AI, e-Logs, and Why I Still Double-Check Things

If you’ve been on LinkedIn lately, you’ve probably seen the term “AI agents” being talked about everywhere.

And if you’re like me, you might be thinking…

What does that actually mean, and am I missing something?

I’ll be honest, I wondered the same thing.

So instead of trying to understand it from a tech perspective, I looked at it the only way I know how. From the road.

Let’s Go Back for a Minute

Before electronic logs, we ran paper logs.

And if you were out here during those years, you remember how it worked.

We logged our location by city and state or the nearest town. Most of us used mile markers, exits, or landmarks to stay accurate.

There wasn’t much room for guessing.

If your fuel receipts, scale tickets, or bills of lading didn’t line up with your log, that was on you.

You were responsible for making it make sense.

Fast Forward to Today

Now we run under the Electronic Logging Device mandate.

And I’ll say this, they’ve made things easier in a lot of ways.

But they’re not perfect.

I’ve personally had my log place me about 40 miles from where I actually was.

And that’s considered acceptable.

Not because it’s right, but because the system generated it.

Another Example Every Driver Knows

There are times we run more than one GPS or mapping system.

Not because we want to, but because we have to.

One system will find a location, and another one won’t even recognize it.

Even when it’s a well-established place.

So what do we do?

We don’t rely on just one.

We compare.

We double-check.

We pull out the atlas if we need to.

And then we make a decision based on experience.

So Where Does AI Fit Into This

From what I’ve learned, what people are calling “AI agents” are systems that can take a task and try to carry it out on their own.

But at the end of the day, they are still working off data.

They are still making their best guess.

And sometimes, just like a GPS or an e-log, they can be off.

Here’s My Take From the Driver’s Seat

I’m not against technology. I use it every day.

But I also don’t assume it’s always right.

Because I’ve seen what “40 miles off” looks like.

And I’ve seen two systems disagree on the same location.

So I treat AI the same way I treat everything else out here.

It’s a tool.

Not a decision-maker.

Not a replacement for experience.

And not something I rely on without thinking it through.

If You’re Wondering If You’re Behind

You’re not.

Understanding your equipment, your timing, your freight, and your decisions still matters.

That hasn’t changed.

Technology has added convenience, but it hasn’t replaced judgment.

Final Thought

We’ve come a long way in trucking.

Paper logs to electronic logs.

Maps to GPS.

Phone booths to cellphones to apps.

And now AI.

Each step has made things more efficient.

But every step still requires a human behind it.

If This Is New Territory for You

If you’re trying to make sense of all the changes happening in trucking and business right now, you’re not alone.

I’ve put together a few simple resources that walk through the real side of this industry and what it actually looks like out here.

You can find them here:
👉 www.awomantrucker.com

And if you prefer to listen while you’re on the road, you can catch more conversations like this on the TireTalk Podcast, where I break things down in a way that makes sense from a driver’s perspective.

Deb LaBree
A Woman Trucker