The 7 1/2 Minute Myth

I've never heard this, interesting.

I was under the impression you had to round to the nearest 15 minutes and that is where the 7 1/2 minute rule came from.

The book doesn't say anything about 7 1/2 minutes but does it say anything about rounding to the nearest 15?

 

It all boils down to this. If you are doing a load check or post trip just show it with out a time flag if under 15 min. Anything 15 min and over flag the time. No big deal on this. Does not have to be the second.

 

While it may be splitting hairs. And that is what we are doing.

Let me explain to you guys where you can go VERY wrong with this. This is the perfect storm theory. Actually, it's fact. Depending on what state you're in, and the mood of the DOT officer looking at your log book.

Take this "under" 15 minute idea, then apply it to your entire day. Flag a spot here, flag a spot there.

At the end of the day, you have a very nicely traveled day. With lots of miles. Too many miles for your 11 hours. But, only about 15-20 miles.

It's still speeding and subject to a ticket. Also a warning from your log department about such.

Or, by flagging a 14 minute event. You cut your day short by 30-60 minutes of driving time, depending on how many times you stop. Because it is now on line 3, instead of 1 or 4.

It has to come in somewhere, why bother trying to "do the math" at the end of the day. Especially since you could be checked at any time of the day and things be, "Not quite right".

I do the same thing, stop and not log it. A quick trip to the shoulder for a whiz...I'm not logging that, don't care who knows it. But, at the end of the day. I haven't went over "allowable" mileage, or cut myself short on driving.

 

I have mentioned this before where it is legal to just flag a fuel stop.. Of coarse this is only if you done it under 15 minutes... Is it hard too do? yes and no... I fuel late at night usually when there is no line and I can drive too the pump without a wait.. Now if the pumps work like they are supposed too and pump fuel at a good rate I can be in and out in about 10-12 minutes... I can even throw in a quick window cleaning and a fast tire check in 10-12 minutes... I have a system down and it works for "me".. Now do I always flag? no of coarse not becuase sometimes it does take me longer and sometimes I am just lazy and decide to go slow, or there is no need to rush....

Company policy plays a big deal on the less then 15 minute rule... So, most will not know they can legally flag.... Many other little tricks that people are unaware of that can be done legally.. Such as the multiple stops in a certain area (I will not go into detail, find it out on your own if you need to know.. I am not into getting people into trouble cause they didn't do it right)..

Companies just rather play it safe and run a strait line.. Avoiding the "grey" areas that can be interpreted (or abused) the wrong way.. Not to mention DOT can and will interpret the rules in the "grey" area different then you just to give you a ticket....

 

I am going to add to this and what I would do is go with your company policy on it!

DOT was in (as many of you know) about 4 months ago and I asked, can a driver do a drop in less than 15 minutes and he said the honest answer to any question is anything a driver does that pertains to work (not driving) is going to take a minimum of 15 minutes.

Guys/gals if you log 15 minutes # least for pre-trip, post-trip (one of them on line 4 would be fine, go with the company but keep in mind the post-trip is the inspection that MUST be done in WRITTING, NOT THE PRE-TRIP), scaling, loading, fueling etc. Now can I/DOT prove you was dealing with it longer? That's a question to be answered.

I have heard like from 10 drivers in one day that DOT was watching everything a driver was doing while he was loading/unloading at a customer and then pulling the drivers over after they left to see how they logged it and most drivers was logging off duty. SO WRONG! You must log line 4 time when working (not driving) and the other time should be logged approprately. When you are at a customer you "VERY RARELY" will be off duty. Off duty means you are free to do as you chose that you are relieved of all responsibilty. When you are at a customer 99% of the time they want you there ready to move at their convience. However go to the sleeper and read a book, sleep, play on the computer. This way you can log sleeper and log legal. Yes it still counts towards your 14 hour, but so would that line 4 that is eating your 70. So it's a win win and DOT will be impressed and not hassle you.

Just go by with what your company wants, but if they say just match your fuel and dot inspection and accidents they are automatically teaching you incorrectly and hopefully you won't find yourself in a jam due to this.

DOT checks everything.

example if a driver has a scale receipt showing he scaled # 3:00 pm and then he reweighs # 3:30 then DOT will want 30 minutes on line 4 as to many companies would say log 15 minutes, this isn't very good practice/teaching.


You must log it as it happens. We all know it's going to take # least 15 minutes to do the below

Scale
Load
Unload
DOT Inspections (usually longer)
Post-trip inspections
Pre-Trips (possibly, read my threads on pre-trip & post-trip, they are so TRUE)
umm I can't think of the rest of them

But it's common sense on it's going to take a MINIMUM of 15 minutes to do this or that.

Not logging line 4 will result in 60/70 hour violations when DOT does a DOT audit. You might get over on the officer on the road, but then again you might not

It's a messed up log situation on your part and mine

 

:smt039:smt038waaaaaaaaaaaaa
this ones for
me'
Get Your oWn

 

myth or not, I think 7 1/2 is a good idea, and is more honest.

I think you could use the 7 1/2 myth and beat any citation in court based on a time discrepancy, officer can write whatever he wants, then it is up to you to defend yourself.

Ie. I was leaving local car auction, it was like idk, 1053-1054 when i left, but I had it logged as 11am. get 3 miles up the road and get DOT'ed when HJe looked at my log, which is the first thing they do, he asked about the 1100, I said I left closer to 1100 than 1045.

K