ELD Are there any silver linings

I've transitioned to being primarily local, but I didn't start out that way with this company.

I too run loads out of P&G. Everyone knows the times of day when there's going to be a line at the guard shack. Me? I choose to avoid those times, and schedule my day so that I don't get stuck waiting to check in. Easy to do when you're doing drop and hook.

 

Again that's not an elog problem. You are supposed to be logging that time.

 

E-log will never get from Franklin Park Il to Gary In as fast as a paper log. Never!

 

Yes i too know the times but not so easy to do when the schedule to get it and be in Rochester is what it is, i have no choice.

Bottom line - ELDs are going to interfere in the way we work and its just another way for big brother to look over our shoulder and tell us how we are suppose to run when they have never driven a truck in their life and probably drive 10 miles to work in a Prius every day.

 

Here is another example of how i have to now "work around" the ELD but is legit but any standard.
I drop my trailer at the shipper. they tell me its going to be 4-5 hrs to load it. OK i go 10 miles down the road to the truck stop to hang out and then drive back to the shipper in 5 hrs and surprise they aren't finished yet, its another hour. Now i have driven over the 5 miles, so i do believe the YARD MOVE is out. The ELD and broken up my OFF DUTY time, which as an OO and no trailer i am off duty but rules. so now i have to flip the ELD into Personal time and expalin everything when the old way it would be a straight line on OFF DUTY till i get that trailer and head out.. Simple.


And Still No One has answered my earlier post about being able to UNPLUG the ELD when i am using my rig as "PERSONAL VEHICLE". The log book and Hence the ELD only are need to be in place when i am driving under the DOT rules. IF i am pulling my 5th wheel on Vacation, i sure as hell am NOT under DOT rules nor do i want ANYONE knowing what, where or when i am doing anything.
Anyone know of an ELD that i can Unplug???

 

Most of them can be unplugged, but they have a battery and gps unit to record everything.

 

If you've dropped your trailer, you can use 'off-duty driving' to move to the truck stop. That does not break up your off-duty time. Before going back to get your trailer, CALL the shipper to verify that it's loaded.

 

I drive a CNG fueled truck, and it has a battery switch that cuts power to everything except the natural gas detector in the cab (Federal requirement). It takes my Qualcomm about 5 minutes to boot up after it has powered off.

Honestly though, if you're cutting things so close that you have to cheat the ELD in order to earn a living, you should probably be looking for another company.

 

My jjkeller supposedly has an internal battery so it keeps working and recording if unplugged from the ecm.

 

OK Bottom line is this. I own my own truck. and i make a good living and generally speaking i don't have to drive against the rules, BUT has anyone that has been out here for 10 years or more knows darn well there are times that come up where i have to bend the rules. thats just the way it is. Now with Big brother telling me that at 2pm i can drive because i didn't take my 30 min break or because i was stuck in traffic for 4 hrs i have now run out of hours when there is no reason why i can't physically and mentally can't bend the rules and still get to where i am going is only 2 hrs away.
There are a LOT of companies out there that are still running routes that require us to run 600 miles in 10 hrs. which is fine and legal. BUT i for one like to stop and eat, maybe for an hour or so. Then down the road i might want to stop for a break for another hour, and of course there is working around rush hour traffic where i might hang out somewhere for 2 hrs just to avoid it and then continue on to finale stop, so if i left at say 6 am and get to my finale stop at 930 pm am i tired?? NO, i well rested with a full stomach, empty bladder, legs stretched, and feeling good. BUT guess what - MY ELD SAYS I'M ILLEGALLY !!!!!! So You tell me Is the ELD so great?????? Really?