Freewheeling/Practical ELD conundrums

Does DOT have software that automatically identifies ELD violations? Specifically, even little things like fueling off duty? Do they have software to check you out for weeks or even months?

I know of a company that 'cheats' when in a bind. Driving off duty then later assigning the time to another driver; improper use of PC; unplugging the unit... is this common? I never did that on my dedicated route but it sounds like OTR and O/Os are getting squeezed more.

I knew all of the tricks of paper logs. But, take a scenario like this: one hour away from getting home where you can do a reset. Instead, the ELD is telling you to stop an hour away which will prevent the reset and force you on to recap- that might even cause you to have to change a delivery time on a load already booked.

Just trying to find out how things really work. In school they taught us to fill out our paper logbooks according to our watches but most of us filled them out using a calculator- never showing time lost to traffic back ups or other imperfect conditions. We wiggled a lot with the paper logs. Would you really give up a chance to reset because you needed one more hour to get home (and, other such pinches)?

 

They do have it somewhere, because I just finished my new entrant safety audit. Had to send in 30 consecutive days of logs. Guy said he ran them through their program, and there were zero red flags, so he didn't even look at them. Other than that, I have no idea how it works, what it looks for, or how widespread the system is.

@ZVar
@Moosetek13

 

I run omnitracs IVG the ERODS sends logs directly to FMCSA and suns those last 7 days through a computer program to identify any issues. Officer can view roadside snd if they come back from FMCSA no violations officer moves on

 

I pay cash for fuel always have along with everything else virtually.

 

Ooo, just as I expected. These are computers. They COULD find out anything they want with a few clicks of a mouse. Not saying they do but the technology is just that simple.

DOT stopped me at a rest area. All I can remember is when the ELD was first required and most DOT officers didn't want to mess with them. I was shocked when he downloaded my logs into his laptop.

He said nothing about unsigned logs. He said nothing about fueling off duty. I had just come off a reset. I'm just trying to get the ins and outs and learning if some sectors of the industry push it more than others.

I'm not boasting when I say it was not uncommon to do 24 straight hours in the oilfield with paper logs.

 

Automatically!? Man, you definitely have to go by the letter of the law.

 

I came from the oilfield. Wireline specifically. "Waiting at Wellsite" was a beautiful thing. Not only does it pause the clock, but you can even reset while you've been working thirty hours straight, and then drive all the equipment back to the yard and spend another eight hours cleaning it. God was the money right.

 

Yeah, but if you never log fuel, you know, is this truck nuclear powered? Lol

 

Look at you? You're serious about all this.

Crazy, huh? Not funny but we had a guy in a fatality way over hours with white out on his logs (duhh...) and he had another job while the accident was under investigation.

 

Oh hell yes. I made six figures for fifteen years. Three years as a roustabout, then switched to wireline. Ran the bumper for a year, ran the truck for nine years, and was ops manager the last two years. Made over two hundred grand a year for probably the last five years.

But I got sick of dealing with the rollercoaster. And the pissy customers that were always mad about "something", even when everything was going smooth. The best is when they shut the hydraulic valve on the wireline, and you still get blamed.

I net far less with my truck, but I'm ten times happier.