Question about EOBR's

[One]

There is little need to look for work or take a job when you have your unemployment benefits extended again and again. One problem is that some people refuse to consider anything outside of their current field or area of expertise. If you don't have any money coming in you are much more likely to take what you can get to put food on the table. There are not as many people who want to work, but many who want a paycheck.

Dont start that crap again! Why cant you come up with something original rather than repeating something you heard from an Ayn Rand worshiper?
There are not enough jobs to go around, even if everyone took any job available there would still be unemployed people. Unemployment?? i was unemployed for a month and i havent seen a dime yet, but if/when i actually get something it would be $246/week...so what do i pay? rent or buy food? hmmm...starve or be homeless, yes i love these options, i think I'll just be unemployed forever and live the high life!

So dont give me that **** Gman. Contrary to the neo- conservative mantra, repeating a lie over and over does not make it the truth.

[Malaki86]

Pretty sure the $318/wk I can get on unemployment won't come within a C-hair of what I make while working. Sure, I'd rather sit around on my ass doing nothing, but the bills say otherwise.

[GMAN]

Dont start that crap again! Why cant you come up with something original rather than repeating something you heard from an Ayn Rand worshiper?
There are not enough jobs to go around, even if everyone took any job available there would still be unemployed people. Unemployment?? i was unemployed for a month and i havent seen a dime yet, but if/when i actually get something it would be $246/week...so what do i pay? rent or buy food? hmmm...starve or be homeless, yes i love these options, i think I'll just be unemployed forever and live the high life!

So dont give me that **** Gman. Contrary to the neo- conservative mantra, repeating a lie over and over does not make it the truth.

I don't need to listen to anyone to see what is going on. You liberals always want to go on the attack when you don't have a basis of fact for your point of view. You assume that the majority of us can't think for ourselves because we don't share your tainted view of the world. We just use common sense. I know thast there are areas of the country that are more depressed than others. However, I have seen with my own eyes those who will work long enough to get unemployment and then quit so they can max out their unemployment and repeat the cycle. I don't know your specific situation, nor am I saying that everyone who collects unemployment will not pursue gainful employment, but many will not look for a job as long as they have a check coming in where they can buy a few cigarettes, beer or drugs.

I have had a local state employment office call me over the last several years and ask if I have hired a list of people who state they had applied for jobs. Most of them I had never spoken with, much less interviewed. These people are riding the system. They must demonstrate that they are trying to get a job in order to keep their unemployment benefits coming in. There are thousands of driving jobs that are not being filled. Other industries also have jobs available.

Often jobs are available, but not in a field or the pay that the job seeker wants. When you are not working any job is better than sitting at home. It isn't a lie when you confront the facts.

[RostyC]

I just saw a video on another board where a tanker truck passed a car on the right hand shoulder of a four lane interstate. How is an EOBR going to stop this behavior? These types of behavior are more dangerous imo than someone over his hours by a few minutes.

Computers are good tools but once again man abuses everything he gets his hands on.
You can't mandate safe behavior.

[Fozzy]

I just saw a video on another board where a tanker truck passed a car on the right hand shoulder of a four lane interstate. How is an EOBR going to stop this behavior? These types of behavior are more dangerous imo than someone over his hours by a few minutes.

Computers are good tools but once again man abuses everything he gets his hands on.
You can't mandate safe behavior.

There isn't any real system that can deal with people doing things completely and criminally stupid. BUT that being said, it is the realization that these things happen that cause all of the decent, hard working drivers being subjected to more and more monitoring or even what amounts to babysitting. The type of behaviors that you describe at some point in time ends in catastrophe. When that eventually happens.. if the driver is lucky, he ends up wiping himself off and simply leaving the company to ply his idiocy somewhere else. The company is stuck with everything relating to the stupid behavior. Companies cannot afford many of these and the costs of these accidents make the costs of monitoring systems completely warranted. The rest of the drivers concerns about their own level or safety or professionalism becomes irrelevant.

[geeshock]

Just a note, I just started the elogs here at celadon and suprisingly, I have no issues with them. I haven't lost time, usually I actually gain time. Yeh, it sux if I'm cought in traffic but where I would travel an insane amount of miles and logs might contest it, now it's on record and nothing to contest and the joy of hitting a button then forgetting about it is actually pretty nice. One other thing, those scales see elog on the side of the truck and usually just wave me on by

[Malaki86]

U got the elogs already, eh? My 'number' hasn't came up yet.

[geeshock]

actually you might hit me but I put my own name on the list. was in indy one day and just walked over to logs and asked them if there was an opening.

[Copperhead]

Just a note, I just started the elogs here at celadon and suprisingly, I have no issues with them. I haven't lost time, usually I actually gain time. Yeh, it sux if I'm cought in traffic but where I would travel an insane amount of miles and logs might contest it, now it's on record and nothing to contest and the joy of hitting a button then forgetting about it is actually pretty nice. One other thing, those scales see elog on the side of the truck and usually just wave me on by

Actually if you are still well within your 14, the traffic congestion issue isn't that big of deal either. If it stop and go kind of jam up, when you stop, just select on duty. Sure, you will be still using hours up, but not your driving hours. With the system that is in my truck, it will kick back to driving after 1.2 miles or above 25 mph. But at next stop in the jam, I select on duty again. You can save quite a bit of driving time that way. If your driving time is already competing with your 14 duty time, then it really makes no difference, and doing this means nothing. But you do have 3 hours in that 14 to play with. Me, personally, if I was going to be stopped for a long period, like waiting for accident to be cleared out of the way, I would just select off duty.

My carrier put one in my truck last December, and like you it has had a minimal effect negatively on me. I even had a couple of my best months in the last 3 years this year while using the EOBR. Go figure.

[geeshock]

that's true copperhead. I think the reason your best months are since is becuse the company don't have to ask you for hours you have left, they look at what the elog says and plan acordingly. I can say the same here, since they gave me the elog I've knoticed more load stacking since they know prety close to how many hours I have left.

[One]

Me, personally, if I was going to be stopped for a long period, like waiting for accident to be cleared out of the way, I would just select off duty.

.

The program may let u do that, but legally u cannot be off duty while sitting still on the interstate- or at a shipper..

[Copperhead]

The program may let u do that, but legally u cannot be off duty while sitting still on the interstate- or at a shipper..

While technically true, after 3 decades in this game, I am not going to lose any sleep over such technicalities. I show roughly 10 min on duty at unload, load, or drop and hook. If I am going to be stopped for anything more than 5 min, going to OD or sleeper. I have endured numerous FMCSA audits over the years and never been cited for one log violation, on paper or EOBR. Just had FMCSA do an audit on my logs at the company a few weeks ago.

You have to keep in mind, that with so many nuances to the regulations, that they cannot spend time looking at every detail of the regs like you can. There is just so many enforcement personnel and so many hours in a day. Case in point, I hardly ever give the annual truck check 72 hr thing a minute of my time. I keep my stuff in order and I have not been pulled in for one of those blitzes in over 12 years. Haven't had any roadside or scale inspection for over 4 years. Point is, the odds of any enforcement person zeroing in on minute details such as whether I was legally on or off duty at a shipper, is so remote. Worrying about it is not worth my time. They would have to prove that I was not legally off duty when I said I was. Most of my customers do not document times on B/L and I do spend some of the time there not doing any work related to unloading or loading. So, for any FMCSA person reading this, if you want to waste time on the obscure chance you might find a minute or two in error.... have fun.

[Copperhead]

I just saw a video on another board where a tanker truck passed a car on the right hand shoulder of a four lane interstate. How is an EOBR going to stop this behavior? These types of behavior are more dangerous imo than someone over his hours by a few minutes.

Computers are good tools but once again man abuses everything he gets his hands on.
You can't mandate safe behavior.

there is no amount of regulations that will stop people from doing stupid things. EOBR's have nothing to do with that. The argument is not valid.

[mitchno1]

do your eobr's record your speed every 30 seconds ,over here trks pay in advance road user charges ,bout $2000 in advance for 5000ks trk 3000ks trailer (logging rig piggy back trailer)sum have eroad system which sounds like ur eobr's ,automaticly updates RUCS but also tells boss your speed and times'no doubt cops have hackers that hack into system to watch you .legally they have to get warrant to check office computer

[Fozzy]

The systems that I have experience with record everything in real time, Hackers are not necessary.. The LEOS can audit the records the same with any logging system. If an incident comes up, the driver can record the event or some recorders will record the incidents automatically. Some systems have build in accelerometers that activate a "save" of the data should the system think that its been involved in an accident or even an unsafe act and save the seconds that precede and follow the event that triggered the save. This record shows all sorts of information (this is basically a black box like the air industry uses).

[Fozzy]

Along with the EOBRs for logging, there are other systems that companies are using such as; Drivecam The Driver Safety and Driver Productivity System | Driver Risk Management (check out the videos) and Green Road GreenRoad | Delivering the best drivers on the road This is the system that we use currently.

[Malaki86]

The QC in my truck activate an 'Event' if my ABS activates for any reason. It's fun on ice, even when there's no 'Event' other than losing traction for a split second.