Guide to GPS Text Logbook - Electronic Logbook

Now this is a handy little device! If you have to keep track of your business mileage for tax purposes, you’ll know what an inconvenience it is having to enter the details into a logbook every time you go anywhere.

What’s the GPS Logbook?

The GPS Log Book is an ingenious product that mostly automates the process. Simply plug the device into the cigarette lighter socket in your car and, well, that’s pretty much it. The Log Book uses GPS satellites to track your movement. There’s no need to turn it on. It will automatically measure distances travelled when the vehicle itself is switched on and off.

How does the GPS Logbook work?

A green LED light on the top of the Log Book shows when it has GPS signal and is recording a trip. A red light means the device is trying to locate satellites, while a flashing light means the device’s storage is almost full and needs to be synced. To ensure that a particular trip is not recorded, you simply unplug the device from the cigarette lighter.

Suggestions from the company

Once every so often — the manufacturers recommend at least once a fortnight — you plug the Log Book into your Internet-connected Windows PC or Mac using a supplied mini USB cable and simply provide the details of the trips recorded, whether they were personal or for business, and, if the latter, the details of the trips.

Managing details

Trips can also be merged and vehicles assigned to a trip can be changed. Also, “zones” can be created for places that users travel to often so they don’t need to enter these travel details each time they sync the device.

The manufacturer explains that reports can be run to pull statistics on a particular zone, providing sales representatives, for example, with travel reports.

What about information storage?

All the information is stored on the Log Book’s servers.

When it comes time to submit your tax return, the Log Book website can generate a compliant logbook. Reports for business travel claims can also be generated, as can detailed zone reports showing all the trips made to and from a specific area.

What if you want to use the cigarette lighter socket for different purposes?

Those who already use their car’s cigarette lighter socket to charge a phone or another device will be pleased to know that the Log Book has a full-sized USB charging port to plug in that iPod or smartphone.

How will using the Log Book make your life easier?

It is natural for employees to be skeptical of new technology at first, especially if they view the technology as a “Big Brother.” In order to combat this mistrust of electronic logbooks, you must show your drivers the many benefits of ELDs.

Some of the top benefits of an electronic logbook solution include:

An electronic logbook speeds up roadside inspection

Without ELDs, roadside inspections can be a tedious affair. Drivers must sort through handwritten paper driver logs and search for possible errors or hours of service violations.

With electronic logbooks, inspectors can easily view the log and search for possible violations. Since ELDs also help reduce errors or violations, you not only save valuable time, but you also save money through reduced fines!

An electronic logbook reduces paperwork (and human error!)

Typically, commercial truck drivers aren’t a fan of physical paperwork. Keeping track of paper documents can become a real headache for drivers—which ultimately distracts them from the road.

An electronic logbook automates hours of service compliance processes. This automation ensures that the logs are free of error, correctly totaled and signed by the driver.

With electronic logbooks, your drivers can focus on the road instead of worrying about their paper logs.

An electronic logbook improves communication with the office

Before electronic logbooks, most organizations required check calls for drivers and dispatchers.

Effective ELD solutions provide a driver’s location on a map, so the office can check the safety and estimated time of arrival without calling the driver.

This accurate location information also helps dispute claims from shippers and receivers that a driver was delayed, when they really were not.

By the end of 2017, all commercial truck drivers with record of duty status will need an ELD solution. By implementing ELDs sooner rather than later, your organizations can expect to see these benefits and more, including:

• A faster return-on-investment
• Decreased driver distraction
• More time to learn the new technology

A few pointers about the GPS Log Book

• What’s new in the log book
• Calendar view
• Interactive vehicle list and map
• Indicating the direction of the route
• Highlighting of the selected trip on a map
• Detailed trip overview and speed chart
• Instant report generation of selected period

In our experience, the Log Book works as advertised, saving you the general hassle of maintaining a paper logbook. Best of all, the device, which comes with a one-year warranty, does not require any subscription fees. It is available for purchase on the GPS Log Book website for purchase, so go ahead and make sure to get your hands on this amazing device!