Cheating on logs

I mostly agree with you, but if you don't have regulations to limit you there will be a long list of companies that will fire you if you don't drive. It's a double edged sword and there isn't right solution. Currently we have a set of regulations that are questionable, and are backed by statistics that seem to exclude outside influences.

Are we safer because of the regulations? Beats me.

Do they protect drivers from being put in a bad position? Sometimes.

Do drivers violate/falsify/cheat and think it's the only way to do their job? Seems like it.

It's really easy to say you'll do the right thing and rest when appropriate, until you don't or something goes wrong. For that matter it's fairly easy to do the right thing and rest when appropriate until you make a poor decision and pass a truck stop and have an hour or so to go to find somewhere safe to rest.

We can discuss this for hours on end, and much like out politicians we'll never reach a decision because we're all entrenched deep in our own side. As it's been pointed out, I clearly don't currently work on the road. That makes it easier for me to take a standpoint of these are the current regulations and it's in your best interest, and the best interest of the company to stay within them. I don't ask, or force anyone to run when they're tired, however I can't allow you to operate outside the regulations. I will (and do) work with drivers on options to stay compliant and well rested. I've gone toe to toe with the powers that be at my company, even in the first few months of my employment. I was pretty sure I was going to be fired on several occasions for standing up for drivers but that didn't happen. I think that overzealous safety directors can take things too far, but that doesn't mean I didn't respect them. I also think the figure head safety directors, while they may have a softer more driver friendly approach are less effective and actually attribute to problems. The entire industry has it's flaws, just was we all do. Often times I find myself taking a step back, because I have the tendency to be the ends (better safety numbers) justify the means (terming drivers, and operations staff). While I do share my opinions on this site, I also use it as an opportunity to hear unfiltered responses from drivers. It's not often that they'll share like this in person.

So thank you, and I hope that you continue to share your opinions, especially when I don't agree with them. Long winded self-righteous rant over, enjoy.

 

My opinion on this subject is the same in all life... We (the people) should take responsibility for our own actions. Right, there are those that won't and don't care. Okay, that's fine, they will/may kill someone someday and cry, "not my fault" but, they will go to jail, or should. The problem with this Country,,,trying to keep it un-political,,,is the powers that be try to fix everyone! That my friend is impossible. I don't want to see anyone die anymore than the next person but, people will die, regardless of any law that is passed. The powers that be, should enforce the laws already on the books. I could go on and on but, I may get going and forget where I am...lol

 

I cheat on my log books every day because I don't know how to drive otherwise. Is the DOT going to tell me when I need to drive? Is the broker, dispatcher, or anyone? NO. I will drive when I WANT to drive. If I am tired, I am pulling over and that's it. Sometime it will take me an hour to re do my loose leaf paper log book, to re write a whole week, and destroy any evidence on me. After those two hours I'll keep running. At the end of when I do get my paycheck I know why it was worth it.

CANT BELIEVE some of you guys are away from family and friends for weeks just to make 800 dollar paycheck! If on the road I can't make atleast 1,500 as a company driver, or if I can't PROFIT 3,000 a week as an owner operator, I rather not drive.

As far as lawyers "if somebody dies"..somebody can die either way no matter what. Yes they can run and see you run "illegal", but guess what? Companies that let you "run illegal" falsify their log books without you even knowing it, that you can beat the case by claiming those are not your logs that the company provided. The logs provided are the logs company re did for DOT audits. This is a dirty industry, therefore make your money!

 

They should probably clean up some of the irrelevant crap first.

http://www.dumblaws.com/

I have not confirmed any of these laws and they could all be urban legend. But it wouldn't surprise me. Regulations seem to never be cleaned up to match the current times.

 

How do you fix a moron that sat for 8 hours to get loaded, has only 6 hours on his 14 hour day, but feels "sleepy", and runs over 8 people since he felt tired, but the HOS regulation told him he wasn't tired?

 

Are you a company driver or O/O? Otherwise sounds like you are just giving your "opinion". If you can make $1500 a week as a company driver, please fill us in on who the heck you drive for. If you only make $3000 a week as an O/O, you need to change companies your leased to, or start picking freight from different brokers. Than again, maybe $3000 a week is goo enough for you because you don't have any personal expenses, in that case God bless you brother.

I personally don't have a problem with you being johnny the law breaker, honestly! Just be truthful about it, at least to us...lol

 

how do you fix the moron who is on e logs falls asleep cuz he running his clock but wont/cant stop,and runs someone over

 

The HOS didn't "make" him run over 8 people,,"HE" made himself run over 8 people. No law will fix that but, it wasn't the hos regulations that killed those 8 people. Sure, the company may have pressured him but in the end, he made the decision to drive on.

 

Well..."if someone dies" is pretty serious...hopefully if you are ever involved in the "big one" and they subpeona every personal record you could ever imagine about you...they don't happen to stumble upon your disire and admission to be activley searching for ways to cheat on your logs...I'm sure when you're sitting in a court room and there is a jury sitting there deciding your fate, they probably wont even take into consideration the comment "when the driver cheats, everbody wins" are you really sure about knowing the difference between "right and wrong"??? I think its more cowardice to put a couple of extra bucks ahead of a bus full of kids, or my family, or someone elses family and especially your family that depends on you...but hey...what ever you think is right.

If you need to find ways to cheat or "maximize miles" on your logs to make an extra buck...you might want to look for a better employment opportunity.

 

The good old days. What date would you like on the fuel receipt sir? Put tomorrows date on it, I'm not here yet !