Quote:
Originally Posted by Rookie McRookerson
Thanks for the clarification Golfhobo. I didn't PM you because I'm not real savie on doing that.
Now that I have that clarification I still have the more general question from experienced drivers: In the real world of driving, how are you really logging your hours? I'm not looking for the legal wording. I'm more interested in how drivers out there are managing their time.
No disrespect intended Golfhobo. Just trying to see how creative people are in this practice.
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None taken. I was just poking fun at myself! :wink:
Now.... are you saying that I don't qualify as an experienced driver?? :shock:
Just kidding again!!
I think Orangetxguy and Jack07 gave you the straight poop. As your trainer said, if you log EVERYTHING legal in OTR, you won't make any money, cuz you won't have any time left for driving.
Many of us don't like to flat out show newbies how to cheat on this board, but..... since you're pressing me......
Remember, your log does not always have to show where you are exactly. i.e: If I arrive early at a shipper, and have hours to wait. Who says I didn't "wait" those hours at a Truckstop or the side of the road? Maybe, I JUST arrived at the shipper in time for my appointment. No way I'm logging HOURS on line 4 just because I'm on the shipper's property.
Or if I DO say I'm there (it only says what town I'm in, anyway,) I'm in the sleeper for as much time as I can show! Most shippers won't have you tying up an actual DOCK for more time than necessary, but it can STILL take hours to load/unload you at times.
First.... I don't log ANYTHING until after it happens and I am ready to leave. Then, I determine how creative I can be at saving my 70. First question is whether or not my bills are time stamped to show start and stop times. Usually they ARE! :evil:
So, if these yahoos say they took 3 hours to load me, I show 15 mins to encompass the start time, then go to sleeper, then show 15-30 mins to "load" and get my paperwork.
If they don't time stamp, I show 15-30 mins for the whole process, and I show it happened when I WANT it to have happened. If I got there at 6 a.m. and they didn't get around to me until 10, I MIGHT say they got me at 6 a.m. and I took a break following that. I'm not showing 4 hours on line 4, when I didn't do anything but REST the whole time.
Now, remember. I had to show starting my 14 hour clock anyway... so there's no way this "saving" of time on my 70 is going to mean that I'm able to drive past the 14 hour clock for that day, unless I was there for OVER 8 hours, in which case.... you're dang right I want those hours back!
"Fudging" my logs so I can get my job done that day or week, is ONE thing. But, I won't usually go so far as to cheat in a manner and with the purpose of.... driving beyond the limits that the Feds say will make me a sleepy and dangerous driver. I DON'T condone running two logbooks so that a driver can basically drive for 20 hours straight without a break!
Also, there is what's called speed averaging. So, if I drove slow or stopped too many times to pee, or stretch, or whatever... when I get somewhere, I may "tighten up" my log to show that I ONLY used the driving time that I SHOULD have used to get there. Then, after resting at the shipper for more time than my body needs to recuperate from a little bit of driving, I'll have driving time left to get down the road.... as long as it doesn't exceed the 14 hour limit.
If I AM "split logging" and I took 4, 30 minute breaks during my drive, I MAY say that I took ONE 2 hour break, this means I only need to "shut down" for 8 hours when the time comes, allowing me to leave sooner and get down the road.
Now... many on here MIGHT call me a cheat or a hypocrite or whatever. But, MANY have done the same thing. Many don't have to because they have those great paying jobs. Fact is, many OTR drivers are just barely making it, and will do what they need to to survive, or get out of the business.
The regs can be very constricting, but their main purpose is to ensure that we are not driving dangerous and sleepy. I "feel" that I am adhering to that principle, so MY conscience is clear.
Yours is your own business.