Make it look good, not perfect but good.
Two weeks ago on hwy 20 in Idaho I was pulled in for log inspection and light check. The officer looked at my book and said it was good and that I could go. The other officer came up and said I was out of hrs for the day.
These officers got into an argument on whether my book was right or wrong. Finally the one that said it was bad thru his hands in the air turned and walked cussin. The first one said have nice day and sent me on my way.
I get a log inspection at least once a month since I've been with this outfit. In the last ten years I've only had to pay for one log violation and that was for being 4 days behind.

 

why? its simple because drivers do NOT get paid by the hour but rather by the mile and if you have had between 30-50 hours that week spent waiting on docks to get or drop a load then you have 2 choices, take it in the pants (lower check) or get creative.

I doubt anyone wants to work more.....I would also bet 90% of drivers dont count the driving as work :shock: but rather consider lumping, and dock hassles to be the actual "work" and thats not even paid!

the 14 hours a day you quoted sound nice, a good solid 14 hour day "should" pay well.....however if 3 hours is spent loading, and 3 hours are spent unloading, and another 2 hours stuck in traffic, and another hour fueling, and another hour doing trip planing and logs...well now your 14 hour day just became a hassle filled 4 hours of drive time.

 

[Let me clarify that for you.

If the company is going to demand 100 % compliance and run legal logs.. they can kiss my old school ass goodbye and replace me with some whipping boy that'll genuflect to them on demand]

I am glad the cowboy days of your era are just about done montra? Fuel prices are on the rise Dot is tighting up and soon your ride will be parked and our hwy ways will be safe. I have always always ran legal and have always made no less than 50k a year. minus my rookie year did I run hard hell yes. I live buy a saying work smart not hard. I always got the rest Ineeded I enjoyed the old HOS better than the new ones. And I am glad to be a local driver that no longer needs to have a log book.

But saying that your going to run illegal no matter your a fool. you ever hear of the law of avarages? simply stated it is like you have a nickle slot keep putting in the nickel and sooner or later your going to hit the jackpot. so it is with running two log books. or fudging them sooner or later your going to to hit the jackpot and the pay off is going to put money in some states coffers
so ride off in to the sun set cowboys and let the law abiding drivers take over.[/quote]

 

I can see that we are not going to see eye to eye on this Montara. But in the spirit of free discourse and healthy debate I feel it necessary to respond. I know that one of the skills I will have to master to be a good truck driver will be obtaining a thicker skin. So, as a rookie I say ...

Maybe everyone has a different reason. I think the majority is to make money. For me - it is to work hard, travel, and drive a Big Rig (like the 9 year old kid in me has always wanted to do). I happen to be fortunate enough not to need the money as badly as some others might. I'm not wealthy but I don't have a family and I have very few bills/financial obligations right now. Sure - saving a few nickles won't hurt - but I have a decent education and can make much more with my experience right now doing other things.

Now, why do you go OTR for days on end? For the cash only?

I don't believe this is about a company demanding 100% compliance. In fact I think it is the opposite. It seems to me that the company has nothing to loose by you deciding to doctor your log books. Meanwhile you take all the risk - financially and professionally. You say a decent company will pay the fine? What company would that be? Know of one? I'd like to talk to them.

However, if you're with a company that will turn a blind eye to your illegal activities, deny having any part in them if you get caught, all the while banking the profit it receives from your quick and frequent shipments because they hold decent miles and assignments over your head - well then - it appears you're the one who is getting whipped by the company and genuflecting on demand for their financial benefit.

Is it possible for someone to "take pride in their ride" without breaking the law? Even if the law is idiotic? I mean, could the new-school, wimp also be the kind of driver who will pull over and assist a fellow trucker who is on the side of the road? Is it possible for someone who refuses to let the company run them illegally be a safe driver at the same time? Are all DOT compliant drivers simply "steering wheel holders" who drive around in dirty, beat up old tractors?

I'm impressed. Honestly. I don't have these skills - yet. Maybe I can learn them as you did and still stay legal? Would that eventually make me Old School too? Or if I simply insist on keeping my logs clean I'm forever doomed to be some less than desirable - dependent - mealy mouth little wimp who will never know how to do it or take care if it myself?

No - never had a ticket - ever. Do you have to have tickets you've beaten to be a good, desirable, skilled, "Old-School" driver that knows how to do it and does it himself? What does this have to do with keeping legal in regards to my log?

Just a thought. I've heard that "back then" companies would give speed/uppers/drugs to their drivers to keep them going. For free ... Is this true?

At first it seemed like you were saying that maybe you like the company having the power to fire you for refusing to work such outrageous and clearly unsafe hours. But on second read I think you're saying you would simply tell the company that did this to go .... themselves. Then I guess you could go home to your family with empty hands and tell them how much of a man with backbone you were standing up to the evil oppressive company. Yes, much better back then. :roll:

Frankly, being a person apparently without backbone, I appreciate the regulation that prevents such blatant abuse by a company. I'm not much of a union man, and I feel if things are not good for me I have the choice to walk out. But if so many felt the way you did, why where unions like the Teamsters formed? Wasn't it because the only recourse a driver would have against a company that would abuse him would be to tell the company to go ..... themselves? And that kind of option wasn't very good when you had a wife and kids to feed and a roof to maintain for their protection?

Maybe it has nothing to do with class at all. Maybe it is because the Dr., The CEO, nor the Politician have a boss/company threatening them with termination or crappy assignments and harassment if they don't get behind the wheel and operate the vehicle on public roads unsafely. Maybe their fat and psychopathic wives will thrash them within inches of their lives! But at least they won't loose their source of income if they feel they are too tired to operate their vehicle safely.

So a safe driver isn't one who follows the rules and regulations set out by the regulating authorities? A safe driver is one who does what he/she thinks is safe - even if it breaks the law? You mentioned that some employers would not prefer an "Old School" driver as they are considered "loose cannons". I can see why. If each individual was left to decide what rules and laws they want to follow or ignore, I'd think we would have anarchy.

Don't get me wrong! I have violated laws here and there in the past. Things like changing lanes too frequently or going a little over the speed limit. Failing to signal for a turn. Maybe an illegal u-turn here and there too. I have tried to do them as safely as possible. But I took no pride in doing them and I wouldn't brag about doing them OR claim to be better than other drivers who would refuse to do what I did. I wouldn't call those unwilling to do what I did "steering wheel holders" or without backbone! And if I were cited for those violations, I would be guilty. Thankfully the violations were minor, were not so unsafe as to cause an incident at the time, and were not observed by any enforcing agency.

However, the DOT regulations on CDL-A licenses are not only in place to keep things reasonably safe but to prevent the abuse of drivers at the hands of companies that hold the bottom line as their only priority. I think that is extremely reasonable - not idiotic.

And isn't the driver who is willing to flout these regulations defeating the purpose of protecting the worker? As long as the company doesn't risk anything, why should they put up with the new-school steering wheel holder when they can make more money with the old-school guy who doesn't care if his fellow drivers get crappy assignments and cut-back miles?

Right now, with the economy heating up and employment getting better, you are correct. They do need us more than we need them. But how long will it last? In hard times it isn't the white shirts and suits that will pick up the slack -- It's your fellow driver.

The whipping boy who is willing to risk his/her own career and/or safety by doctoring their books while the company turns its head gets the job. Meanwhile the driver who has been working for a while and knows themselves enough to know that he/she cannot operate a vehicle safely after 10 hours OTR without a break gets kicked to the curb.

Thanks Mr. "Old Time Driver" ... Thanks a lot!

 

Enough said! :lol: I'm not sure, if my classification is an "old school", or "steering weel holder"! I could be both, at a different points! :lol: But one thing for sure, i've been in this "adventure", since Patrick, was about 3 years old! 8) Everybody has an opinion, we are all adults here, and trues, (if any) as usual somewhere in between! 8) I just wonna say, that i'm glad, that people, like Patrick, entering the industry! Just don't loose it, once faced with reality, and may be you could change things for the better! :wink: 8)

 

Well maybe im greedy and i want to buy more crome and stainless for my ride !!!! :alien:

 

I'm sure it does! (19) There is a whole bunch of "good buddys" ,and "truck stop drivers", trying to impress each other with BS storys! :lol:

 

You get my point then 10-4 goodbuddy

:roll:
8) :lol:

 

You've got no "point". I don't even belive, you've been in this business, for more than couple years, if any! ops: :lol:

 

First off the bat :

Solo379 - Hows it going?? Still doing the O/O deal?? I'm still with...well you know :lol: :lol: :lol:

I'm ROFLMAO at some of these posts on log books.

I only have 3 little things to say.

1. Driver logs are federal documents and can, will, and have been used in courts of law.

2. Drivers can be and have been sent to Federal Prison for serious log book violations.

3. I'm too old to be someones Mary

I took three bennies, now my semi-truck won't start :shock: ops:

Codger