CDL Logbooks

[mdb landscaping]

does anybody have a website for logbook regulations..... i have been told by several people that when traveling in state, you dont need to fill them out, and others say fill them out all the time. are logbooks nationally regulated, or local govt? specifically i am looking for the rules that apply to CT. any info on log book information would be helpful. i searched the web for awhile, and really couldnt find what i wanted.

[GeoffD]

Anytime you leave a state in a cdl truck you need a book. To be safe if your gvw is over 10K get a book. If the trucks gvw is more than 10K which includes a F 350 drw pick you ned a med card at least. Another good rule is over 100 air miles from where the truck is registered you need a log book. The 10,000 gvw and 26,000 gvw have an impact on log books but i am not sure how much.

This will tell you everything you want to know and then some:

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov

If you want to be on the safe side here is a good rule of thumb.

Truck GVW 10,001 or more:
Traveling over 100 air miles, or out of state you need:
Dot Med Card
Log Book


Geoff

[Crash935]

Log book rules and regs are set by feds Department of Transportation. Your best bet for info is to call the local state police office or motor carrier enforcement office. If your running a couple of trucks or more, you might want to think about having an independent company come in and do a compliance audit. We used an outside company at a shop i was at years ago and the person in charge of all the records thought he was doing good until they came in and said if they were the D.O.T. we would be shut down and fined. Because they go over everthing from the vehicles and whats in them, on them, whos driving them, whos fixing them, and whos keeping track of all this, you could save yourself from being parked for something as simple as the wrong type gas can in the back of your truck that you use to refill your mower.
I know it sounds like a pain, but if they stop you once and you fail, they will stop you a hundred times and find something different every time. If they stop you or audit you and you can show that you are working with a outside company to get things straight they tend to give you some slack.

[Pelican]

There's a company called J. J. Keller & Associates (http://www.jjkeller.com/) that sells log books and publishes a handbook with all the DOT regulations in them.

I've been away from the industry for 8 years, but it used to be you needed a log book in vehicles over 18,000 GVW if you were travelling outside a 60 mile radius from your office, or travelling any distance interstate. There was no log requirement for "under CDL" vehicles.

[mdb landscaping]

thanks for the info...... i got my cdl permit, and one of our trucks got stopped the other day, and they asked where our logbook was. all these years we thought since we are just driving local with our dump trucks and mulchblower, that we didnt need it, but i guess we do.....every person we ask gives us a different answer on what we need to be in compliance. it just seems silly to take 20 min to fill out a logbook, to haul some gravel 3 miles from the shop to a job. our mulchblower goes out of state often though, so i guess ill read up on the regs to get it all straight. thanks again.

i located the info, and it looks like if you stay in a 100 mile radius from your home base, you dont need to fill out a logbook.......thanks for all your help guys.

[BORDAINE]

Matt
There are two log books now Interstate and Intrastate books. If you stay in Ct you need an intrastate or exeption log book. The are new rules in effect as of Jan 5th thats why they are checking them now. As GeoffD said the actual rules can be found there if you have lots of time to search for them ( lots of rules ). You can find the log books at any truck dealer or parts house. If you cant find them let me know.
Steve

[jakegypsum]

I have yet to have a DOT officer ask for my log book reguardless of distance from our shop or being over the state line. I have even gone as far as showing them the book and asking them if they need to see it. The officer looked at me like I had two heads.:confused: Go figure. Jake.

[gslam88]

Matt,


I have a couple of things for you. Are you traveling out of CT? If you only in the Torrington area and not up to Mass or NY and within a 100 mile radius you dont need a log book. If you just need a log book, try a Pilot or other truck stop gas station. They alway have them.

Also as everyone has said before they are regulated by the Federal Highway motor carrier safety administration.

Also the hours of services has changed as of Jan 1, 2004. Some may apply to you.

also here are some sites that might be helpfull

http://www.driversdailylog.com/ddlsoftwarefortruckers.htm

http://www.logisticsworld.com/download.asp

http://www.truckinginfo.com/products/

http://www.truckinfo.net/

if you need more help let me know


Pete

[mdb landscaping]

hey thanks for the info pete. i myself dont really leave the surrounding towns of glastonbury, but our mulch blower travels all over the state and goes to RI, MASS and new york a lot, so im sure whoevers driving that this year will have to keep up on the logbook. im taking my final cdl test on the 24th of february. thanks for the help.

[Pelican]

For interstate travel you'll also need a DOT physical.

[jakegypsum]

Here is Jersey you need the DOT physical w/ CDL reguardless if you are crossing the state line or not. Years ago it was only needed if you were going from state to state. I think the law changed around the mid 90's. Jake.

[mikegamb]

Originally posted by mdb landscaping
does anybody have a website for logbook regulations..... i have been told by several people that when traveling in state, you dont need to fill them out, and others say fill them out all the time. are logbooks nationally regulated, or local govt? specifically i am looking for the rules that apply to CT. any info on log book information would be helpful. i searched the web for awhile, and really couldnt find what i wanted.


when i use to drive for APA and a local farm you didn't need a log book if you stayed in state and under 10 hours of driving.thats if your not hauling chemicals.you need a medical card also and if someone is in the truck with you they need a log book also if your driving out of state.most states regulate how many hours you can stay on the road which is why they want you to have a log book.i think the max in a day with breaks not included is 15 or 16 hours. i use to drive down to NJ sometimes and with 3 breaks my day lasted 18 hours