Pros and Cons of Electronic Logs

Last October of 2009, Schneider Trucking announced their involvement with electronic logs. Paper logbooks are being replaced by instant network communication. With digital scanning in cabs for over a decade, you have to ask yourself what took so long?

Schneider National Trucking Company is hopeful that efficiency will go up and accidents will go down. I’m excited to look in October of 2010 and see their progress and how successful they will be.

The days of falsifying hours on the road may be coming to an end. The digital logs will make it harder to be dishonest. Those drivers who get paid by the mile instead of the hour are resisting the technology change. According to JSOnline.com’s article, Trucking firms flip on digital logbooks”, those drivers that are more prone to be dishonest, they are nervous that they will lose some income and extra time at home.

Others are concerned that electronic logs will bring the trucking industry more government regulation. The fear of big brother watching over you is heightened among some people. But only time will tell on this question.

There is also the question of unforeseen circumstances. A good example is running into traffic 3 or 4 miles away from a delivery. Does the driver have the option of finishing the run or does he pull over? These are questions that must be resolved to make it successful.

The pros of electronic logs are better productivity. Truck Drivers let the dispatchers take care of load assignments, giving them more time to drive. Planners also have the luxury of seeing the available hours of the drivers, creating more organized game plans for the road.