Driver Logs

Tractor trailer drivers are required under Federal Law to maintain logs that reflect the driver's "hours of service." The idea behind this requirement is to protect both the driver and the public from unsafe driving practices that include fatigue, speeding, and the use of drugs as a stimulant. The logs must be completed for every 24 hour period, and they must be reported to the employer within 13 days. In theory a employer could catch mistakes by drivers, and drivers who were falsifying logs, by examining the logs.  In some cases the logs make no sense, and in others they conflict with gas bills, delivery documents, and GPS tracking data from the trucking company.  In practice, there are many companies who pay little attention to the logs beyond checking that the driver hasn't violated the rules on the numbers of hours they are allowed to drive in an 8 day period (70 hours) or the number of hours on duty without having 10 hours off-duty (11 is the maximum on-duty hours).

It's important to know that trucking companies are only required to keep these logs for 6 months. Hiring an attorney to make sure the logs are preserved is an important first step for anyone involved in a tractor-trailer collision.