How to log

If one were to log line 4 for unloading/loading, your day would be gone pretty quick! I always go to line 4 for 15 minutes, then to line 1 and havent had any problems so far. I dont log scaling the load either, but now that you have me thinking about it, Ill call the log dept tomarrow to see what they say.

 

DOT was in my office about 5 months ago! I asked about dropping and a driver flagging it. He said here is the general rule, anything a driver does that involves work (not driving) will take a MINIMUM of 15 minutes line 4.

Loading/unloading to log any of that time as "off duty" (line 1) you have to be relieved of all responsibility while loading/unloading.
I always suggest logging line 4 for the amount of time dealing with it and then going to the sleeper and relax, read a book etc. It would only do you good.


SONNY WANTS HIS COMPUTER, GOTTA GO!

 

question for logsrus,if a driver does a good 20or 30 minute post trip when he shuts down at night for his 10 hr break,why would it take longer than 15 minutes to do a pretrip in the morning before he starts hisor her day? also logs,say a driver is bored to tears and off duty at a shipper with co. permission, he's just walking around his truck just looking at things ,here and there passing time,would he or her have to,or should show it on the log? as an inspection,or just flag it? just curious,i've done it many times.

 

I discuss pre-trip & post-trip in this link "it's in this forum"

http://www.thetruckersreport.com/tr...ons/29371-pre-trip-and-post-trip-reports.html

I would say it's on-duty because you would not be walking around the truck if you wasn't waiting to be loaded or unloaded.

I can discuss more or look through these threads and I discuss the loading/unloading.

I suggest going to the sleeper while they load you. Most dot doesn't say anything about being off duty but I did have a driver get written up for being off duty at the customer but he was doing it all the time!

On duty is always ok at loading/unloading

 

Last employer told me that I couldn't log on line 1 at any time I am with the truck, since I was a team driver. They said to log on line 2,3 or 4 for everything unless I was leaving the truck for home time or eating a meal, showering or in a bathroom. To make it more clear to me, they told me that if I am in the passenger seat while the truck was rolling under the other drivers control, I was to be on line 4 and not on line 1. They followed by telling me that if the truck is moving and I'm not the driver for that time, I am to be only in the sleeper unless I want to log on line 4. That seems ridiculous to me. What say you?

 

Driving through a scale is one thing and could be "flagged" however doing a CAT scale is almost always going to take 15 minutes at least. Time yourself at least 10 times and see how long it actually takes. Keeping in mind that all time dealing with it (paying, scaling etc) is on line 4.

Read the below options if you don't know where you are! EAch MUST follow the "NEAREST" City & State. This is the Q&A out of the dot book

h)(5) Location - Remarks. The name of the city, town, or village, with State abbreviation where each change of duty status occurs shall be recorded.

Note: If a change of duty status occurs at a location other than a city, town, or village, show one of the following:
(1) the highway number and nearest milepost followed by the name of the nearest city, town, or village and State abbreviation,
(2) the highway number and the name of the service plaza followed by the name of the nearest city, town, or village and State abbreviation, or
(3) the highway numbers of the nearest two intersecting roadways followed by the name of the nearest city, town, or village and State abbreviation.

 

That's pretty much the facts! The company can relieve you of all responsibilty of the truck to allow you to log line 1 for meal breaks, showers etc. However before you assume you are not responsible there will be some clauses to that somewhere I am sure to always hold you somewhat responsible as in parking in a secure area etc.

But to log line 1 while under dispatch they must give their approval either verbal or in writting "much easier in writting"

If you fueled your car for gas and your wife asked how long it took to fuel the car you would Count all time right? SO you would say from the time you hit the gas station to the time you paid that's kind of what you should do on your log sheets.

If you are doing something you enjoy and dispatch relieves you of responsibility you can log off duty (line 1)
If your body is in the sleeper you should log in the sleeper (line 2)
If you are in control of that wheel you should be showing driving (line 3)
If you are dealing with the company,work,etc it is logged as on-duty (line 4)

I hope this helps I did it in simple terms and quick

 

But as a driver I do not get paid for the time, I only get paid when the wheels are turning. My wife, on the other hand, will give me something I value for the time. If it takes me 45 mins to fuel I will still log 15 mins.

Until the government is will to change the pay system, driver will always cheat on the books to get more driving time.

Mark