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Trucker fired for incomplete log book – South Carolina

by sam

(south carolina)

I was shut down due to driving hours and when they checked my logs they found a mistake so the company fire me.

Hi Sam,

You need to refer to the trucking company handbook to see what it says is the policy for your rule violation.

Most trucking companies have a rule book the size of an encyclopedia because they need to conform to so many governmental rules.

I know some companies have a policy of sending you back for “special logbook training”.

A one time error may be difficult for the employer to actually prove willful misconduct, but it can be done if they can show your actions were intentional by proving you were “falsifying your log.

They can do this through the use of the log and their GPS tracking…most companies use Qualcom or something similar for this.

So you tell me Sam….can they prove it?

Comments for Trucker fired for incomplete log book – South Carolina

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starstarstarstarstar		 Safety Director thoughts

by: Disco Queen


I was a trucker for 20 years (well still am some days) and now the safety director/terminal manager of a medium sized trucking company in Wisconsin.

Replying to your logbook termination question:
YES you can be terminated for submitting a “false log” to a motor carrier. This is a federal offense (a motor carrier is liable for accepting false logs).

Each driver is required to log (document) their activities to the last duty status change and sign (certify) on the log at the end of the duty day that the log is a valid and complete record of their activities for that day. If the motor carrier discovers that you falsified (lied) on your logbook, not only does this place you (the driver) in direct immediate harm of being cited by FMCSA directly, it also places the motor carrier in harm of penalties and reduction in or an immediate termination of the motor carrier’s safety rating.

Preparing and submitting false logs…no matter how small the mistake can open the door to potential long-term risks for the motor carrier itself. So yes…you can be terminated and potentially denied unemployment benefits for submitting one false logbook.