A driver’s daily log book is a must-have record for commercial drivers. It tracks your time driving, resting, and working. This helps you follow Hours of Service (HOS) rules set by the government. Using it right is key for road safety, following laws, and even solving work problems.
Understanding Your Driver’s Daily Log Book
Let’s break down what a driver’s daily log book is and why it’s so important. It’s more than just a notebook; it’s a legal record of your workday.
A driver’s daily log book tracks four main things:
- Driving time: When you’re actually controlling the vehicle.
- On-duty not driving: When you’re working but not driving, like inspecting the truck or waiting for loads.
- Resting: Time spent off-duty, relaxing, or in the sleeper berth.
- Off-duty: Your personal time away from work.
Keeping accurate records in your driver’s daily log book helps prevent drivers from becoming too tired. Tired drivers are a big safety risk on the road. The government, especially the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), makes these rules to keep everyone safe.
You must carry your last 8 days of logs with you while driving. You need to show these logs if asked by a law enforcement officer during an inspection.
What Goes Inside Your Driver’s Daily Log Book?
Filling out your driver’s daily log book correctly each day is crucial. It needs specific information to be official.
Every entry in your driver’s daily log book must include essential details. Let’s list the must-have items:
- Date of the log entry
- Start time of your 24-hour day. This is based on the time zone of your home base.
- Total miles you drove that day.
- The name of your employer (carrier), their main office address, and their DOT number.
- Details about your vehicle. This could be the license number or a number given by your company.
- Names of any other drivers with you.
- Your signature to show you believe the log is correct.
- The city and state every time your work status changes (like when you start driving or go off duty).
- How many total hours you spent in each work status (driving, on-duty not driving, resting, off-duty).
- Numbers from shipping documents, the name of who shipped the goods, and what you are hauling.
- Notes for anything that needs explaining about your day.
Think of your driver’s daily log book as telling the story of your day behind the wheel. Missing pieces can cause problems.
