Elogs for 1 or 2 truck operations...

Not really....with a clock counting down staring me in the face that could possibly show me in violation with only minutes to spare to get where I need to be I'm gonna mash the gas and stress. Knowing I can draw a line on paper 15 minutes back where no one will ever know the difference makes me not rushed or stressed. And I wouldn't consider 15 minutes not doing it properly. Several hours maybe but when you're talking minutes....no.

 

Are we still talking about 1 truck operations here? The same people who can choose loads where they're not showing up to the shipper at the ### end of their clock?

 

O/O' s......CAN'T.............control detention on EITHER side.

 

Don't know how I got tagged but interesting conversation. They were bringing elogs back in Australia before I came over here last year. It was by choice of the company not mandatory. I thought they were the most idiotic thing there was. Last 10 minutes before your due for a break of any kind it would beep like crazy at you. If your in the middle of high density traffic and trying to get to a yard, what are you choices if you run out of time on elogs stuck in traffic? Pull on the air brakes in 4 lanes of traffic and hit the bunk. Get fined for blocking traffic, or get fined for going out of hours? Already with paperwork you can get it to the yard/delivery location/rest area and go on your break. Even if it's an hour atleast with a regular logbook you can get it out of the way safely. It's a better idea than parking where you sit because of something out of your control and some machine tells you are meant to...

If that same machine told some people to go straight ahead into an ocean they probably would. Because their slowly losing the ability to think for themselves.

 

Having read through these. It seems to me the simple solution is thus.

Buy an older than 2000 truck, keep it maintained, and log it how you want with paper.

 

Back to the original OP. The VDO system is cheapest for single or small truck fleets because it doesn't have a great deal of software to transmit logs via the internet. It will be available but as an option. You have to put it on a thumbdrive(stick) and hand it to folks in the office to download, which is fine for small operations.

Some things to consider:
About 50 of 225 trucks in our fleet can legally stay on paper logs. HOWEVER. The data captured(scanned) is going to be in the same format as the electronic logs. And that is the most important thing the FMCSA wants. All log data they ask for will be in the same format across all platforms, something they do not have now with EOBR's, which will have until Dec 2019 to get in sync with the ELD legislation. And Peoplenet among others are not waiting, they are implementing changes now.
Instead of sending a human to do an audit at the place of business, they can do like the IRS does now with a "telephone" audit. Send us all of your last 6 months on all your drivers electronically( in a few minutes), we have specially designed algorithms in our program to examine irregularities, exactly like the IRS does with every single return filed electronically.
Example: Trucks on ELD's will show certain patterns, like average lower speeds because all time driving is accounted for. Drivers on paper will likely show higher average speeds, causing a red flag to go up. Same goes for short( 4 or 5 minutes) pretrips or delivery times possible on ELD's. Their algorithmic programs will catch all of that. Abuse of PC time, unassigned driving time, and other patterns.
So, those drivers who think that a pre 2000 truck will save them, that is not likely the case. It is not like the folks at the FMCSA don't have the expertise or where with all to anticipate these things. It is not their job to consider the consequences, just enforce the law, no matter how flawed it is.

 

It depends on what "training" you have. We have 3 different options.
1)Standard is 12 hours of work wether that be driving and loading/unloading or just driving. Must have a 30 minute break after 6 hours. Must be off duty for minimum 10 hours. Log book only used 100km away from home base. Must reset for 24 hours after 6 days. Only valid on vehicles over 15t capacity
2)Advanced fatigue management is 14 hours. Which can be done in 3 blocks. 4 hours, then 15minute break, 6 hours then half hour break, then 4 hours. Again inclusive of loading/unloading and driving. Most drivers shut the book off while loading unloading and if not needed to load sleep while that's happening so they have the hours for driving. Must be off duty minimum 7 hours for next day reset. No more than 20 hours of nightie driving between 1-5am per 72 hour "week" after 72 hours you must have a 24 hour break. Book resets after any 24 hour break. Book must be used for any work related excersize in a commercial vehicle over 15t

3) only valid in Western Australia. 17 hours per day 7 hour reset, 1 x 30 minute break after 6 hours and 1 x 15 minute break after another 6. Reset is 7 hours. One continuous 24 hour break after 6 days.

Outside of hours fines is $435 per 15 minute or part thereof infraction. They go thru your whole book back to last inspection stamp. 3 miscalculations can make a good day into a really bad week very fast. Cheating the driving part is hard as on our highways we have point to point cameras for tracking trucks for fatigue and speed. All trucks are speed limited to 100 kmh for figure over 15t and single trailer semi and Bdoubles. All road trains of any configuration are not allowed to exceed 90 kmh UpTo 150t, 150t plus is 80 kmh. Heavy haulage depends on permit. But if you need a permit if sons gone your off the road. Any driver registers ANY reading besides .000 while in control of a commercial vehicle say goodbye to your licence, bend over, apply Vaseline and prepare yourself because that fines going to hurt.