Build the evidence alongside the log
Know what supporting documents are and how to retain them.
Records that help verify the log
Supporting documents are ordinary business records used to check a driver’s duty log. They can show when and where work happened. They support RODS; they do not replace them.
- Bills of lading, itineraries, and schedules.
- Dispatch and trip records.
- Expense receipts, such as fuel receipts.
- Electronic fleet communications.
- Payroll and settlement records.
When a day produces many documents, retain the required coverage of the whole day.
Retain the required documents for six months
Under the ordinary selection rules, the carrier retains up to eight required supporting documents per driver per twenty-four-hour period for at least six months. If more than eight qualify, selection must include the earliest and latest time indications.
Other retention requirements may still apply. This selection limit is not permission to destroy records needed under another rule.
Make the records easy to connect
Keep the driver or linkable vehicle, date, location, and time. The next lesson explains submission and roadside access.