[lowrange]

Originally Posted by orangetxguy

i log my paperwork on line 4, on duty not driving. I log my pre-trip and post-trips, on line 4. I log fuel, 30 minutes, on line 4, i log loading time inside the plant on line 4, and i log unloading time, inside the plant on line 4. Both of those are a "company requirement". I do my paperwork while i am getting loaded, and while i am getting unloaded, because when i am able to be "off", i do not want incomplete paperwork to be an issue.

I log my time at tank washes as is required. I allow 15 minutes for dropping the tank and checking it in. Once i drop that trailer, i am no longer under dispatch. I do not have to log any time at all, except as "off duty". baloney, if it's work it's line 4. It just is, otg. Hoses, pump, in the wash rack, looking around for a chicago fitting, waiting on the attendant...all of it, line four. Oh, i know, you won't get caught doing it the way you do. But, i thought we were discussing sainthood.

i make every effort to arrive too load and unload, with "fresh" hours. There are times, when i do drive for 3 or 4 hours, to arrive at a plant to load or unload. I log it like i work it. I do not sleep at plants (some of these plants are not safe to be sleeping at). Period. Delay of dispatch pay depends on my location. If i am sitting at a plant, i can not charge "delay of dispatch". If a shipper or a consignee has requirements that cause delays, i want every dime from them i can legitimately get. ok, but let it ever be established, otg never gets to a truckstop seven hours before he has to leave to get loaded.

as far as "wrenching" on my truck. I do not repair my truck. That is what mechanics get paid to do.
I take my truck to certified shops, for any and all repair work. If i change a wiper blade, put oil in the engine, replace a light bulb, or put air in the tires, that is all done while i am pre-tripping, post tripping or fueling, and included in the time logged. Sometimes i do show 45 minutes for such things. remarkable how you've trained your truck to only break during your normal inspections. Maybe you aren't mortal...
i am not a good enough mechanic to perform my own repairs, nor do i own shop tools. I place a great value on my home time, and the last thing i want to do, is work on that truck. Yeah..i could save a ton of money doing repairs myself. But...exactly how much would i pay in a lawsuit, when it was found that i was doing safety sensitive repairs myself? And...you can not claim your time as a tax deduction, even if you are certified, unless you log it.

This last repair session, my truck got repaired ( steering gear box, head gasket, and a transmission issue resolved), while i flew to see my girlfriend and had 3 enjoyable days with her. I place a higher value on that time than others i guess.

I have only been offered a new load once in two years, before getting to a tank wash. So i am seldom pressed to get anywhere...though god does know that i wish they would offer me loads faster!

In 4 years of driving up into the northeast, i have crossed the "gw" exactly one time. If i am going to ct or ma, i usually take i-81 to i-84, and travel i-84 north around nyc. It saves time, even though it is an extra 49 miles that are not paid. If i am in nj and headed north, i take i-287 north to the ny tollway, which i then take to i-84. I had enough traffic in seattle over 16 years of local driving. I don't need to experience nyc.

I drive through atlanta plenty. I time my arrival to hit the loop at noonish. what the heck does that mean? You hit atlanta based on when you were loaded, unless you are saying you'd park outside atlanta at 3pm and not try to cross until noon the next day. You're making it hard, otg. If you'd just admit you put your pants on one leg at a time like the rest of us all this would be much easier. once i am on i-85 headed to greenville or charlotte, i do not worry about traffic. I go with the flow.

Like i said earlier. I plan my hometime. I am also flexible enough to take "hometime" on the road. I enjoy spending 3 or 4 days exploring new places. Especially if i get "delay of dispatch" pay while doing so!

12345

[Jumbo]

Originally Posted by Hawkjr

damn i go to sleep and the thread blows up to this?? DAMN.. talk about a hot topic

That is why we dont sleep. Ever!!!

[zipy46]

Originally Posted by lowrange

Wow. Must have been some bad stuff, though, like ammunition and explosives. In that case, there should be no surprises.

Androgynous Ammonia

[golfhobo]

Originally Posted by Rev.Vassago

Pointing out the obvious gets tedious after a while.:thumbsup:

:lol2::lol2::lol2:

Hiya, Rev! Hope you're spending the long weekend at HOME.... with the kids!

BTW.... what are you doing these days? I guess that last gig is over. Not taking sides. You actually driving a truck these days?

You ever get down this away again, while I'm off.... I'll buy the Dr. Pepper! Can't lie.... it would be FUN to meet ya!

[avc]

So what was the "good job" this kid did that cooked his log books ? issedoff:

[LightsChromeHorsepower]

Lowrange- I'm 100% down with you on this one. It's nice to see someone speaking the flat-out, unvarnished truth.

Two quick comments-

1. Whoever taught this guy how to log didn't do a very good job. There's no excuse for being 5 days out and with a little creativity you should be able to make yourself harder to catch.

2. Whoever blamed Reagan for de-regulating the trucking industry- as much as I love to blame the SOB for where we are today, it was Carter that did it. (Deregulated the trucking, that is. Everything else is Reagan's fault) During Reagan's first term I went to back to school as an econ major. My first semester of macro I did my term paper on the de-regulation of the trucking industry. My conclusion at the time was that it was gonne be peaches and cream. I stand corrected on that, along with most of the other Ayn Rand inspired Objectivist ideals I then held so dear.

Great Thread!

I'm inspired to start one of my own.

[golfhobo]

Originally Posted by orangetxguy
i log my paperwork on line 4, on duty not driving. I log my pre-trip and post-trips, on line 4. I log fuel, 30 minutes, on line 4, i log loading time inside the plant on line 4, and i log unloading time, inside the plant on line 4. Both of those are a "company requirement". I do my paperwork while i am getting loaded, and while i am getting unloaded, because when i am able to be "off", i do not want incomplete paperwork to be an issue.

I log my time at tank washes as is required. I allow 15 minutes for dropping the tank and checking it in. Once i drop that trailer, i am no longer under dispatch. I do not have to log any time at all, except as "off duty". baloney, if it's work it's line 4. It just is, otg. Hoses, pump, in the wash rack, looking around for a chicago fitting, waiting on the attendant...all of it, line four. Oh, i know, you won't get caught doing it the way you do. But, i thought we were discussing sainthood.

Gee, I don't know but I SWEAR I thought OTG just SAID he logged all that on line 4!

Maybe he has shorter hauls, or better dispatchers/planners. Or maybe he just doesn't need to make as much money as some.... or gets paid more for the hours he works.

I've read his posts for quite awhile now, and I just don't think he KNOWS how to B.S. us! It IS possible for a driver, with the right company and under the right circumstances, to log it legal!

I'm not saying anything about how you might "fudge" when necessary, Lowrange. I've done it.... I ain't no saint.

But, reading your recent posts, I wonder if you couldn't occaisionally use the split sleeper to help you get things done. If "I" arrived at a shipper 7 hours early... and couldn't slide my loading time by ONE HOUR, I'd look to see if I could "compress" my driving time to show getting there one hour earlier, allowing me to take an 8 hour S/B break (OFF THE CLOCK) and then load and drive what I had left before taking a 2 hour break to shower and eat, then KEEP DRIVING until I HAD to stop for another 8 hours.

That is "fudging" I know. But, if there are no tolls or receipts to trip me up, I might do it. The HOS CAN be unreasonable at times, but if you follow the "spirit" and get some sleep, I understand.

I can only surmise that SOMEONE misjudged the time for dispatch if you arrive 7 hours early, and then HAVE to take 10 hours off right after loading.

Regardless, I know that MANY (if not most) drivers "fudge" a little to make things work out and STILL get their rest. If you are doing it just so you can keep moving for money's sake.... like the guy this thread was about... you are dangerous. I don't honestly think you would DO that since you haul hazmat.

At any rate, I don't think you should berate the Orange guy for stating that he DOESN'T "fudge." Not everyone does! He seems like one who truly doesn't.

[Uturn2001]

From the way I understand the article this driver was convicted of log falsification. He was not being tried, at least at this time, for the fatal accident. It sounds like to me the whole reason he really got caught was because of the accident which brought him to the attention of the law, and because there were fatalities involved caused them to really dig into his background.

More than likely he was probably 100% legal, at least as far as the prosecution could prove him not running illegal, at the time of the accident but they still wanted him to "pay" in some way and this driver appears to have left the door wide open for that.

[lowrange]

Originally Posted by LightsChromeHorsepower

Lowrange- I'm 100% down with you on this one. It's nice to see someone speaking the flat-out, unvarnished truth.

Two quick comments-

1. Whoever taught this guy how to log didn't do a very good job. There's no excuse for being 5 days out and with a little creativity you should be able to make yourself harder to catch.

2. Whoever blamed Reagan for de-regulating the trucking industry- as much as I love to blame the SOB for where we are today, it was Carter that did it. (Deregulated the trucking, that is. Everything else is Reagan's fault) During Reagan's first term I went to back to school as an econ major. My first semester of macro I did my term paper on the de-regulation of the trucking industry. My conclusion at the time was that it was gonne be peaches and cream. I stand corrected on that, along with most of the other Ayn Rand inspired Objectivist ideals I then held so dear.

Great Thread!

I'm inspired to start one of my own.

:thumbsup:

[lowrange]

Originally Posted by golfhobo

gee, i don't know but i swear i thought otg just said he logged all that on line 4! yeah, in 15 minutes!

maybe he has shorter hauls, or better dispatchers/planners. Or maybe he just doesn't need to make as much money as some.... Or gets paid more for the hours he works.

I've read his posts for quite awhile now, and i just don't think he knows how to b.s. Us! It is possible for a driver, with the right company and under the right circumstances, to log it legal!

I'm not saying anything about how you might "fudge" when necessary, lowrange. I've done it.... I ain't no saint.

But, reading your recent posts, i wonder if you couldn't occaisionally use the split sleeper to help you get things done. If "i" arrived at a shipper 7 hours early... And couldn't slide my loading time by one hour, i'd look to see if i could "compress" my driving time to show getting there one hour earlier, allowing me to take an 8 hour s/b break (off the clock) and then load and drive what i had left before taking a 2 hour break to shower and eat, then keep driving until i had to stop for another 8 hours. ok, but what the saints are saying, if you "compress" that time you are all that's wrong with the universe. They couldn't do that and sleep at night because it would bother their consciences too badly. Or, so they seem to imply.


i believe you can split once and then you have to have a 10 hour break.

that is "fudging" i know. But, if there are no tolls or receipts to trip me up, i might do it. The hos can be unreasonable at times, but if you follow the "spirit" and get some sleep, i understand. That's because you aren't putting on a holier than thou act.

I can only surmise that someone misjudged the time for dispatch if you arrive 7 hours early, and then have to take 10 hours off right after loading. some dispatches will jam you for time using 'shortest miles', things like that. You could try to sneak in an oil change and that limits your time, too. It could be a million things. So far we have one guy denying he ever gets there seven hours before unloading, the rest aren't telling us they'd watch the view and oprah and then take off at night about the time they're starting to get tired. All we know is that they look at their watches and draw their lines based on that, and nothing else.

regardless, i know that many (if not most) drivers "fudge" a little to make things work out and still get their rest. If you are doing it just so you can keep moving for money's sake.... Like the guy this thread was about... You are dangerous. I don't honestly think you would do that since you haul hazmat. rutherford seemed to thing a bit of fudging is pretty normal. Not the guys who hang out at classa, though. Straight arrows!

at any rate, i don't think you should berate the orange guy for stating that he doesn't "fudge." not everyone does! He seems like one who truly doesn't. i don't want to berate anyone. Everyone can say and do what they want. I just like to get real. If someone says 'i log really, really close to what i'm doing', ok, i can accept that. If someone acts like they're completely accurate...


do you drive? You should know this, i shouldn't have to be the one saying it.

12345