Questions for Panther Drivers RE EOBR

ATeam · Mar 8, 2010

Please see this item in the FedEx forum. Panther has been on electronic logs for some time. My questions to Panther drivers are:

1. Have you had similar encounters with the DOT? If so, what were the results?

2. What does Panther say about off-duty driving and using your truck as a personal conveyance when you are not under load? Is it legal?

3. What is Panther's instructions regarding printed logs? Must you carry pre-printed copies of past days as the MD DOT cop quoted in the FedEx forum suggests? What on-road experiences have you had in this regard?

4. Have any of you Panther drivers had a run-in with a DOT cop who did not know the law and wrongly wrote you up on an EOBR violation? If so, was the problem resolved and did your carrier provide any help?

5. Are you able to get copies of your logs for say six months and a year ago? If so, how do you get them (download, hard copies mailed to you, other means)?

I am asking Panther drivers these questions because you have been using paperless logs for a while and have actual on-road experiences to report. Your information will be appreciated by those of us who have yet to enter the EOBR realm.

Bruno · Mar 9, 2010

Phil

Since leaving FedEx 19 months ago our trucks have used the paperless logs since day one with Panther. We have never had any problems with DOT in regards to our logs. If they ask for a copy of our logs we tell the DOT that we are on paperless logs. We then get the Fax number to the scales and call the company to have our logs faxed to the DOT. As far as when the truck is at the shop our drivers log out of the system so Panther knows that none of our drivers are driving the truck. I was the last truck to go paperless because I wanted to do Paper logs. When I do drive I love the paperless logs because it's less paperwork.

jaminjim · Mar 9, 2010

Phil, the problem that the driver was referring to was because they were using their computer for logging, not a EOBR for logging. I was using the program DDL (Driver's Daily Log) since 2002. Although I had a few DOT people give me a funny look and question the validity of the printed logs, I carried the letter from the DOT ( there is a letter authorizing it's use, along with spelling out the requirements for it's use) or who ever it was, showing that I could run that type of log and what the requirements were if I did.

The main requirements were just the same as they are for hand written ones with the additional requirements being that you must print them at the end of the duty day, and sign them by hand. (not paste a signature) The other main requirement was that if requested by a LEO you must be able to print the current days log up to your last change of duty status. So the only real difference is that you must be able to print them from within your truck.

I actually was complemented on the logs from the DOT people once they had a chance to review the letter and the logs.

As said earlier PII allows 30 minutes for personal conveyance, then the system will automatically put you on duty driving.

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babs3361 · Mar 9, 2010

1. Have you had similar encounters with the DOT? If so, what were the results?

Have had no problems with DOT. We use the Omnivision QC, it is all touch screen, even has a place to put in the fax number to the DOT and is faxed to them within min.

2. What does Panther say about off-duty driving and using your truck as a personal conveyance when you are not under load? Is it legal?

We get 30 min of personal conveyance, as long as we are not under dispatch. We can also log off the log book and then with a mechanic reciept prove that we were not driving.

3. What is Panther's instructions regarding printed logs? Must you carry pre-printed copies of past days as the MD DOT cop quoted in the FedEx forum suggests? What on-road experiences have you had in this regard?

Copies faxed to any # you want them faxed to.

4. Have any of you Panther drivers had a run-in with a DOT cop who did not know the law and wrongly wrote you up on an EOBR violation? If so, was the problem resolved and did your carrier provide any help?

We had a problem with a DOT officer in Colorado, until his supervisior told him that they were legal. Almost all of the time when we tell a officer that we have paperless logs they say great have a good day.

5. Are you able to get copies of your logs for say six months and a year ago? If so, how do you get them (download, hard copies mailed to you, other means)?

Yes they are faxed by putting my fax # in the appropiate area, on QC

I am asking Panther drivers these questions because you have been using paperless logs for a while and have actual on-road experiences to report. Your information will be appreciated by those of us who have yet to enter the EOBR realm.

It is the best. would never want to go back to doing paper logs.

pelicn · Mar 9, 2010

1. Have you had similar encounters with the DOT? If so, what were the results?

We've only had one officer that was a pain. He refused to come out to the truck to look at the QC, and the scale house did not have a fax. We had a lousy cell signal so the logs couldn't be faxed to us in the truck either. The officer finally came out to look at the QC after an hour or so.

2. What does Panther say about off-duty driving and using your truck as a personal conveyance when you are not under load? Is it legal?

We have the option on the QC to log "off-duty driving". Each driver may use 30 minutes, after a break, as long as you are not attached to a pro.

3. What is Panther's instructions regarding printed logs? Must you carry pre-printed copies of past days as the MD DOT cop quoted in the FedEx forum suggests? What on-road experiences have you had in this regard?

I've not heard of any specific rules about carrying printed logs. You can request that logs be faxed, and you have to approve your logs each week.

4. Have any of you Panther drivers had a run-in with a DOT cop who did not know the law and wrongly wrote you up on an EOBR violation? If so, was the problem resolved and did your carrier provide any help?

We've not had an issue such as this. We have had officers ask to see the log, when we say we are on electronic logs, they've said ok.

5. Are you able to get copies of your logs for say six months and a year ago? If so, how do you get them (download, hard copies mailed to you, other means)?

We have not asked that question. We also use Drivers Daily Log in addition to the electronic log for our own convenience. It keeps track of our days out for tax purposes