We really do not know the full extent of this false log book deal with you, now do we? It could have been something as simple as mis-dating the day, or mis-marking the time of fueling or any toll you may have crossed, or your break. Now if the DOT guy went deep into your log book and found say more than 2 infractions, than that to me says you really do not know (or understand) on how to log, which frankly at times, not everyone can be perfect. In all my years of paper logs, I always try to be NEAT when I make my lines, and write down the location, etc. NEATNESS does count. It's when one is sloppy, that I have found the DOT starts going back several days. I was in the CT scale house on I-95 north in Greenwich, when I got called into the scale house and to take everything. The DOT cop scanned through my log book like one does looking at a drawing of a cartoon. Everything was near perfect, he handed my my book, and said, go driver. The guy next to me? That DOT cop was going PAGE BY PAGE, and I could plainly see the ink blotches, and scribbles. Something to hide perhaps? That's what the DOT is looking for.
why did you show him your fuel/toll/scale/walmart/etc receipt? 8 days, BOL and truck stuff, med card and drivers lic.....THATS IT
Same here but you would see it at both ends of the week. Monday morning everyone was filling out logs for the week then Friday everyone was redoing them. With e-logs now I was unofficially shown how to disable it so I could claim it failed and revert to paper. Company didn't want e-logs but we're forced to get them from a couple of DOT audits. Like was said in the old days (before my time) it was expected that you cheat them. When I started it was accepted. Anymore there's not a whole lot of companies that still turn a blind eye (mostly due to company liability). Anymore it's just not worth cheating. On a normal inspection they don't dig all that deep so you can still get away with it but with that school bus or any other major incident they will catch you. That's when they start reviewing everything including all the traffic cameras and hundreds of other ways they track our every move.
49CFR395.8(f)(1) states: "Drivers shall keep their record of duty status current to the time shown for the last change of duty status." 49CFR395.13 requires a driver failing to maintain a record of duty to be declared Out-of-Service. In addition to the Out-of-Service, civil penalties may also be imposed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and you'll probably receive a ticket with fines being assisted by the State having jurisdiction. Subpart D Driver Disqualifications and Penalties says: 383.53 Penalties. (b) Special penalties pertaining to violation of Out-of-Service orders (1) Driver violations. A driver who is convicted of violating an Out-of-Service order shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $2,500 for a first conviction and not less than $5,000 for a second or subsequent conviction, in addition to disqualification under 383.51(e). (2) Employer violations. An employer who is convicted of a violation of 383.37(c) shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $2,750 nor more than $25,000.
I doubt seriously ant company would fire you over a logbook ticket. Depends obyour record, Maybe you need to tell the whole story to get a true rsponse .
Actually, the DOT cop can demand your log book, and go back the entire month, then he can go back the previous 8 days from the previous month, which is why after the 8th day, leave your old log book at home. If you carry paper logs like the loose leaf type, which I had at another job, then YES you keep only 8 days with you at any given time. I know you were asking the o/p, but for me as I said, we still use paper logs. When I fuel up each night, I show that as my 30 minute break, why? Because my nights are not more than 8 hours, sometimes only 4 hours, due to the customer's load order. We have EZ Pass as well, so I do not mark down any times for that. It is better (for me) to show a 30 minute break and not have to produce a fuel ticket. Someone would have to prove I was at a truck stop fueling, rather than say a rest area. This is how I've been doing it on this job for the past 4 years now. I think it is possible, the o/p showed say 15 minutes for fueling, (does the DOT want to see 30 minutes?) or maybe 45 minutes, but started driving before the time he was legally able to. Clearly falsifying a log, but many of us have started driving a "few minutes" before we were supposed to. Which of course, you can get a speeding ticket by that, or if in an accident, nailed for being at the place at the wrong time!
It all depends on your company, if your first violation? Probably not, but they will surely have some sort of discipline, running like in outlaw drivers castle becoming a thing of the past, with the new CSA and PSP, your better off running legal, keep your log book current, I won't tell you I've never ran more than 1 log book, because that would be a lie, but today! I'm stick to the rules of the road, getting to many points on your CSA can cause you to be un-hirable, take care of your CDL like it was your child, best of luck
Most drivers include way too much info in there log, First only write whats required in the comments, City State.
I agree, BUT I had actually worked for a company, that WANTED fueling stops, lunch stops, coffee breaks, tolls, all flagged or included with the city/state. Can I tell you how many times me and safety cut a carpet over my NOT doing that? I became a pretty darned good dancer, for the 5 years I was there. God, I miss that job too.
