be carrier related and not FMCSA related problems.

 

Cowpie1... I agree with a lot of what you said here with regard to "playing" with elog. I too sometimes put myself in lines 1 or 2 while in a traffic jam to save time. And sometimes, depending on how bad the traffic jam is, I do get out of the truck to stretch and observe... or go behind the curtain for a glass of milk or whatever... However, was thinking.... what if I put myself off duty or sleeper berth while in the driver's seat in a traffic jam and someone hits my rear bumper?? Well, I better remember to immediately revert that to driving... just in case I have to show exactly where I was and what I was doing when that happened. However, even if I remember to do that in time, it will show Log Correction in the details window and that may raise a red flag... And you know... sooooooo many times, I forget to change my status from line one to 2 or 4 and vice versa... well... what if someone hits my truck while I am in the restroom and my elog says I am in the sleeper berth or on duty? You know what? I just hate elog!!

 

You know what? Some have said here that some of us folks behave as if the sky was falling when it comes to new rules that restrict and limit our freedom and control our lives... And you know what? I REALLY WISH WE ALL reacted as if the sky was falling and took critical measures to fight against these changes. Problem is, most folks say it is no big deal... Meanwhile, the government is getting stronger, making all the decisions for us and everybody goes along with it. Oh... some say, elogs will not be mandatory for o/o... really? Guess what.... They will... Americans, you/we are loosing our freedom... right in front of our noses and you don't want to admit it... Very sad...

 

You have to love these freedom guys who come into an industry that has set rules, and get's mad because the government no longer looks the other way and starts to enforce them. Even though I constantly see new scale houses being built, and never see them open. I continue to see rest area's closed down and blocked off, and even some of those scales that are never open really don't want you to park in them. But let me regain my focus. You are a fool if you think you are free and have freedoms. Don't pay your taxes and see how free you are. Don't pay your bills and see how free you are. Please stop falling for the false freedom, and do your job. Or find another one.

 

If i didn't have e logs then i would constantly be behind on them and getting place names wrong. but i know a few situations where i would much rather have paper logs. I am stuck with elog oh well. i dont believe it should be mandatory. it keeps my lazy ### legal though

 

Cowpie.Today was a perfect example why alot of O/O's are pissed about the whole E-LOG..I am done as far as the whole HOS RULES..So today i got a call and i was painting my home.The agent said all i need you to do is drive 20 miles and get an empty trailer from another driver that is broke down.I need to get the trailer and get it to the customer's dock and unloaded.

I will give you 500.00 for this move.I was off my ladder and away i went.I bobtailed 19 MILES got the trailer and brought it to the delivery point 18 MILES AWY...I unloaded it and brought it back to the BCO..

It is simple ''money making'' things like this that pop up that are ''harmless''.But E-LOGS would not make any of this possible..

You seem like a smart guy and i am sure this will put an understanding why many of us are PISSED..We as self employed people should NOT HAVE RESTRICTIONS put on us..We live in America and it is called ''FREE ENTERPRISE''.People that go the extra mile and work harder than others,should NOT be disciplined for being MORE PRODUCTIVE and HARD WORKING GO GETTERS....

 

i am not understand how elogs would have hampered that move, landstar

 

Well if i was out of hours..

 

That would be just as illegal on a paper log as it is on an electronic log.

 

i am sure as he was running those 50 miles, he was exhausted and a danger to the public

probably had to do drugs just to stay awake