? about logging multiple days off

Im not sure if there is a uniform way to do it, or if its up to each company how they want it done. I will say that Crete does require each day logged seperate unless its over 6 days. If its over 6 days, you just log those days on one 'day'.

Id call your logging deptartment.

 

If you really want a good answer ask LogsRus she is great at answering any and all log questions

 

You should always put the date range you are off duty in the remark section

The log must be all on line 1 (off duty) to use it for more than one day!

So if I drove home today I should have a log covering today. That day is covered. My next log I didn't do anything I was home (off duty). So the date on "our" logs requires teh first day you go off duty. So my drivers put 6-5-08 for the date in the Month/day/year box. Now their log grid should show the line going straight across for 24 hours. Total hours is 24 & total for the day is 24. Then in the remark section (say we are off until 6-8, 6-8 I start working again) you would put 6-5 through 6-7-08 off duty, city & state (where you are off duty)
then you count the total # of days you was off "for full 24 hour periods on your log". So in my case I was off 6-5,6-6 & 6-7 so thats 3 days off (thats the # that goes in the box.

Some log sheets will ask for the last day for the month/day/year box.

The # of days off in the box is for the computer system to pick it up. It isn't anything DOT requires therefore being specific on the log of the days you are off could be very important, such as in your case.

You should never overlap dates. THe only time you can fill out one log for more than 1 day is if you are "OFF DUTY" meaning you are on vacation, hometime, grandma's etc. You are not in the sleeper, driving or on-duty for that time frame. That's pretty standard with all companies.



He didn't write you up because it isn't a DOT requirement to write the dates in the remark section, however being specific on the dates you are off definately helps you while being audited and might help eliminate a violation incase you mis count the # of days off.

Here is the regulation from the DOT website

(f)(10) Recording days off duty. Two or more consecutive 24 hour periods off duty may be recorded on one duty status record.

Notice it states off duty! Meaning line 1! If you log lines 2,3 or 4 the log is only valid for that one day. You can't do the same thing for multiple days such as sleep 12:00 am to 8:00 am, then off duty the rest of the day and put 6-6 to 6-8 off duty. You wasn't off duty you was in the sleeper.

I hope this clarifies. I added what the regulations states about off duty logs and that's all there is to explain.

 

But I am long winded, huh
Thanks honor!
I just read this. I always reply before reading what everyone else writes so I gave my own opinion/fact!

 

Next time you're in a truck stop you should spend a couple of bucks and buy the little green book known as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations Pocketbook. You'll find §395.8 (f) (10) that says two or more consecutive 24-hour periods off duty may be recorded on one duty status record. Then when the DOT man has no idea what's he's looking for you can show him. I guarantee that if you show him politely he'll wave you through.

 

You can combine months, however MOST companies require one log per month due to their filing system or log system not retaining the original copy once they purge the old logs out. Hard to explain the inside there without typing a book, want to read a book tonight ? lmao!

yes it is best to put the date range in the remark section. The # days off box is only for the computer systems to make a copy of that one log for that many days. I explained better read above/below whichever.

Most things I follow are DOT regulations. The DOT does not clarify how many off duty logs can be on one log sheet for off duty days.

Actually here is the regulations for off duty logs.

(f)(10) Recording days off duty. Two or more consecutive 24 hour periods off duty may be recorded on one duty status record.

Notice it states off duty! Meaning line 1!

 

At the top of the log book, where the date is entered such as 06/04/2008, i was taught to enter multiple days off as such: in the month space you write the first day off such as 06/01.
in the next space normally reserved for the date, you write the last day off such as 06/02.
with a dash between the two. 06/01-06/02.
never had a problem with that.
however, with one of my current supervisors, he is bringing a new problem. at the end of the off duty line, i was taught to put 24, because there are only 24 hours between midnight and midnight. but my supervisor claims that five years ago, as he was going through a dot inspection, the officer told him that he needed to put the multiple of days off. which in my example would be 48. so it goes against my training. i've been through many inspections, never had a log book violation.
can anybody clarify this?

 

I say the same as you have felt! 24 hours because that log sheet only has 24 hours in a day. You are filling out that log sheet for more than one day, but it still only has 24 hours in that day. I have used 2 log programs JJ Keller & Rapid log and both will violate you for writing anything more than 24 hours. Well ok Rapid doesn't violate for any total hours but JJ Keller did.

As long as you clarify on the log sheet "somewhere" of the date range you are "off duty" and you don't over lap dates it should be fine. However if your company is using scanable logs it's very important to understand how they want it done correctly. This is only because the log program is actually reading the information for us and you putting the last date you was off and 2 days off will usually cause the computer to say you was off on a day you was really working, hence the reason you put the date range on your log somewhere showing the dates you are actually off duty (no working or sleepy days added in there).

So yeah you are basically right, however go with what he says. Not many officers will get petty over that since it is not very clear on how to fill out an off duty log sheet and so many companies need to moderate the logs to their likens (like ME).