E-LOGS

Without a doubt, that is the real issue. The latest politically-motivated tweaking of the HOS should be scrapped, and with mandated EOBRs/elogs on the horizon the issue should be how do we deal with HOS under electronic logging.

 

It is not the fact that people want to be able to edit their books the way they see fit. MY reason is I PAY for everything my truck/trailer does, from plates, fuel to taxes to keeping it mechanically legal. Why should I PAY for big brother to inch closer because idiots who work for the large carriers CAN'T SAY NO to their dispatcher when a load is going to put them past their legal hours to run?

You want to clean up the industry as one mentioned? Raise the standards for new entrants (yet again) & let the new CSA system do the work it was designed to do.

There has never been a nanny law that has NOT worn out its welcome.

 

100% legal all the way?

Yeah, right.

What a hypocrite. Why am I not surprised?

 

If you have something to say to me directly then send a PM or create a new thread if you want it public. I don't get your point about my "
Attitude", "Hypocrite".

So you spend the effort to follow my every move on this forum instead of giving me an answer to the question that I asked ?

You don't like me, that's your opinion and your have all the rights to it. You want to follow my every move and try to bash me on this forum, I can live with that.

You don't like running legal, that will not be an option anymore.
You gonna have to start learning to run legal or Good luck finding another job.

 

This verifies my point, that there is no one size fits all solution. I actually like the EOBR in my truck, but my situation is not the same as everyones. Actually, these things can be worked in a person's favor if they use a little common sense. The 8 and 2 split is one area that can be used quite effectively with an EOBR. And switching to OFF DUTY whenever one stops for even a couple of minutes can really save the driving time. I only use ON DUTY for a few minutes for stuff we would normally show it for with a paper log. Sure, there have been a few instances where it would have been advantageous to be on paper log, but not enough to really make a big difference. I usually get close to customer or even at their lot the night before, and even if I haven't completed a break before I have to go into the customer, I just leave it on OFF DUTY and go to them and finish up the break while there. DRIVING doesn't kick in until I have gone over 1.2 miles or over 25 mph. And I can use OFF DUTY / DRIVING for longer stretches as long as I stay in the same general proximity of the customer. If I haven't completed a break when I am unloaded / loaded, and must leave the customer, I just do the OFF DUTY DRIVING selection and head to an area I can park and finish the break.

Sure, there are any number of instances one can dream up how the EOBR will make life more difficult. But, many of those instances can be reduced or avoided if one just manages their time well. Since it will probably be mandated for everyone in the near future, it is better to look at how to use it to one's advantage than just complain how it will screw things up.

I was dead set against EOBR like most folks. When it came down to the wire on whether to jump ship or have the thing put in my truck, I decided to give it a try before moving my truck elsewhere. Glad I least gave it a try to really see how it would work. It wasn't really a major change for me. I just had to make only a few minor changes and it has been a fairly easy transition. I took the direction that I would find how to make it work in my favor.

You mentioned weather in your post. I had an issue with that when the big snow storm hit OK and AR a couple of months ago. I was headed to Little Rock with a load and was not going to risk getting stuck or unable to get back on the road if I pulled over when my time ran out. I just proceeded on to the customer even though went over on the 11. I wasn't over the 14 and used the "unforseen weather" situation that is a part of the regulations. The EOBR did have a fit, but when I called safety in the morning and explained, they approved the over 11 as an unforseen weather situation, it fit within the parameters of the regulations, and all was legal. I ended up with 12.5 hrs driving time in that 14, and all legal per the regs. As long as one doesn't exceed the 14 hr limit, you can utilize driving beyond the 11 once a week for those weather or traffic screwups. And if you are stopped due to construction or a wreck, then take the EOBR out of DRIVING mode and save your driving time.

So.... the EOBR thing is not as bad as it is portrayed. It is not the best idea in the world, and sure has nothing really to do with safety, but the end of the world is not at hand if they become mandated. Just use the gray matter God put between your ears and make it work for you. After all, it is being able to overcome or work around obstacles in life that made America great.

 

I honestly couldn't care less about you... you're not that important so don't flatter yourself. What I did find amusing is your post in another thread on a similar subject, along with a bunch of other posts essentially talking about how to cheat E-logs. Then you have the gall to call out others who, in most cases, are only doing the same, but on paper instead of your hallowed E-logs.

And you know nothing about how I run.


P.S. Just because I am such a generous and considerate guy and want to help you with your reading comprehension...

That is what makes you a hypocrite. Call it "E-log strategies" or whatever you like, the reality is that you are consciously falsifying your E-log in order to gain driving time.

Of course, maybe if you practised better trip planning like you were also bragging about earlier, you wouldn't have to cheat.

 

Reality is all elogs do is change the way a person goes about cheating.

If they wanted to cut down on all of this they have dozens of ways to make it harder to cheat and make it cheaper across the industry as a whole. But big companies that see this as a way to raise the bar for companies to come into this market are pushing for this.

And if a company want to strive for 100% accurate logs they could do a lot better. But that would make it harder for them to hire drivers. Because once the word got out that if you are caught with a false log then the hammer comes down drivers would stay away and leave for another company.

 

I agree 100%. And all it would take to shut down the outlaw activity is to require date, time and mileage on fuel receipts, in and out times from shippers and receivers and if you are not turning logs into a safety department then have to have available more than 7-days logs to be inspected. Then also open up info between states on when a truck passes through a scale.
This would make it hard to cheat on logs and cheaper on the industry as a whole.

 

Also agreed, as I am sure most other drivers would too... so long as shippers weren't a major bottleneck. Two days to get loaded is not acceptable, but that is exactly what will happen for a lot of produce loads if drivers are forced to be 100% compliant with current HOS.