ELD Compliance, 30 Days in the Hole

Guys, I read some of your so well written and eloquent posts with amazement. Some of you should have become publicists or writers instead of truck driving. (truck driving though probably pays a bit better). I learned a lot from this thread. I also agree with most people who scoff at ELDs.

Like Pedigreed Bulldog, I and my driver drive locally when we need to (we are not in trucking business, but in equipment business and drive trucks only for ourselves), only occasionally venturing outside of the 100 air mile radius. So, as such, we are exempt from needing an ELD.

I have one log book that lasts for months and that evidences lack of long distance driving. In fact, I had a CDL for 1.5 years and never was asked for the log book. I would write in it "Jan 1-18 -- local driving only -- TIME CARD EXEMPTION) if, say, I take a long distance trip on Jan. 19. The only thing I fudged in log books was the on duty vs off duty status and not so much driving time. So, as you can see, I am totally ignorant of HOS enforcement but I have a question.

Let's say that I am a small company and I have a ELD (which I do not). Let's further say that due to my own poor practices I committed a violation and on one particular day drove for 11.5 hours.

What exactly is going to happen? Will black helicopters descend on my moving truck at 11 hours and 1 minute? Will my violation be somehow reported?

Do the authorities have only one week from this violation to inspect my records?

What if they find out a violation a month later?

Can they fine me in one state for a three day old violation in another state?

 

Used to be, you could pull into most truck stops at 06:00 or at least 08:00 and the lot might be 1/3 to a 1/4 full. NOW, they're perhaps more than 1/2 to 2/3 full, still.

I think most will agree. Only question is how different people will interpret this fact. eLogs have definitely changed the amount of time many spend parked on break. You can take that comment however you want.

 

Peoplenet let you modify your logs. Just do it only for yourself. Don't do it for a driver that works for you.

 

I must admit, I have skim-read most of these, but, I didn't see anyone mention the most obvious solution, and was wondering, why has nobody said a word about either keep rebuilding your old iron (Pre-2K) or buy a glider kit with a rebuilt motor...again, Pre-2K?

That allows you to run the way you want, on paper logs....no ELD.

Problem solved. Next???

 

I have a 2000 truck (Freightliner FLD). A lovely, super reliable truck, no emissions equipment.

It is a daycab and the year does not make it ELD exempt, but I would not see any problem owning a truck one year older. I do not care about ELD anyway since I am local.

The problem is that nowadays such trucks are hard to find.

 

Not that it matters to you, but the emissions year of the engine determines ELD exemption I believe, not the year of the truck. I have a 2000 KW with an engine that was built on 12-23-99, and it is ELD exempt, because it complies with 1999 emission standards according to the EPA sticker.

 

You and Oxbow are on the right track...

Being that it is a daycab, my guess is, you comply with the 100 Air Mile HOS rules, which makes you ELD exempt no matter what year your truck is, as long as you return to the same terminal every day.

I couldn't agree with you more...the pollution controls on semi's are for the birds! I didn't want to open that can of worms, but, it is another big BIG plus to owning a truck with a vintage motor. In addition, the old motor is easier to work on, you could probably do many things yourself, depending on your tools and desire to do. I am older, and more so, fat and out of shape, so I have NO interest in turning a wrench on my own stuff, but, the upside for me is, I have a young son who is a certified mechanic and welder who is thin and in shape...I know what needs to be done, and he does the work.

Now, I didn't want to mention the pollution portion, that is an entire other topic of conversation...but, since we have, some would argue with us running the old iron that we are "part of the problem", and NOT doing our part to "save" the environment. To which, I respond by extending my longest finger in salute.

My own belief is, science has not proven anything as far as the whole "greenhouse effect" or "global warming". I'm not saying they aren't on to something, but, I don't think it has been proven beyond the shadow of some serious doubt. At least what I have read about it, and trust me, I have read a LOT!

Should we be concerned about our carbon footprint? Sure! But, rather than taking the sledge-hammer approach we have shutting everything down, how about we figure out a way to LET the carbon producing industries continue to produce carbon, but, CATCH it BEFORE it goes up in the air??? And, the Barry Obama approach of, tax the CRAP out of it until it leaves our country is NO solution. All that does is push the problem elsewhere.

Look no further than developing countries in Asia, Mexico, etc, and, you see we have not only MOVED the problem to other parts of the world, we have made it infinitely worse, since, those countries don't have an EPA let alone a care about their carbon footprint...they only SEEM interested in growing their own economies.

My own philosophical approach to this is, it really doesn't matter what happens in this country, we could turn off all our motors, stop all our carbon-producing plants, operate on ONLY clean energy...and it won't stop whatever "global warming" being caused. We have done enough cleaning here.

We need OTHER countries to follow suit and drastically reduce THEIR carbon footprints.

I say, rock on with the old iron.

 

You are correct...the year of the motor is exactly what determines the need for an ELD.

Your 2000 KW is one of the "newest" that still meets the exception.

I'm surprised their is still a visible EPA sticker, let alone anything that identifies the motor's age.

I have a 12.7 60 Series Detroit in a 1996 Intl 9200 Eagle, it isn't the original motor. Other than the VIN #, there is no identifying marks to tell you what year it was built. I have never HAD to prove the age to the DOT (knock on wood), but, I suppose if a cop REALLY wanted to dig into it, all they'd have to do is look up the VIN of the truck and then cross-reference it with International's web site.

Like I already mentioned, you can go buy a brand new Glider kit, put a pre-2K motor in it, and you now have a brand new truck that is not only ELD exempt, it doesn't have an EGR valve or a DPF.

Granted, you can't do more than 1,000 mi annually in CA with it, and you probably won't get as good of MPG with it as a brand new motor, but, you also don't have to buy DEF either, OR have the enormous headaches aging diesel pollution controls are associated with. And, as I mentioned before, if you are handy, you can probably do a lot of your own repairs on it too! Or, at least, find someone affordable who can. My son charges $50-70 hr for his labor. Compared to the $142 hr the branded truck dealership where he works as a full time mechanic currently charges, he is very affordable.

I realize, this is kind of a "one off" situation, but, if you are a small fleet or a single truck owner operator, you do have some alternatives to just buying ELD compliant iron and running with it.

 

I would like to point out that reducing CO2 footprint is NOT the goal of semi truck pollution control.

CO2 is a product of burning carbon in diesel fuel, and is emitted whenever a certain amount of diesel fuel is burned, period. You drive 100 miles, you burn 14 gallons, you emit so many pounds of CO2 in any truck of any age.

Truck pollution control aims to reduce the amount of particulate matter (soot), as well as NOX, or nitrogen oxides. Pollution control aims to benefit the public and has zero benefit to the truck owner.

I have zero qualms about using any legal maneuver to reduce my cost of owning trucks and specifically, I like having an older truck. It still needs a lot of repairs like changing airbags, but it is simple compared to aging pollution control devices and sensors.

We just did our newer truck (2009 Columbia), and seemingly got very lucky on washing out the DPF and catalytic converter, now the truck seems to have regained its power. We replaced all sensors located on these devices also. The cost of sensors is minuscule compared to the screwing that we would get replacing or trading in DPFs.

P.S. I saw a similar Columbia on the road, emitting black smoke like a old steam engine. I think that I know what the owner did to his DPF!

 

Excellent post, great points, well said, and, I couldn't agree with you more...

Obviously, people don't understood the difference...my comments about "carbon footprint" were more just a general statement about industrial pollution in general, but, you did make me think more about it. Your right...and I am not familiar enough to know...I am guessing some of that carbon is getting caught up in the DPF, but, it eventually gets burned out when the DPF regens itself. Not sure if that means less carbon pollution, or, if burning at it 3,500 F or, whatever temp the DPF gets to means any less carbon emission.

I do know that, the motors that are labeled as "Clean Diesel" were, at least at ONE point, burning so clean, they at least CLAIMED that you could sit in a closed room with one ideling and, it would actually "clean" the air for better breathing....the key part of that statement being "at idle". I am not sure the validity of that statement, and of course, it begs the question, what about while running full out, OR, what about when the DPF decides to do a regen???

The only thing I don't agree with in your statement is...I am ALL for cutting the DPF off, blocking the EGR and programming the ECM so it THINKS all is fine with those systems.

In my humble opinion, these systems are horse-@#$%! Your right, they offer ZERO benefit to the trucker, and, I am all for finding ways to work without them.

I can tell you this, from my own experience, when I started to have an issue for the 3rd time with my 2007 ISX EGR valve and inner cooler within 300K mi, I had enough and decided it needed to go. I found the Ugly Fix dot com and was AMAZED at the difference for not much money.

It was like night and day on that ISX...the oil stayed cleaner, the motor ran quieter and got better MPG, and had more POWER! It also reduced the "Cummins Sneeze" they are prone to, which, while maybe that has no effect on performance, is a dead give away its a Cummins!

Again, I am no diesel engineer, I am no mechanic...just someone who has owned and operated his own fleet for 25 years, paid attention, and read a lot! I'd be curious to know, how much actual benefit there is to an EGR versus how much loss in economy and performance there is...THAT would be an interesting study....but counter-productive to the initiatives of both the manufacturers and US govt. Restrictions, controls, etc = more $ and more votes. Win-win, for everyone but the trucker!!!