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Drivers Daily Log.com - I LOVE this program. This is more than a computerized log book. It does so much more. I’ve been a user for a long time. Mainly to check for mistakes when I had to use a company supplied logbook. And when the new rules came out in 2004, while everyone else was confused, I always knew if I was legal or not.

I like not having to write the same things that never change over and over and over and over on my logs. The only thing that was preprinted on a company supplied logbook was the company address. Now, my truck number, trailer number, co-driver name, date, everything is already filled out, last seven days of hours, even my signature, everything. All I have to do is put in the time and place where duty status changes and even that’s quick and easy.

The logbook is only the tip of the iceberg. I never really used the other parts of the program before, but now I’m using almost every feature.

Commercial truck owners pay taxes on the fuel and mileage the trucks run in every state. We have to keep track of every mile in every state and every gallon of fuel purchased and in which state. It’s a major pain in the butt. While I’m driving, I write down or keep track of my odometer reading every time I cross a state border and write down the odometer every time I get fuel. At the end of the day I input that information into DDL, it’s actually pretty quick. As a side note I can keep track of my empty and my loaded miles and get reports on totals and percentages of each and totals in each state. The program will also fill out my IFTA Quarterly tax return after I download the current tax table from the IFTA site.

DDL will also keep track of expenses (reimbursable or not) and revenue. Broken down by date or by trip number. Not only do I get the mileage reports, miles per gallon I can also see how much the trip I just finished made money and how much per actual mile. And the expense records can be exported to a Quicken file (which is also supported by every other money program) so I don’t have to enter anything twice.

The coolest thing I found out recently on my trip to Canada, is not only can you change to Canadian Hours of Service Rules when you cross the border, it will report miles or kilometers, liters or gallons, Canadian or US dollars. When I had to get fuel in Canada, after
inputting the exchange rate I was able to tell exactly how many gallons and how much money I spent on fuel. After all the conversions I found out I spent $2.42 a gallon. Which sounds bad, but it’s cheaper than not getting fuel and being pulled across the border.

Besides a log book and keeping track of mileage, fuel, expenses and revenue, it also keeps track of the number of days we’re away from home so we know how much per diem to file for on our taxes.

Support is incredible on the site and with a user forum (that has an RSS feed to keep up to date on the postings, how cool is that?!!) There’s even a section where people tell of their experiences of showing DOT officers their logbook on the computer. In the regs it says you should have the prior seven days printed and be able to print the current day on demand. Some people I know have gotten away with only showing their computer to a trooper. But, knowing my luck, the one time I need to print seven days plus the current day for Cindy and
myself is going to be the day I get an impatient inspector or I run out of ink in my last cartridge. Usually, in the morning before we start driving, I’ll print yesterday’s log and start today’s and keep the paper copy up to date with a pen. It sounds like a lot of work, but it’s not. We have to keep track of the mileage and input them somewhere anyway. Plus keep track of each other’s mileage and odometer when we change drivers and this way I know we are absolutely legal. And if we get inspected I hand the trooper my logbook which is extremely neat and legible and current. During an inspection I’ve got enough to worry
about without trying to explain how my logs are on the computer and I need to print them out or how they can look at them on the computer.

The company we drive for uses the audit program from the same developer and encourages drivers with a computer to use DDL. Once a week or so, I email the logs back to the office. Quick and easy, one less thing in the mail or worry about mailing by a deadline. And even if they didn’t accept the emailed logs, I could print them and fax them in one step with efax.com, or print them out and mail them the boring old fashioned way.

Bottom line is that if you’re a driver or owner operator with a computer you need to get this program. Check on the website in the forum there’s a section that lists companies that officially approve of DDL for logbooks. Even if you’re company isn’t listed, call them and
show them the benefits. A little explaining could save you tons of paperwork and having to write the same things over and over and over and over.