Correct Way To Log 34

I always just put myself into sleeper,in case it gets cancelled. Log 10 hours sleeper..then 24 off duty? Whats the correct way? Thanks.

I don't think it matters. You could log 34 hours straight of "off-duty not driving." As long as you don't come on duty or drive, your 34 hours is valid

You can not log a straight 34 hours off duty not driving unless you were out of the truck sleeping somewhere. If you were in your truck you have to log sleeper berth but it can not be a solid 34 hours of sleeper berth and since you don't have a bathroom in your truck you have to leave your truck to use the bathroom and when you leave the truck that would be off duty.

Sorry Guy but I think you're wrong:

FMCSR 395.3: "Any period of 7 consecutive days may end with the beginning of an off-duty period of 34 or more consecutive hours" [emphasis added]

Not that I don't agree with you that it would make sense to log both off-duty and sleeper berth during that time, but the rule says nothing about having to do that. As long as you can show that you didn't work for 34 straight hours, that's all that's required.

I know during my restarts, the last thing I want to have to worry about is logging every time I go to the bathroom, logging when I wake up, etc.

We just got a message on the quallcom that states when we go on home time we have to log off duty... we can not log the sleeper for hometime... I get that part Cuz your not in the truck Now for the 34 I log it as sleeper and no one ever says anything...

Sorry Guy but I think you're wrong:

FMCSR 395.3: "Any period of 7 consecutive days may end with the beginning of an off-duty period of 34 or more consecutive hours" [emphasis added]

Not that I don't agree with you that it would make sense to log both off-duty and sleeper berth during that time, but the rule says nothing about having to do that. As long as you can show that you didn't work for 34 straight hours, that's all that's required.

I know during my restarts, the last thing I want to have to worry about is logging every time I go to the bathroom, logging when I wake up, etc.

Are you in the truck? Where are you? Sleeping? Or laying on the bed? That is sleeper berth if you are physically in the sleeper. If your out of the truck and heading into the truck stop for anything besides work then it's off duty.

If you are staying in your truck for your entire 34 hour break then it's reasonable to assume you had to use the bathroom therfore you have to log off duty if you leave the truck.

And yes you can get a violation for being in the sleeper berth to long. The law is open to interpretation of the officer you are dealing with on the side of the road. If you failed to log off duty when you leave the truck that is falsifying your log book.

FMCSR 395.3: "Any period of 7 consecutive days may end with the beginning of an off-duty period of 34 or more consecutive hours" [emphasis added]

That statement assumes you were out of or away from your truck and relieved of all duties for that 34 hour period. In some cases you might have to provide to an officer a way to prove you had other sleeping arrangements other than sleeping in the truck.

Here is the reality of being out here. The so called HOS are open to interpretation by the officer you are dealing with at the time. There is enough 'wiggle room' or grey area in the HOS rules that even the tiniest precieved violation of the rules is an excuse to give the officer reasonable doubt that you are following the HOS rules and can and will lead to an inspection of the truck. Even a brand new truck fresh of the assembly floor has 1 or 2 violations that can be found.

There is a very good reason why all companies tell you to "log what you do and do what you log".

We drivers don't get to interpret the law. We have to follow the way others interpret the law. Meaning the police.

I know during my restarts, the last thing I want to have to worry about is logging every time I go to the bathroom, logging when I wake up, etc.

Yet you agreed to do this exact thing when you approve your logs at the end of everyday. When you approve you logs at the end of your drive time(elogs) or sign your logs (paper logs) at the end of the day you are saying that you truthfully logged your duty status as it happened throughout the day.

Remember the OP's original question...

I always just put myself into sleeper,in case it gets cancelled. Log 10 hours sleeper..then 24 off duty? Whats the correct way? Thanks.

What I posted is the way that it needs to be done and to avoid the hassle with the dot. Sure it's a hassle to change duty status everytime you have to leave the truck, for whatever reason, but it's the correct way to log. It's not how it's always done out here on the open road but it's the correct way.

And I can guarantee you if you ask any log department for any company they will tell you the exact same thing.

The simple truth of the matter, like I said before, is we don't get to interpret the laws but we have to follow the laws as they are interpreted by whatever officer is looking at you logs at the time.

If I have to hang out at a truck stop for 34 hours, I log Sleeper, since that's where I "live" for that time. If I have to step out for food or Call of Nature, that does not get logged anywhere.

If I manage to get home for home time, or can get a 34 hour break and I leave the truck for that period, that's Off Duty Not Driving.

In both scenarios, I set the QC log to Sleeper or OffDuty and forget it until I start my Pre-trip.

I would never get a 10 hour reset if I logged 5 hours sleeper,15 minutes off duty for restroom,then another 5 hours sleeper?

I would never get a 10 hour reset if I logged 5 hours sleeper,15 minutes off duty for restroom,then another 5 hours sleeper?

Your 10 hour break can be a combination of SB and Off Duty. It doesn't have to all be SB. You could log 10 hours of Off Duty and still get your 10 hour reset.

As far as the 34 hour break. Log what you do, do what you log. 34 hours straight of SB is the incorrect way. Out of truck = Off Duty. Inside of truck = SB.

It'll only take one jerk DOT officer to disagree with you and that'll be a falsifying logs ticket..

I would never get a 10 hour reset if I logged 5 hours sleeper,15 minutes off duty for restroom,then another 5 hours sleeper?

Sure you will as long as you are either off duty or sleeper or a combination of the two.