Drivers Daily Log Software

I have had pretty much the same experience (with DOT), although I understand that you MUST have two copies of the previous 7 days and have the ability to print out the current day's log if requested.
The FMSCA issued a GUIDANCE Jan 04, 2002 explaining this. You can read it here, in fact it is a good idea to print this out and keep a copy in your permit book:

 

Be careful about that e-mail thing... the regs haven't caught up to technology yet.

395.8(i) Filing driver's record of duty status.

The driver shall submit or forward by mail the original driver's record of duty status to the regular employing motor carrier within 13 days following the completion of the form.

 

More of the same:

Question 27: Would a driver who prepares his/her log on a computer, 'digitally' signs the log, and then transmits it directly to the carrier, be in compliance with 49 CFR §395.8(f)(2)?

Guidance: No. The driver's activities must be recorded in accordance with the provisions of §395.8(f)(2). This section requires that all entries relating to driver's duty status must be legible and in the driver's own handwriting.

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Question 28: May a driver use a computer to generate his or her record of duty status (log book) and then manually sign the computer printouts in lieu of handwritten logs?

Guidance: A driver may use a computer to generate the graph grid and entries for the record of duty status or log book, provided the computer-generated output includes the minimum information required by §395.8 and is formatted in accordance with the rules. In addition, the driver must:

1. Be capable of printing the record of duty status for the current 24-hour period at the request of an enforcement officer.

2. Print the record of duty status at the end of each 24-hour period, and sign it in his or her handwriting to certify that all entries required by this section are true and correct.

3. Maintain a copy of printed and signed records of duty status for the previous 7 consecutive days and make it available for inspection at the request of an enforcement officer.

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Read it here: FMCSA Interpretations

 

Thats was one of the things I was doing...printing out logs every day. The first time I was check was in Mo. and that officer told me that was a waste of paper to print them out every day. He said as long as a driver had a printer and could print out the logs when requested he didnt have a problem with it. About 5 months later Colo. was the next time I was checked and the officer there said about the same thing. Keep in mind these were state officers and it was around 2004. This year I was checked in Neb by 2 FMCSA officers and when asked for my log book I told them it was on my computer, he look at the past 7 days asked if I could print them out, I said yes I can and he said he would like to see them on paper, after I printed them out the only thing he said was, "Looks just like it did on the program". I'm not saying this is the way to do it, just the way I do it and no one seams to have a problem with it. Maybe I had four officers with some common scene.

 

This one made me and the company a little nevus....When I print out my logs it prints my signature just as if I signed it my self, when I email the company my logs it does the same thing on there computer when they print them out also. The company went through a audit last spring and I was one of the drivers to be checked. Other than a few toll tickets times being a little off nothing else was said about my logs. One other note I work for a small company and I am the only driver the uses DDL and I was checked first by the auditer and they said he sent far less time on my stuff than the other drivers checked that day. I know I'm not doing things as far as to the latter of the rules and law per say, but so far nothing has been said to me on the road or in the audit. As I said before maybe they had some common scene.

 

I used to do the same thing, use a "signature" BMP file to "print" my signature on my logs, but I was told about three (or four) years ago that even though using the program was legal, I STILL needed to hand sign each day to be in Compliance with 49 CFR §395.8(f)(2)
Just be carefull.
The ONLY time I have ever had any problems was several years ago, I got stopped by a CHP on US395 north of Susanville, CA.
He demanded I print out TWO copies of the current day and the previous seven days. This was before Nick wrote the "Print Multiple Days" into the program, and each day had to be printed individually. The CHP was being a jerk and kept pounding on my driver door every time I went back to the sleeper to print a page. When I got them all printed and handed him the stack (14 sheets), he looked at the one on top and handed them back to me and said "OK".

 

I agree with ya roadkill...the signature thing could be used as a "gotcha" with a officer lookin to write a ticket. Who would have guess a CHP officer would give any one a problem LMAO.
I guess I have been lucky with the ones that have checked me....But the DDL program is a outstanding program for any driver to use.
Also one other thing I do is back up my logs on a Jump Drive every week, just in case this laptop takes a nose dive, then you can load your logs back into a new DDL program.
Just my 2 cents
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I use THREE (count them) USB Mass-Storage drives for redundancy. 80G, 250G and a 750G

 

Regarding cold, printers can be fairly robust when it comes to that, but humidity in a laser printer can be a no-go. If extreme cold (Canada and the NE US) is a major problem, and you are having inkjet issues, try a dot-matrix printer. Tried and true, uses a ribbon instead of ink or toner, you just have to get the paper with the holes in the side. Plus it's noisy, but they are fairly bulletproof. I know Lexmark still makes a couple of models, and there are sure to be some others running around. If you are feeling adventurous, check them out an an online auction site. They are usually surplus machines, but as long as they have been maintained and don't have any active problems, they should be good to go.

 

You can transfer millions, in fact, billions, of dollars and various other complex financial and business transactions on an electronic signature (I did it all the time in the financial services industry), but you can't log a piss stop unless it's in your own handwriting (signature).