Cheating on logs

Maybe in your limited vision. But, I know many of them have them and do not have the sign on them. They get on the radio and state that they have the box and have to get there before time runs out.

 

I know, that was where I entered the industry. they're are very much the letter of the law. It's an unrealistic expectation and quite frankly a standard that cannot be met. It seemed that they were happy to trade safety for lower miles. But then be upset when turnover got high. A guy can only hang on for so long until it only makes sense to move on.

Don't get me wrong, they do a lot of things right and it's a comfortable environment (well in some regards), assuming you have a solid relationship with your dispatcher. I still harass a lot of my former drivers on facebook on a weekly basis. I do miss the people, but I don't miss the management.

 

There is too much fear of a few minutes and or seconds of violation. Just add a remark on your logs explaining what happened. It's really not the end of the world. That would be a company/culture problem. No reason to race anywhere for a few minutes of violation. Just don't make it a habit (pattern of violation is bad) and then life is good.

 

Huh? Where have I been? I've been in the industry. Yes, I know it's been available for years... and that changes my point how?

 

It is not just the mega's. Many companies are interested in them. Seems they have less record keeping with the electronic versions.

Personally, I hope to never deal with them.

 

Perhaps the unit cost is coming down? Record keeping? Hard to tell, but a different kind of record keeping it certainly would be using electronic versions. I could be wrong, but I doubt it would be cheaper doing books with the electronics, with the smaller players. Couple of girls making $10/hr could handle 50 or so trucks. In electronics, you have to worry about data storage and likely out source an IT guy to help with it at $30-50/hr. Don't think the work load could justify having an IT dept. so again, kind of stuck with the high dollar freelancers.

I was with a company that had got them, not being used for logs at the time... but this was the eventual plan. However, after a few months and several data and unit screw ups, they started to unhook them. So this as my dealing with them.

I too, hope to never deal with them again. I have a feeling we all might at some point.

 

Even if I'm "writing it as I do it", when I was on paper logs it would take a minimum of 10-15 minutes to prepare a log sheet for the upcoming day's work. If I need to get into "creative logging" then that could take upwards of an hour.

Now that I've been running with an EOBR my time spent doing the log has been reduced to a total of a couple minutes a day. In this regard running with electronic logs is an advantage and is much less hassle than paper logs.

Another advantage of e-logs is that when LEO's see that you run with them they are less inclined to inspect your logs. This may be a function of the difficulty they have getting access to the logs, but is also a function that since it is harder to cheat on e-logs they give you a pass. When's the last time anyone on e-logs had to "reinvent" where they were for the last 3 days?

 

Seriously? Paper logs take you a minimum of 10-15 minutes to prepare a log sheet for the next day's work. Takes me about a minute maybe less if I hurry... Getting 'creative' takes me about 10 minutes maybe 15 if I really slow down and perhaps take a break.

If you 'have to' reinvent where you were for the last 3 days, you are NOT being 'creative' at all.

 

Do post a video showing how you prepare a paper log in "about a minute" and I'll believe it. Don't use the stop action feature on your camera, either....