I have heard that a bit of talk has been going on about our stance on the E.O.B.R. situation that’s going on right now and thought it fitting to set the record straight!
YES… we used to have a Qualcomm MCP 200 unit in the truck and loved having it.
NO… It was never used as a management tool against us.
YES… There ARE companies out there that are using these as “management tools”
NO… We were never put in a harassment situation regarding this unit and NEVER asked to do anything Illegal.
YES… These units CAN BE EDITED… some features by the driver and some ONLY by the company.
YES… It saved our ass a couple of times when another driver tried to nail us with a FALSE hit and run accusation! (we now have a video dash cam for this)
NO… It was NOT forced on us.
YES… It was OUR CHOICE to have it.
Just because we were given the choice to have one of these units and liked having it, doesn’t mean we are for mandating them.
WE ARE MOST DEFINITELY AGAINST MANDATING THEM!!!!
WHY????
There is No Paper trail!!!! Get it??? No paper trail, no actual signatures and who knows WHO actually made the entries!!!
These systems are equipped with features that could make it easy to for a driver or a manager or both to falsify what ever they want… to cover up anything!!!
You may ask WHY did we say yes and agree to have one installed. The reason is that we wanted to see for ourselves what the “REAL DEAL” was!
We were in and ideal situation that other drivers aren’t. We were leased on the to a good company who does not use these against their drivers but actually put these units in place for the RIGHT reasons. Unfortunately, they are the exception and not the rule!
It’s true that when you have electronic logs that most D.O.T. officers will not ask to even look at the unit. This alone, is alarming because the units are editable and lord knows how long that driver has actually been “on duty” or even if he or she bothered to log on to the unit! (this too can easily be edited from the other end)
In MY opinion, these units have way too many flaws and this actually makes it easier for the driver and the person with editing access to break the law. There is no actual writing and no actual signatures either which could potentially open the door to sabotage or harassment.
At least with the paper logs, they can’t change it on you without the possibility of being caught forging a federal document!
So it is my statement that I do not feel that mandating the E.O.B.R will make our roads safer, in fact it will do the exact opposite because these units will make it easier to “look” compliant while blatantly breaking the law. Everyone from the driver to the upper management in the trucking companies will be able to find ways to “beat the system” if they want to, and believe me, many WILL!
(I’ve been told that if you look hard enough, you can find training videos on how to break into the system and alter the records)
JUST SAY “NO” TO MANDATING THE E.O.B.R. 
THIS WAS ONLY MY OPINION!!
BE SAFE – JAN MCCARTER
The fight isn’t over and more help is needed… they are going to try to “SNEAK” this mandate into another bill like the transportation bill… Read what going on now in LANDLINE!http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=23631
When the Advocates wanted to change the HOS because they didn’t think it was strong enough they used the phase ” for the health and well being of the driver” a mandated by congress statement to be used in the rule and got it thrown out. Now after considerable evidence that carriers are not only requiring drivers to drive because they have hours left they are breaking the very law and statement of not considering the health and well being of the driver, who states they are fatigued!
Ҥ 392.3 Ill or fatigued operator.
No driver shall operate a commercial motor vehicle, and a motor carrier shall not require or permit a driver to operate a commercial motor vehicle, while the driver’s ability or alertness is so impaired, or so likely to become impaired, through fatigue, illness, or any other cause, as to make it unsafe for him/her to begin or continue to operate the commercial motor vehicle.”
And if they want they can manipulate a EOBR for their benefit to hide violations. They call it correcting mistakes yea theirs! All the ATA bunch of control freaks have EOBR’s because of the lack of professional well trained drivers able to be turned loose with out a Electronic babysitter. Well if they want an EOBR let um have it. Dont mandate something and make it so a DRIVER under CSA can have his history tainted and made unemployable by the “Company” forcing him to break the regulation 392.3. This does not promote “The health and Well being of the Driver!”