When we announced our new TruckingOffice ELD system, we talked to a lot of truckers about truck driver log books. The phrase “electronic truck driver log book” gets a lot of comments.

A lot of comments.

One of my favorite misconceptions was that the truck will automatically shut down after a trucker hits the time limit.

No.  That’s not going to happen.  If you drive 20 hours, it’s going to record those 20 hours.  (Not that we recommend you do that.)

You will able to drive exactly the same way you do right now.  The only difference is you can’t doctor your records.

21st Century Trucking with a Modern Truck Driver Log Book

There was a lot of controversy surrounding the ELD mandate. Rumors went around about the negative impact these new ELD standards can have on small trucking companies. Truck drivers in particular are concerned about how the new ELD mandate will affect their ability to make money and do their jobs effectively and efficiently, and we don’t blame them!

Even 5 years, we’re still not convinced that ELDs aren’t hurting the trucking industry.  But they are here to stay.

New Truckers and the Learning Curve

Learning the ins and outs of a new federal law can be confusing and frustrating, especially if you aren’t 100% sure how it will affect your work day and overall earning potential. Unfortunately, a lot of the information floating around about electronic logging devices and the way they work is inaccurate, which has resulted in a lot of unnecessary confusion among truck drivers and owner-operators. 

The truth of the matter is, having an ELD automatically track your driving hours and accurately calculate the number of miles you drive in each state and jurisdiction can actually make your job easier, save you time and help you make more money by freeing you up to do what you do best – driving your truck. We know you won’t miss the hours spent manually calculating your hours, filling out a paper logbook and making sure you remain compliant with Hours of Service (HOS) regulations. 

ELD Advantages

We think an electronic truck driver log book offers advantages that obsolete methods just can’t match. If you’re looking for a way to maximize your profits while minimizing your stress, then ditching pen and paper for modern technology is the way to go. Here are three reasons why we say this:

1. An electronic truck driver log book enables error-free record keeping. Nothing can get you in trouble quicker than an incomplete or incorrect log book. Yet, that’s exactly the risk you run when you put off making the switch to an electronic logging device. Better compliance means less risk of fines and a better bottom line.
2. An electronic driver log book will save you money over time. This may sound strange, given the transition costs of going electronic, but you’ll more than recoup the initial expenses by spending more time behind the wheel and less time filling out forms. What could be better than that?
3. Most of the concerns about electronic driver log books are based on misconceptions. For example, some drivers fear that the new methods will allow the government to spy on truckers. But this simply isn’t true. Only authorized employees of your company will be able to locate your truck electronically, not the DOT or the FMCSA.

Just got your authority?  Take a look at the TruckingOffice ELD

We developed an ELD system that works exactly how the government tells us it should.  You’ll have a simple to use and compliant system as soon as you plug it in.  (It really is that simple!)

But don’t stop with the TruckingOffice ELD.  You can count on the TruckingOffice trucking software to take the data you need from our ELD and use it to produce the most accurate IFTA and IRP reports. It will give you the tools you need to stay on top of every aspect of your business. Take our software for a free test drive starting today. While you’re at it, spend some time looking into the advantages of using an electronic truck driver log book. You’ll be glad you did.