Canada to require truck drivers to log hours electronically

[Salma]

I agree Salma.. but unfortunately logs and elogs are here to stay. I remember a time when one could get behind the wheel of truck and not have to worry about logs in Canada. And then we had that bad accident in the Lafontaine Tunnel in Montreal which played a big role in bringing about US style HOS regs here in Canada. That happened in 87 or 88, and not long after that the HOS rules came in. The rules are certainly a long way from being perfect, but we need something, and they are the best we have right now.

I have nothing against elogs. Don't get me wrong. However, eliminating the split sleeper was a big mistake, in my opinion. The split sleeper is part of what allowed drivers to be "human" and to have more control of their driving day. Loss of control (in any circumstance) = fear, anger and resentment. Somehow, there needs to be more flexibility within the HOS rules.

 

[whatiship]

That's true Salma, the human variable is always overlooked when you regulate sleep. Just because you have been off duty for 24 hours doesn't mean you are fresh when you start. Plus some drivers are simply better at conditioning themselves to drive longer than others.
However, there has to be a standard that is set for everyone. Just like some car drivers are safer at 150 kms per hour than others at 50.
I am not a fan of too much regulation either, however I believe in the long run it will do more good than harm to the industry.

 

[hauling_ass]

lowmiler88 - Your comments are funny - especially the comment about being a super trucker and slowing down! I was merely venting on behalf of a few of our drivers. I've included some of their comments (and their biggest beef) below:

Thanks! We are super truckers! And you shouldn't ass-u-me that we don't run with e-logs. We do run e-logs and hate them. Not because we want to fudge our hours or because we don't have a 'plan'. The wheels don't turn without a load and we don't spend any more time than necessary in truck stops...

BUT, try finding a spot to park for TEN hours when your plan has gone to sh*t. We run mostly in Ontario and we go to places that don't even appear on a map. Roads? Cowpaths maybe. And when another truck gets stuck, we wait. So now we have less hours to drive so we feel rushed because there aren't any places to park on a cowpath and when we finally pop out on Highway 11 or 17, there aren't many places either and most of them fill up fast.

Even if you just run highway - Ottawa to Thunder Bay...OK the plan is to stop in Wawa but everything is full. Now what? Do you know how long you have to drive before you hit another place to stop? Especially in the winter? But you have to stop because Matilda is telling you to shut down and go to sleep. Sure...on the side of the highway ... in the winter ... no problem. BTW, most of the MTOs won't let you park in their yards either.

And how about being 20 minutes from base and having to shut down because a machine says that you are too tired to drive anymore (again, because something caused you to be on the road longer than planned)?

Why the assumption that the haters don't want e-logs because they are running illegal? Or they don't like change? Maybe they don't want e-logs because the government has spent a shit-ton of money on investigating e-logs instead of spending money on truck stops.

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So I cleaned this up but this is from the mouths of the guys and girl who have been using e-logs for almost a year. THESE are the people the government should be talking to. Not the MTO who have trouble reading a paper log and not the big companies who want to level the playing field.

'Nuff said from me.

 

[Michael Ludwig]

There is legal movement afoot in the US to bring the split sleeper back. I expect they will be successful at some point
See the e-log, speed limiters, and drug testing for what they really are ... methods of eliminating the truck and its driver from being at fault in an MVA. Don't believe for a minute that insurance companies don't have a lot to do with this behind the scenes. In the torte rich environment of the US transportation insurers need some sort of protection. Regulating the crap out of the industry goes a long way to guaranteeing that protection. When the commercial driver is eliminated from the equation, the only one left to blame is the car. The downside of regulating car drivers ... there's way more voters in cars than there are in trucks.
Next on the docket ... the nod sensor. The e-log is the first step in the evolution to the electronic cab. Being tested on the roads today are nod sensors. As you sit behind the wheel, to the left of your sun visor is a sensor that monitors your eye blinks. When the computer ascertains that a specific pattern and duration of eye blinks indicates you are falling asleep at the wheel, all sorts of alarms, bells, whistles, braking technologies, radar sensors, and a myriad of other electronic stuff starts going off. It will stop the truck right there in the middle of the road, bridge, intersection, railroad track, etc ... wherever you happen to be when the computer decides you are in danger. That truck will not move until the sensor indicates you are now awake. When these sensors finally prove themselves, for all intents and purposes, the log book goes away.
Technology is expanding at an exponentially faster rate than the human race has ever seen before. The things you can barely imagine are here today. The things you have absolutely no concept of are right around the corner.
If I had to guess, the completely autonomous truck ... the one without the driver at all ... will be on the road and working before 2025 (that's not really that far away). The name on the front of that truck .... "Google".

@hauling_ass .... FYI; The reason you have to have "grid" is because it's not guaranteed that MTO officers can actually read, so, you need to draw them a picture! Swear to God that's the truth.

 

[MikeJr]

Why the assumption that the haters don't want e-logs because they are running illegal? Or they don't like change? Maybe they don't want e-logs because the government has spent a shit-ton of money on investigating e-logs instead of spending money on truck stops.

Hands down comment of the day.... Love that driver!!
Mike

 

[hauling_ass]

MikeJr - Plus, he knows the best swear words!

Michael Ludwig - As always, you nailed it (especially about the MTO - LOL!!!)

 

[rickwill]

Now, just imagine GTA with driverless trucks. You think it's screwed up now and besides who's going to acknowledge all the one fingered salutes. Boy it'll be funny, 100 - 200 trucks all piled into one another and one poor O/O that tried to hang on will be in that pile up so they'll have a scapegoat to blame. Because we all know technology is so perfect that any truck newer than 2006 never ends up on a hook or in the shop LOL.
Back to ELD, it was pointed out to me that electronic or paper the driver is NOT allowed to drive after the 14th hour. The 16 hour Canadian rule has always been used to make Toronto delivery when crossing Sarnia in the 13th hour. Now your in Canada rule changes, 13 hour drive time is legal because your ten was used up getting to the border but now have three more to hammer down to the GTA.
It is often hilarious seeing drivers sitting in their truck ( Like a race car driver, posed and at the ready ) waiting for the computer to click off the minutes so they can move ( ELD ).
I have experienced ELD's first hand in the Northwest Territories and they are a pain. You have to get used to watching a screen and remembering to punch off duty every time stopped. If you start two minutes too soon a voice screams at you that your in direct violation and results in the device being thrown out passenger window for the trip back to yard.
IMHO dispatchers and office personnel should have ELD's attached to them and their vehicles tracking every move made.
Trucking is too many trucks, too little freight, way too little compensation and more regulations than a fighter pilot. A pimply faced kid at MacDonald's has a better life and bigger pay-cheque.

 

[Michael Ludwig]

@rickwill ... good God man ... take a blood pressure pill ... LOL
I'll vouch for your statement that e-logs are a PITA. There's no denying that. However, when everyone is on e-logs it's a whole new kettle of fish.
From a fleet operator's standpoint it's frustrating because you are working within the law and every one of your competitors is working outside the law ... and don't any of you deny it ... it's not rocket science to make a log book look legal on the side of the road, but it's quite another to try and fool an ELD ... not impossible, just more difficult.
From a driver's standpoint, he's just plain wondering WTF just happened to his paycheck.
All will come out in the wash on December 18, 2017 ... of that we can be sure.