HOS changes and my perspective on EOBR's...

Again, can't speak for anyone else but a dispatcher is no better than the info he has in front of him/her, so if my driver tells me last night that he is going to deliver when they open in the morning, I schedule accordingly.

Now, let's say that driver, for whatever reason stopped early/short last night, and now isn't going to deliver till 11:00 in the morning, I come in the morning VERY early, drivers are still sleeping to put loads together.

So I put something together that I KNOW he will have plenty of time to setup, get loaded and get out,,,,,,,,,,THAT IS IF he was where he said he was going to be. Turns out that for whatever reason, he stopped early last night.

It screws up the day, causes a lot of stress for the driver, the shipper, and everyone else involved.

The way it now works is, first thing in the morning, I check to see where my trucks are, OH, I see Driver John, didn't get where he thought he would, I will now look for something that is closer or easier for him to schedule, because I KNOW he isn't going to deliver first thing.

Now, you might ask, how do I think this makes him safer, I really do, because now he is not being "PUSHED" (see what I did there) to make his drop AND fight late day traffic, AND get picked up.

If you have driven for a long time you darn well know, or should, that sometimes the smallest most insignificant delay can cause your whole day to get knocked sideways, and that is when the crap usually hits the fan, IF I can avoid that from happening, it DOES, in my mind anyway, make him a safer driver!

Stan

 

Its very simple.


The ones who prefer Eobrs should be allowed to operate with such.


The ones who prefer paper should be allowed to operate with such.


The arguement of less manner and form violations isn't relevant as I along with many other drivers are smart and cautious enough to make sure we are correct on the paper logs. The drivers that can not do their jobs should be fired if the carrier is unwilling to allow such stupidity.


The argument of efficency or less time consuming isn't valid either. I can draw a line just as quickly as an elogger can push his buttons. With communication via phone and or email or text there is no NEED to have to have Eobrs to communicate with the driver for available hours. The carrier should already know the drivers hours if they are doing their jobs.

The argument of making more money running Eobrs is bogus if the driver and carrier were doing their part in the first place. I guarantee I make the same if not more money than a guy running Eobrs. I have never been put OOS.

If drivers and carriers need Eobrs to operate their business then so be it but stop saying they are the only way to keep alive in this industry. If you can not operate safely and make money without Eobrs then maybe you shouldn't be in this industry.

 

I have not personally met a driver who loves e-logs. I know drivers using them and say they aren't that bad.
But that's not what I would call love.
I also know drivers who don't like them.
Actually, the real problem is the lack of flexibility with the hos rules.
I have awakened in a rest area after 7 hours of sleep and then waited 3 hours to start driving because of these rules.
I often kill 1 or 2 hours just waiting for my break to end. I would rather use tbat time somewhere down the road when I wanna take a short break.

 

So who's going to buy a Qualcom for me if they're so freakin' wonderful? An EOBR is just something else that we O/O have to pay for, yet make no money in return for what we have to spend on them. I'll bet all you company driver's would change your tune if YOU had to pay for these, not your company.

 

After you find someone to buy one for you, I want someone to pay the monthly fee as well.

 

Maybe you could just jack up your frieght rate, you know pass all your increase in new added regulated expense onto the customer..

 

Well, I see the the new HOS that went into effect today didn't cause the trucking industry to crash and burn My day was awesome as most days are where I work.

I unloaded and reloaded this morning and put in an easy 550 miles today, which right about where I like to be. I stopped mid-day and made myself lunch and satisfied the 30 minute break requirement.

Oh, I forgot to mention, my EOBR performed flawlessly

 

Truth be told, I will save MORE than enough in just my insurance premium going down to pay for the hardware AND the service. Actually, I will save a ridiculous amount, already have to quote.

 

a friend driving for the eastern European Chicago types
his safety department sat him down and showed him how to show a restart on paper
and never stop the truck
as long as this happens government restrictions will increase
and elogs will become more restrictive
common sense and drivers is preferable
but how many don't see the $$$ signs if they get to California 36 hours early
and put themselves in bad situations
as bad as the government screws up everything they touch
even the government doesn't step into situationa and create the original law that had a base in need


I HAVE MET THE ENEMY AND IT IS ME

 

Again, if you do not have drivers that you are financially responsible or liable for you simply don't have enough information to make that assessment. Everything may be all rosy in your PERFECTLY logged world, more power to you for that, all I am saying is, it is NOT what most of us on THIS side of the desk encounter on a daily basis.