We do have similar rules in the US. The DoT mandates a lot of them, and states can be more restrictive as well. It used to be that about 95% of all independent truckers ran only a paper log books. One for the police, and one for the company. Working traffic enforcement on the highway I got really good at doing time and distance in my head (So you’re saying you traveled 800 miles to get here, and only drove 2 4 hour periods with an hour break in the middle?! You’re sure about that…). The log books are handwritten in a manner that can allow for some fudging if they’re careful.
Most big companies went to mechanical log books, or digital ones like @Victork2 is talking about. Ironically most officers have no way of checking those, and some are even proprietary to the trucking company. So theoretically everyone is still supposed to have a hard copy we can just look at.
Being on 2 major interstate highways, one heading from Mexico to Canada, and the other coast to coast, I was usually far more concerned with contraband than hours or logbook violations.
That’s very interesting! I didn’t know the Americans had digital systems for recording data.
When I started driving we used these which were an analogue chart an a complete PITA as they were so easy to manipulate it was a joke.
Were now on these which is a much more secure system for owners and drivers. However they don’t lie so you have to be right on top of the rules or the fines get dumped on you more and more!
Yep, the mechanical logs like that one were very common for about the last 5-10 years before the switch to digital. Trucking companies used them to so they could say they were in compliance, but as you noted they were very easily manipulated (and also a pain to read on the side of the road when you pulled a truck over). The good companies have by a large gone to digital, but we still still quite a few hard copy logs.
Yeah, you can setup a virtual trucking company with livery for the trucks and trailers and then play in either MP (which is a mod I think, never tried it) or in SP and represent the company.
