Electronic Logs are a Joke

You say 1000 mile day like its a bad thing ????

 

my problem with e-logs is that it's another way for the feds to keep tabs on you. I haul livestock and e logs will cost me loads. I only do one load a day and would still have to turn work away because the load times I was given to choose from would be too close together to make everything work. Or I could take the loads knowing I would run out of hours and have to stop an hour or two from home, which is something I don't want to be forced to do unless I'm too tired to drive.

Frankly, I'm tired of every minute of my day being regulated and will sell my truck and go back to a factory job if e-logs are mandated. If I'm going to have someone looking over my shoulder every minute of the day I just as well work at a factory where I have set hours and can have more of a home life.

 

Fuel haulers are in the same situation. With wait times, order times, and customers playing the market... It simply will not currently work. Could it be improved on? Well a little, but it would require the pipeline and refineries to keep tier 2 and 3 terminals full of product, again greatly reducing their ability to play the market. I honestly do NOT see that happening, at least any time soon.

 

I understand your sentiments, gunner, and wouldn't blame you for hanging it up. But one thing you said that is a little bit out there.... that you didn't want someone looking over your shoulder every minute. Well, it may seem that way, but I can attest that no one is and no one will be. I am sure you didn't mean it literally, but figuratively, but there are some who actually believe some dweeb is sitting behind a computer screen just waiting for them to violate something. There just isn't that many people around. And even when my e-log has thrown a fit, no one was sending me messages or calling me on the phone. I have gone over the 11 or even the 14 by 15+ minutes and never heard a peep from anyone. Not even after an audit. Now, I probably would have if I had gone over by an hour. I am sure that someone saw it on their screen the next day when they came to work, but no one ever seemed to worry about it.

I have become convinced that, even under an audit, the DOT is looking for patterns of violations or major ones. I really don't get the feeling that, on e-logs, the DOT is wasting a lot of time on little overages here and there. Only if a driver is violating things numerous times in a short period of time. Else, I am sure I would have gotten a warning or something. And I have gone over the 11 by a couple of hours due to bad weather. Wasn't over the 14, so just made a note about weather, and never heard a peep from anyone. I off duty drive at least a couple of times a week to go get a bite or drop a trlr nearby the house and run home real quick to take a 10 break. And the drive time was part of the 10. Again, no one seems to mind since it is legit.

The e-log thing is not as rigid and inflexible as many seem to think. Now, true, if someone has been doing a lot of wild creative things with paper, they are going to be hamstrung by an e-log. Unfortunately, fear of the unknown is causing a lot of folks to really let their mind play some crazy games on them regarding this stuff. It happens every time something changes. The very same words you used, Gunner, I heard in '91 when the CDL was getting ready to be implemented in '92. I heard it all again with the first HOS change, then the second, and again. What we all "feared" wasn't nearly as bad and we thought. We all learned to do things a little differently, but still do ok. They are making it harder, for sure, and there will be some that have a real kink put in their operation, but the majority will experience only a bump in the road. Those that have a way of dealing with challenges will find a way around this hassle.

 

I understand your sentiments, gunner, and wouldn't blame you for hanging it up. But one thing you said that is a little bit out there.... that you didn't want someone looking over your shoulder every minute. Well, it may seem that way, but I can attest that no one is and no one will be. I am sure you didn't mean it literally, but figuratively, but there are some who actually believe some dweeb is sitting behind a computer screen just waiting for them to violate something

Yes there is. As soon as you go over by 1 minute, the truck will automatically pull both sets of brakes (even if you are going sixty five mph around a bend, crossing a railroad track and with a bus full of kids beside you). They will stop you on said railroad tracks and lock the doors and have a train run you over so that you will not ever do that again.

 

You are good, dude! Great come back!

 

I understand where you're coming from but I just don't see the e- logs working in in industries like livestock hauling, there are way to many variables to work out to keep everybody in the green. Most livestock haulers(not all)have to get creative with their logs to make everything work, that is why the DOT really checks us over when we get stopped(along with being notorious for being overweight).

Can things be made so everyone is happy? Yes, but it would either require more trucks to do the same amount of work we are doing now, which would be hard since it takes a special type of person to deal with live cargo. Or, the producers, buyers, truckers, and packers could all coordinate their schedules to make it work, which would be a logistics nightmare for everyone involved.

The thing is that you might be ok at the start of the day, but next thing you know it take two hours to load because the animals wouldn't cooperate or you sit in line for three or four hours waiting to unload because of issues at the packing plant and then you end up with possibly loosing 4hrs plus for the day and then have to scrap the next load at the last minute and try to find someone else to do it. Right now with the trucks we have it's very hard to find last minute fill ins and a guy has to just make everything look ok on paper and do the load.

I know there isn't actually going to be somebody monitoring the electronic logger, but if you go over your hours on a regular basis the e log will eventually tattle on you. With paper logs you can make everything work out. Is it right to do this, no, but it's a part of this type of industry and always has been. Like shredfit1 said the fuel haulers/industry will have the same problems, just because there are too many variables and people to keep organized.

It's going to be interesting to see how this all plays out if the mandate goes through. I suspect that prices on everything are going to increase because of the extra work in getting things done. I know of one livestock company that the owner already said he'll play by the rules and limit everyone of his drivers to one load a day, but the rates are going to go up so that the drivers can still be profitable.

 

I am quite aware of those issues, and they are going to have to be addressed. Packing plants are notorious for delays at both ends. And really a lot of the fixes are going to have to come from shippers and receivers. Right now, they have no real incentive to do so. I realize that something like livestock, the options are pretty limited, but it is because of customer issues that I will not haul for certain customers. Not worth the hassle, e-logs or not. And with freight capacity down, and indexes up, it provides a better situation for me to say "no". And in the end, specialty hauling like livestock will probably get some form of exemption. They got an exemption from the 30 minute break thing which needs to be made permanent. The market interests will move the powers that be and there will probably be some sort of exemptions put into place when any e-log mandate goes thru. That is why I think some folks are getting their rubber band wound too tight, too soon over this stuff. It all comes back to that fear of the unknown thing.

 

If cattle haulers have to go to E-Logs, will all be paying $20 for a hamburger....

 

Looks like I will have to get a couple of feeder calves and a couple of hogs to raise out. At least I live in the country. I could also just get ahold of the guy that cash rents some of our farm ground and get a couple of steers off of him and take them to the locker and have them processed and fill up the freezer.