Overdrive

26 | Overdrive | February 2018 S oon after the electronic logging device mandate took effect Dec. 18, Kris Santoianni and his ELD-exempt unit crossed a scale on Interstate 94 in Lakeland, Minnesota. He was pulled back for an inspection of his 315-inch-wheelbase 1999 Peterbilt 379 that he passed with flying colors. At the scale counter, he overheard a driver telling the other scale master, "I know it says I was in violation, but I had to find a safe place to park! Do you want me to sleep in the center lane?! The truck stops were full! These computers have no idea what is going on! This is ridiculous!" "E-logs will cure everything, right?" quips Santoianni, who's leased to Nelson Truck Lines of Manitowoc, Wisconsin. His sarcastic refrain is common among truckers and, believe it or not, some in law enforcement. The sentiment was echoed in a meme shared by an Indiana enforcement repre- sentative ahead of the mandate's dead- line — a picture of a broken pencil and the text "E-logs would have prevented this" that was featured in the December Overdrive. The trooper's accompanying sentiment: Hours of service "should be re-evaluated and the ELDs should be used as a bad boy item for carriers that have been found to need help with com- pliance issues!" Yet there's no indication of that change or others coming. Instead, situ- ations such as the one Santoianni wit- nessed will continue to bedevil truckers and law enforcement getting acquainted ELD mandate meets reality THE SHIFT THE SHIFT HOURS ENFORCEMENT Max Heine Questions swirl as e-logging magnifies problems with strict hours enforcement. Uniform answers are harder to come by. BY TODD DILLS Because inspectors' outlooks on how legalistic to be about enforcing ELD violations varies among locations, many owner-operators can't anticipate the response they'll get when forced to make a tough call regarding hours of service compliance.

• Cover
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