eLog question

With elogs there is little to no "stretching the envelope." When you're out of time, you're done. Now it does depend on how elogs is implemented at your carrier. They do have an option for off-duty driving in the elog system - it also depends on whether your carrier will allow you to use it, whether you are loaded ("laden") or running bobtail, etc.

The biggest difference between elogs and paper logs is the need to be very aware of your 11 and 14-hour clocks, and doing much better planning up front.

Just because elogs is keeping track of things for you, doesn't relieve you the driver from managing those hours. If anything, you need to have a better understanding of the HOS rules than the guy on paper logs. If you get tired, pull over, communicate with dispatch and take a nap.

If you pull for a carrier that is going to give you greif over trying to be safe - taking a nap when you're tired - you need a different job.

 

You have 14 hours within which you can drive your 11, so there's some leeway there. There is also the sleeper berth provision (aka: split-break) where you can take an eight-hour break in the sleeper and this will "stop" the 14-hour clock. These are the first two strategies to deal with unexpected delays, assuming that their implimentation won't unduly delay your delivery.

Then there are the ADVERSE DRIVING CONDITIONS and EMERGENCY CONDTIONS exceptions which might be applicable, depending on the circumstances:

The FMCSA does not define what an "emergency" is.

 

Ain't none of that is going to apply to going home.

 

The regulations apply equally in all circumstances. There is no exception based on the fact that a driver's destination may be their home terminal and/or for the purpose of "hometime".

 

That's why your better of with PAPERLOG'S !!!!

 

Uh huh.

I'd just love to see you convince a DOT bear that has you pulled over that your "emergency" was gettin' home to cuddle with momma.

Right.

 

Perhaps you could point out where these regulations, or any others, are invalid based on what the intended destination is?

There are innumerable scenarios where the ADVERSE DRIVING CONDITIONS or the EMERGENCY CONDITIONS exceptions could apply. If a driver is incapable of understanding them or being able to articulate the use of them in such situations that is their problem. At no time did I (nor would I) suggest that the emergency is "gettin' home to cuddle with momma."

 

I had to go back and re-read the OPs post... had "home" stuck in my mind. Tell's ya what I've been thinking about!

You're right of course if the situation comes up that unanticipated weather emergency puts you in a tight spot, even on elogs you follow the HOS and run under extended hours to the nearest safe haven. Same with a traffic emergency... that happened to me a month ago in Columbus OH. But how often do the conditions arise that you actually need to use the exceptions to part 395? Not very frequently.

How does that work on elogs? Well, you put up with all of the squawking that the box does for a minute or so, and then follow the SOP laid down by your carrier. In my case that's proceed to the nearest safe haven (the bull pen at my destination in this case,) and a call to the logs department in the morning for them to add a note to my log file explaining the exception. At other carriers, that may be pack your stuff and go find a different job... just depends.

But... that doesn't mean that you just willy-nilly keep on driving just because. A good example is trying to run out your 11-hour clock late at night. When your time is up, the emergency exceptions to part 395 doesn't mean you keep driving until you find an open parking spot. It means you have to be a little more conservative under elogs, and find an open spot before you run out of time.

 

I remember that discussion.

I have never used them and I have almost never been delayed due to weather. But then I always just drive, even in the most horrendous conditions... I'm comfortable with it.

Oh my goodness, please don't start "that discussion" in here.