HOS & Repairs

You’re off duty after you get to shop..also log out of your eld anytime you go into shop in case mechanics take your truck on test drive so it doesn’t log on your logbook

 

On duty driving to the shop, then if you want to make your logs look good go on duty not driving for 5-10 minutes or so for checking the truck in, then off duty and log out until you pick the truck up.

 

this is what i also do

 

Depending on the eld program you use, there should be available a place to enter in if somebody else beside you operates the truck, something like ‘unassigned driver’, or such. DO NOT GIVE THE MECHANIC YOUR SIGN IN!! Just because nobody signs into the eld, doesn’t mean the truck can’t be driven. There is a process(at least there should be) for ‘unassigned drive time’). Don’t just leave yourself ‘off duty’ in the eld, completely ‘sign-out’.

 

Go off duty and log out of the ELD as others have said. Add a notation "truck being serviced" or some such.

When you log back in, your device should give you some type of alert about unassigned drive time, and will prompt you to either accept it or reject it.

Reject it and move on with your life. It will then be up to your safety department to assign that drive time to a mechanic or whatever they do with it.

But by having that notation in there, if your logs get inspected and they see that unassigned drive time you should be covered on your end. Save a copy of the service invoice as further proof if you really want to cover yourself.

 

Unless your an O/O in which case for MY logs at least. Before i drop it off i do an onduty message of "truck left at (name and city of mechanic shop i.e omaha peterbilt)" then log out. Then if my truck is test driven. There is a line on the system for "unassigned drive time" i just attach in the notes for it "truck mechanic used vehicle" and if anyone looks they will see the notes and gps logs showing it went into the building came out, potentially went back in and then got parked on the lot or driven again. takes all of 45 seconds or so.

Then when you pick it up in the pre trip line i usually add something like "post servive pre trip" so they know i just got it back.

 

There is something about this topic that does not make any sense to me. Maybe it is almost 13 years since I retired and things have changed more than I remember. I don't remember many mechanics doing road tests for minor repairs or PMs. I consider a minor repair anything that can be finished within 48 hours. They have the computers to test the engine while it is running and other than some movement around the shop are not doing much driving because honestly more often than not a mechanic does not have a CDL and can't operate a CMV on the highway. Most of the time if a truck needs a Major repair the carrier will remove the driver and assign them another tractor. Yes, I have seen mechanics road test tractors. I am saying it has been my experience that most don't do anything other than drive the tractor around the shop and park it. Again, it has been OVER a decade since I was last an active driver!

 

They don’t have to take it on a road test. Moving it in the lot will trigger driving if they go faster than 5mph. And most of the time they do.