Keeping a thorough written log is a challenge you can meet.
Log books may feel like a hassle, but their original intention was to protect you from being forced to work long hours.
Hours-of-service regulations were first required by The Motor Carrier Act of 1935. In 1936, Prof. James C. Nelson, a transportation economist, wrote that “although many carriers, particularly the larger ones, voluntarily limit the hours of service of their drivers to a reasonable maximum, it is a well-known fact that others force their drivers to remain behind the wheel for 10, 12 and, in extreme cases, 18 hours.”
Hand-written logs were the method for making sure the HOS rules were followed and truckers got enough rest, and they still are to a lesser degree, with paperless logs and GPS becoming more prevalent.
But to many truckers, their required content seems invasive, and improperly filled out logs can result in citations, fines and being placed out of service.
“False log books constituted the most common reason drivers were placed out of service last year,” says Stephen A. Kepp
