electronic logbook questions

Well, as I have stated before elsewhere. This is all academic anyway. The e-log proposal just went to the office of management and budget in D.C. and the first proposal by FMCSA is slated to be public by October. This thing is mandated by MAP-21 legislation and FMCSA really doesn't have a lot to say about it except the technical application. So, it is coming down the track, so one will either learn to adjust to fall by the wayside. I don't like it either, but one has to learn to play the hand they are dealt or get out of the game.

Man, oh man. You are scared. I just mention the realities and you feel the need to make some childish attack about paper logging as if I that could intimidate me. I used paper for almost 3 decades before going on e-logs. I am very sure I have done just about any kind of goofiness that can be done with paper at one time or another. I just have gotten my operation streamlined now so that I don't have to be a slave to such foolishness, with no negative effect on my revenue or net. I can comfortably get what I need done now, on e-log or paper, without having to fudge anything. I just like the e-log doing all the dirty work for me. On paper, it would look no different.

 

Might want to print those logs out every day as some scales (Foristell MO) won't give you time to print them out.

 

You might have it all figured out now but 3 decades ago when you first started you wouldn't have made it in the game running E-logs. Just because you have the perfect gig and company to run for doesn't mean every other driver out here does. If you were running a bunch of short hauls that there E-log would screw you over in a heartbeat.

I am glad you jumped upon the bandwagon a few years ago but whats good for you and I are two different things. You have fun riding along but with my small operation I will not be buying any kind of EOBRs and forced to spend unnessary money. How much of your tax dollars will help pay for the giveouts of these devices? There is going to have to be some government program to buy and distribute to every trucking company and I surely do not see that happening.

 

And you know this how? I do run relatively short hauls all the time. A heck of a lot of them under 500 miles. hardly ever anything over 700. And I do multiple stop loads quite frequently. As for not being able to ever make it in the early days with e-log, not sure about that. I have done some goofiness with paper logs to be sure, but I have never run more than one log book. I never saw the need to get any more wild about things that just fudging some times during the day. Looking back, probably could have done it with e-log without too much sacrifice. For the last 15 years, I have done everything pretty much on the up and up. So the switch to e-logs was relatively seamless. I guess trying to work out an operation where I don't have to do crazy stuff to make a living paid off. This is all about choices we make. Carrier choices, customer choices, rate choices. Some of us just don't have to jump thru all kinds of hoops and juggling acts when it comes to logs. I figured out years ago that there was a better way to do things than constantly skirting the regulations all the time just to make a buck. And I have selected a fairly decent group of customers that don't play grocery warehouse type of delay games. On the occasions that any of them do drop the ball, they get to pay for the time. Just picked up $112.50 in detention from a customer to holding me up for 3 hrs (2 hours beyond the 1 they normally get), and it didn't hurt my run even on e-logs. Helps to plan things around possible delays that might crop up. And hey... I got in the 30 min mandatory break at the same time! Drove right on home for the weekend after loading up that run.

 

I'm running regional, so like you, running relatively short distances. I am running my max on a daily basis and this unit does keep me on the straight and narrow. Never had enough smarts to run 2 log books as I'm pretty certain I would've messed up badly, so then you're not only dealing with HOS violations, but log falsification. They really do frown on that. Ministry of Transport here in Ontario followed me to a stop and graciously allowed me back the truck into the dock so the unloading could occur while we going over the documents and a rudimentary inspection. I left him the logbook while I was inside and his only comment to me was he was glad he didn't have to go back past the reset. That alone tells me he did go past the reset point and there were some, oh how shall we phrase it, certain liberties and some creativity being used. I do believe that both the various MOT and DOT and reputable companies don't want us to be creative.

People are getting the wrong idea's about the EOBR devices I think. There will come the day that they will be mandatory. Most of us, while perhaps being creative, were running safely. I don't need some rule or device to tell me I'm tired. Some days I need to stop after only a few hours. I recognize those sypmtoms and will find a nice spot. Some days I am more than content to just keep on trucking. Some don't have the common sense to do either and that is what the FMVSA is looking at. These devices are coming, and like it or not, you will be mandated to using them. Whether they take the form of a handheld device, or the full Qualcomm system, all companies will have to have some system in place. All well and good to say "NOT IN MY TRUCK" but without them, you will not be operating, pretty much that simple.

I haven't found a great problem with using these yet. The minute logs are far more accurate. I'm using the Qualcomm 200 so the minute I turn the truck off, switches to ON Duty, NOT driving. Start driving down the road, it will automatically switch to ON Duty, Driving after a certain mileage or speed is hit. Basically takes the weak link out of the situation (me of course) and because they are fully integrated into the system, keeps tampering and questionable entries out. Learning to hit OFF Duty when sitting in construction lines or at the border as these can gobble up drive time at an amazing rate.

 

this time of year in the south. i like the idea that if it's too hot. and cooler temps are just 100 miles up north. or 50 miles east or west. i don't have a qualcomm telling me i can't leave the heat.

 

Elogs are terrible!!!!!!!! We are forced to run them now and I am way more given out at the end of the week. If you maximize your time it kills you. I drive 11 hours take 10 off drive 6 hours load 2 hours 10 off etc..... You sleep a different schedule all the time= give out!!!!!! I was fine on paper, work till I needed rest not when a computer told me to rest. If someone loves elogs it is because they want more time off!!!!!

 

Plan the loads better and you won't be so wrung out at the end of the week. And I do want more time off!!! You bet!!! And why not? More time off with the same or better net at the end of it all. Works for me. That crap about More Miles - More Money is hogwash. I was less miles - more money. And running shorter hauls does it quite well for me. Short hauls pay better. I don't have to kill myself getting across the nation, I am by the house a couple of times a week and off on the weekends and holidays. Yep. I like having more time off.