OMG The Log Book Rules Are Giving Me A Head Ache!
Topic 1554 | Page 1
Just keep plowing through our High Road Training Program until you get it. Those are confusing rules and they're difficult for anyone to learn. I don't really know what to offer for help. It's really just a matter of memorizing each of the rules and then learning how they work together.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.OWI:
Operating While Intoxicated
Has there been any tickets issued because DOT miscalculated the log? Looking at multiple days is where I keep getting messed up. Is there an easy way to remember these rules? And the split sleeper is messing my head up. I am good at math but the simplicity of this is fouling me up. Please help.
I don't even worry about the split sleeper part. I never use it.
The main thing is don't exceed the 11 hours of drive time without a ten hour break, get your half hour break in before 8 hours of drive time. Don't exceed your 14 hours before taking the ten, and don't exceed your 70 hour week.
If you do those things, you'll probably be just fine. Remember, you can start driving again once your ten hour rest is up, you don't have to wait for the next day....oh, and make sure your 34h resets include two 1 am to 5 am periods.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
I just went through that section in the high road series. Gave me a headache and then some. Personally I get the straight forward hours. But when the split sleeper thing came in made my brain start hurting.....Guess this is one of those areas practice makes perfect, or at least close....
DAC:
Drive-A-Check Report
A truck drivers DAC report will contain detailed information about their job history of the last 10 years as a CDL driver (as required by the DOT).
It may also contain your criminal history, drug test results, DOT infractions and accident history. The program is strictly voluntary from a company standpoint, but most of the medium-to-large carriers will participate.
Most trucking companies use DAC reports as part of their hiring and background check process. It is extremely important that drivers verify that the information contained in it is correct, and have it fixed if it's not.
HOS:
Hours Of Service
HOS refers to the logbook hours of service regulations.
That split sleeper berth rule is so complex that a lot of companies don't even allow their drivers to use it. They just simply tell them it's against company policy. I mean, how complex does a rule need to be before a company will tell their drivers not to take advantage of it? Pretty darn complex.
Sleeper Berth:
The portion of the tractor behind the seats which acts as the "living space" for the driver. It generally contains a bed (or bunk beds), cabinets, lights, temperature control knobs, and 12 volt plugs for power.
That split sleeper berth rule is so complex that a lot of companies don't even allow their drivers to use it. They just simply tell them it's against company policy. I mean, how complex does a rule need to be before a company will tell their drivers not to take advantage of it? Pretty darn complex.
My company doesn't even mention it... Lol. A lot of it didn't make sense to me until I started driving. Then it made a lot more sense. I just make sure that I am careful to follow the qualcomm. The darn thing gripes at me if I forget a rule and flashes a lovely little red light. Lol. It's taught me a lot about the rules.
Sleeper Berth:
The portion of the tractor behind the seats which acts as the "living space" for the driver. It generally contains a bed (or bunk beds), cabinets, lights, temperature control knobs, and 12 volt plugs for power.
Qualcomm:
Omnitracs (a.k.a. Qualcomm) is a satellite-based messaging system with built-in GPS capabilities built by Qualcomm. It has a small computer screen and keyboard and is tied into the truck’s computer. It allows trucking companies to track where the driver is at, monitor the truck, and send and receive messages with the driver – similar to email.New Reply:
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Has there been any tickets issued because DOT miscalculated the log? Looking at multiple days is where I keep getting messed up. Is there an easy way to remember these rules? And the split sleeper is messing my head up. I am good at math but the simplicity of this is fouling me up. Please help.
DOT:
Department Of Transportation
A department of the federal executive branch responsible for the national highways and for railroad and airline safety. It also manages Amtrak, the national railroad system, and the Coast Guard.
State and Federal DOT Officers are responsible for commercial vehicle enforcement. "The truck police" you could call them.