Cheating on logs

My old phone would beep at intervals if I missed a call, the new one rings once, and one ring if a message is left. The ring is oddly non directional, so if the phone got misplaced, it can be hard to find.

We never had e-logs, although we did get messages over a unit used to keep track of us, the same, older style People-net that some complain about today. I was less than impressed with it, the several examples I used varied from right on the money, to so full of errors, the only thing we could rely on was the direction the truck was moving, that was uncanny. I got griped at for taking a break longer than I took 30 air miles and in another state from where I actually took it. For real time locations, they seemed pretty good but the data recorded wasn't always accurate.

One of my fellow drivers worked for a company that used them as e-logs, he would get caught just beating the 11 or 14 by a few seconds or minutes and be fined $25 for each occurrence and if he would run a few miles to get by the house, e wouldget dinged for that even though it added almost nothing to the trip.

They also did lots of hot loads, where magically, an out of hours went away and they were strongly encouraged to run no matter what or how tired they were. If I need a laugh, I get him started about that company, he just comes unglued about it, he dislikes them and e-logs that much. I try not to mention it, not that much fun for me, and not good for him.


I read lots, and nowhere do I see claims of any reduction in accidents attributable to e-log use, except by the ATA, and even insurance companies that keep records of this sort of thing have been strangely quiet, although they push speed limiters and event recording as being the Deities' gifts to our race, and punish and discard drivers with incidents of high lateral g forces or hard braking, which may be in error as they rely on sensors that are prone to failure and supply information that can be inaccurate.

Even the FMCSA has backed away from the nomenclature of electronic on board recording device, to automated logging device because of the perception that these things can be used to punish and harass drivers.


Today, I used as much flexibility as I have, leaving early enough to allow for cold weather trouble, so that a non start issue wouldn't make me late. I stopped an hour short at a place I know, slept for 4 hours, delivered just before my appointment and drove back home, 400 miles and change in just over 13 hours of my 14 with the break included. I actually watched most of the day shift show up after I drove through the newly opened gate and parked where directed, instead of finding a place close enough not to trigger e-logs, like the guy that had arrived the night before and parked outside the fence all night.

The newest,latest, revision of the rules gave us the ability to be off duty in a non moving vehicle no matter what off duty activity we are doing, but added 3 more hoops of first of all, the 1/2 hour off duty break before driving again after 8 hours on duty, next, the 2 periods of 0100 to 0500 at home terminal time for a reset, and not starting a reset sooner than 168 hours after the last one started for the reset to take place.


My co-worker could get fined more than he made working under these new rules on e-logs, but I have enough fun trying to explain the new rules to guys that have been at this longer than I have.

My one hope is for flexibility and common sense to return, but that hope is forlorn.

BTW, the e-log version of People-net had glitches, where they interpreted the rules, especially the 14 hour rule before, and the 30 minute break now, as being in violation when there is(was) no violation. I have listened to several accounts of exchanges between People-net and companies that have the system installed.

 

First of all the assumption that there is even a decent reason for making the 30 minute break a rule written is stone would be laughable, except the joke is very bad.

What people have told me is that they stop and go off duty for 30 minutes, they watch the timer, and they get dinged when starting after the 30 minutes. I have related errors I observed with People-net , so who is to say which is wrong? I know, the box can't make an error? but the programmers maybe have made errors in interpretation of the rules at the very least.