Logging Hours Of Service Question!

[Greenlight]

I am a recent graduate of a driving school and was taken on by a local trucking company with a driver trainer program. On my first trip out my driver trainer had me tear out and "fix" my log from the previous day in order to give us all our driving hours for the following day. This was repeated each of the days we were out. Is this a regular practice in the industry that I need to accept? Or do I need to find another company to drive for?

[carhaulerfrank]

Sounds like your trainer needs some training himself. I used to train for swift long time ago, but never asked a trainee to tear out pages from a logbook. Between the two of you there should be 22 hours of available driving time a day, how many does this guy need? You guys fuel, eat and shower right?
Most trainers train because they can run the truck as a team, but keep all the cash.
I would ask him straight up to please explain why is it necessary to redo the log. You should be able to log right the first time. If he gives you a hard time, you know the rest of your time in his truck is toast, so I would call the company and request a different trainer.
It is best to log it as you do it, especially when you first get out there. If you ever get into a wreck they can go back and find out if you lied on your logs. We all do things we shouldn't to get from A to B, but it is a risk and people get busted all the time.
Good luck and keep us posted

[Greenlight]

Carhaulerfrank,

Thanks for the response. Your advise makes alot of sense.

I believe the reason our logs were "fixed" was to show that the drive time was divided between the two of us. Although I drove for all but four hours of our 2400 mile round trip.

Thanks again.

[carl_3431]

There are 31 pages in your log book. If the D.O.T. were to count them and you were short you would have some explaining to do. When running team you should do your logs together to make sure that they don't conflict.

If your trainer has to be awake and in the jump seat when you're driving you guys can only work 14 hours a day and park it for 10. If not then he should be doing his share of the driving.

[truckdriver59923]

Get out from under that trainer asap!!!
Don't feed the bears, Keep a legal log

[Comftblynumb]

I believe Carl is right. I was taught (by school of hard knocks, never went to a driving school) that if you make a mistake on your log that you have to write void all over it because if DOT sees you ripped out pages, its a violation. I don't have a copy of FMCSA anymore but should check. White out is acceptable but only if you white out both copies.