It's a Team's Life

EOBR or Eeyore

The EOBR changes nothing on how we logged before and has actually given us a little more time to squeeze out of our day.   The EOBR logs to the minute instead of the 15 minute increments we were used to.   When we first received our BETA test unit a few years ago we had to go through a learning curve as the unit did not have a manual and was constantly being updated.   It did not take us long till we realized how much simpler our lives had just became.

When pulling into a rest area I often had to get the map out or fuss with the GPS to see what city I was near.   No longer do I have to do that as the EOBR add this point to my logs and exactly where I am sitting.   At the end of the day the logs had to be finished off, hours added up, and information carried over to the next day.   Now when I stop I use the touch screen to put myself off duty, certify the logs, then I am off to bed.

The EOBR also cut back on the ease of getting a violation.   Bob would sometimes have round up to the next 15 minute increment when he quit driving and I would round back to the previous 15 minute increment and it would appear as if both of us were driving the truck at the same time.   We cannot do that now with the EOBR.

As a team the EOBR works very well for us.   A solo is going to have a rougher time with this as their clock will start as soon as they move.

Another side benefit is when we sent in our Trip Pak envelopes holding all of our bills of lading and load information they are skinny!   If a load was a long one or we were laid over for the weekend the Trip Pak would be stuffed with log sheets.   Now the Trip Pak is rather skinny.  

I believe that in the future the mandatory use of EOBR’s in all trucks will level the playing field on hours that can be driven.   Now a shipper or receiver can hold us up for hours and still expect us to deliver on time.   This cannot happen with the EOBR, as our clock would have started when we pull onto the shipper’s yard.   Our driving time will become more valuable and quit being squandered by events we have no control over.

Bob & Linda Caffee
Leased to: FedEx Custom Critical
TeamCaffee
Saint Louis MO
Expediters 5 years been out here on the road ten years
[email protected]

 

Expediting isn't just trucking, it's a lifestyle;
Expediting isn't just a lifestyle, it's an adventure;
Expediting isn't just an adventure, it's a job;
Expediting isn't just a job, it's a business.