In order to regulate the amount of hours interstate truck drivers work, it has been proposed by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) that Electronic Driver Logs become required. This would increase the efficiency of the previously ineffective paperwork and decrease the amount of errors in logging hours.
Focus on Safety
Drivers are often pushed past what the federal law allows (11 hours of driving per shift) and can get away with it by misreporting their schedule on the hand-written logs. Preventable accidents caused by fatigue can be reduced through the use of Electronic Logs that keep more accurate records. It’s a matter of public safety when the results of fatigued driving are often fatal. The FMCSA reports that about 750 fatalities per year are the result of fatigued commercial vehicle drivers.
There has been talk of mandating the electronic logs since as far back as 2011 with no fulfillment but many companies have taken it upon themselves to utilize the logs to ensure that their drivers comply with the law. The logs are currently available as mobile applications and as standalone devices for purchase making them reasonably accessible now and a probable standard in the future.