Video summary

How to fill out a log book for truck drivers: Complete guide and walkthrough

Main summary

Key takeaways

Educational

Main Ideas and Concepts (What the Video Explains)

  • Purpose of a truck driver log book

    • A recordkeeping document used to track a driver’s time working and time not working.

  • Basic structure of a log page

    • Top of the page: the date being recorded.
    • Each page covers a 24-hour period.
    • The timeline grid:
      • Vertical lines: each hour, plus 15-minute increments within each hour.
      • Four horizontal rows represent the driver’s duty statuses:
        1. Line 1 — Off-duty / not driving / not performing other job duties
          • Time when the driver is not driving and not performing other job-related duties.
        2. Line 2 — Sleeper berth
          • Time spent in the sleeper berth (location), not an activity.
        3. Line 3 — Driving
          • Time spent driving or sitting at the controls of a commercial motor vehicle.
        4. Line 4 — On-duty / non-sleeping work
          • Time spent doing non-driving work.

  • Remark section

    • Used to document:
      • City/state when duty status changes.
      • The specific activity being performed, such as:
        • Pre-trip inspection
        • Trailer/truck inspections
        • Loading/unloading freight
        • Changing trailers
        • Fueling

Methodology / Walkthrough Instructions (How to Fill Out the Log)

  • Complete identifying information first

    • Enter:
      • Today’s date
      • Driver number
      • Initials
      • Signature
    • If no code driver exists, enter “N/A” (or “not applicable”).

  • Enter equipment and trip/company information

    • Enter home operating center location (example: Green Bay, Wisconsin).
    • Record:
      • Tractor number
      • Trailer number
    • If no other trailers apply that day, enter N/A for additional trailer info.
    • Record shipper details (example provided):
      • Shipper: Don’s Paper Company
      • Commodity: paper products
      • Load ID: provided by the company (example shown as “N/A” for the day due to no other load)

  • Fill out the timeline (duty status changes across the 24 hours)

    • Use a dot to mark when a duty status begins, then draw a line left-to-right to connect changes.
    • When switching duty status:
      • Ensure the remark section includes the location and activity connected to the duty change.
    • Example workflow shown in the video:
      • Start time set at 6:30
      • Change from:
        • Line 1 (off-duty / not working) → Line 4 (on-duty non-driving work) for the morning activity
      • Mark the activity in remarks:
        • A pre-trip, including “Trailer Integrity verification (TI)”
      • Bracket notation for periods when the truck did not move
        • Create a bracket shape on the timeline to show the interval where the truck stayed still.
        • This is demonstrated when transitioning to driving and showing no movement occurred since the last start.
      • Drive, then stop for tasks:
        • Return to on-duty for activities like:
          • Scaling the load (example location: Fondulac, Wisconsin / cat scale)
        • Use bracketing again to show “truck didn’t move” during the off-driving interval.
      • Drive until 1:00
        • Take a 30-minute break:
          • Duty status to Line 1 (off-duty) for 30 minutes
          • Record location and duty change in remarks
        • Return to driving afterward.
      • Drive until 5:30
        • Stop for post-trip TI (example location: Edwardsville, Illinois)
        • Start the 10-hour break
          • Return to off-duty, then move to the sleeper berth:
            • Change from Line 1 → Line 2 (sleeper berth) for the remaining night

  • Track totals (hours/duty time and driving time)

    • Miles
      • Enter total driving miles next to the trailer number (example: 472 miles).
      • If no co-driver, total truck miles equals the same total.
    • Time spent in each duty status
      • Total blocks for each line in the grid:
        • Line 1 off-duty: 8 hours 30 minutes
        • Line 2 sleeper berth: 5 hours
        • Line 3 driving: 9 hours 30 minutes
        • Line 4 on-duty (non-driving work): 1 hour total (shown as half an hour each section)
      • Totals are expected to add up to 24 hours.
    • Driving/on-duty hour compliance tracking
      • Add:
        • Driving time + on-duty time (example calculation: 9.5 hours driving + 1 hour on-duty = 10.5 hours)
      • Enter as a digital equivalent (example 10.5) and circle it.

Key Lessons Emphasized

  • Maintain accurate records

    • Described as both:
      • A legal requirement
      • Essential for safety on the road

  • Use the grid correctly

    • Duty statuses must match the right row.
    • Time must match the timeline.
    • Remarks must explain what/where.

Speakers / Sources Featured

  • Henry
    • Described as a driver instructor at Schneider (the video presenter).
  • Schneider
    • Referenced as the organization providing the instruction/demo content.

Original video