Scales, in both Canada and the United States, will be increasing the number of inspections carried out by 50% this year. This will not only include an increase in truck inspections, but driver log book inspections and drug testing done at the scales.
Safety and compliance is a top priority for Len Dubois Trucking and its fleet. We, as always, expect no violations and are confident that our team of drivers will continue with their successful dedication to all safety and compliance regulations.
Following Safety and Compliance Regulations is a Team Effort
The efforts of our maintenance department to provide you with safe, compliant equipment before you head out, combined with your dedication to proper pre-trip and post trip inspections allows us to continue to ensure the safe operations of the equipment we share. While we are not over the road with you, we are never more than a phone call away. If you are experiencing any equipment problems it is important to let our maintenance department know right away. If you are on the road, they will either walk you through a minor repair that can be done easily, or book the equipment in for repair at a local shop. If you are at the home terminal please fill out any information about needed repairs on “the cry sheet”. This will help ensure that the equipment remains safe and compliant for the entire fleet.
When it comes to Your Log Book, Keep it up to Date and Watch for the Little Things
We expect you to run in compliance with the current Hours of Service regulations. Drivers are required to take a half hour break within the first 8 hours of starting their shift. Not logging this break is a common industry error.
Another thing to watch for is to make sure that fuel and border crossing times are accurate within 15 minutes. While you cannot sit at customs to update your log book, you must update it as soon as possible. Quickly mark your crossing time on your customs paperwork and fill out the time on your log book when you stop to update it. It is also common for drivers to fuel, go into the truck stop to shower and eat before filling out the fuel time and forget the fuel time by the time they go back to the truck. It is best to fill out or take note of this information right away because the time is verifiable during our regular log book audits.
When filling out your log book ensure that all the required fields on the log book are filled out. It’s easy to miss the little things. When it comes to administrative errors on the log book, the two most common mistakes are forgetting to sign each log page and forgetting to fill out the commodity field. When you have missing information or sloppy log books you could be subjected to a more intense inspection of your log book and equipment. Remember that if you have questions about the Hours of Service regulations, John is always available to help you out.
