Why aren't logs required for local work?

nah, they ask you a few questions.

 

No, you are NOT exempt from the HOS, only from the requirements to fill out the graph-grid to record your changes in duty status...and that is only IF you meet certain requirements to claim that exemption.
1) limited to a 100 air-mile radius (115 statute miles).
2) released from duty within 12 hours.
3) return to your starting location to be released from duty.
4) the company keeps a record of your hours worked.
If ANY of those requirements are not met on any particular day, then you must complete the graph-grid to record your changes in duty status for that day.

Why?

Because HOS still apply, and you're still only allowed to drive 11 hours. It is next to impossible to do that working a 12 hour day inside a 100 air-mile radius once you factor in such things as loading, unloading, dropping, hooking, fueling, paperwork, vehicle inspections, etc... that will all be happening during the day.

But why the exemption?

Because I know personally I have had days where I was hauling rock 6 miles from a quarry, across a bridge into another state, dumping, and heading back for another load. Took 30-40 minutes to turn. Good luck showing loading, driving, unloading, and driving time in 15 minute blocks for 15 rounds, plus a fuel stop...AND KEEP IT NEAT & LEGIBLE! You'd spend more time drawing in that silly book than you do actually working.

 

You couldn't do it. It's impossible.

 

State lines do not matter, stick a pin in the location of your terminal on a map and draw a line out 114.63 statute miles and make a circle at that distance.

Go over the 12 consecutive hours [staying inside that circle] and they expect you to draw a 'Grid Log' from memory....we all know how exact that will be...

Go outside the circle and you need to make a grid log for that day.

With the electronic stuff, you are still exempt but anyone who need to draw a log more than a few times a month will need the onboard setup.

Always remember to answer log questions with I am working under the 100air mile radius exemption...

When the DOT came in, I had 9 locations, each with a cadre of local trucks using the exemption. The auditor didn't want to see any of them, just the guys running the road and drawing logs.

Your employer has to keep the time sheets/cards and the infamous 'supporting documents' for 6 months incase the DOT comes in. An inspector asking my guy for his time card will get his plastic mag strip card he swipes through the clock to punch in and out...you are not expected to carry it with you.

 

You ARE NOT EXEMPT from HOS. You are exempt from requirements to LOG your HOS (Record Of Duty Status RODS or logbook). You, and I when I was short-haul driving, are every bit as limited by the same 14 hours and 11 hour limits. You just aren't required to keep an up to date record of your daily activity because the regular operation you work for routinely finishes driving before you get to those limits and you get regular time off/sleep.

 

Yes, the DOT has an interpretation of the regs that allows that. If a local driver did that his log page would show Pre-Trip, On-Duty for each city, and then Post-Trip. Essentially if the DOT required local drivers to draw on their log page it would show no useful info except start and stop time. Start & stop time are recorded by the timeclock, or equivalent, required for the short-haul driver.

 

I worked under the short-haul exemption for logbook for about 18 years. Each time I was asked for logbook I simply said "I work under the 100 air-mile exemption" or "I'm a short-haul driver". It helped I was in a daycab.

I know some of our drivers, where most drivers are on e-logs but they were not, would answer a request for a logbook by saying they are on e-logs. I've never heard of an officer going in depth on HOS after that.

 

Yes, logbook required for drivers that normally work under the short-haul/100 air-mile exemption, whenever they exceed requirements for the short-haul/100 air-mile exemption. So logbook is required if you go beyond the 100 air-mile radius, work over 12 hours.

Also, in case anyone is still thinking state lines has ANYTHING to do with logbook exemption, crossing a state line has NO EFFECT on FMCSA requirement for logging. Cross no state line or cross 40 state lines it has no effect on requirement for a logbook requirementn for short-haul/100 air-mile exemption.

 

been a very long time for me to have remembered that stuff. i used to have the "green book" by my side here at the pc, can't find the thing now. maybe i even tossed it out.