Trucking: OTR and drive time/ Log Books, financial incentives, luck jim

Question
I am interested in OTR. But, I have heard stories about drivers and the LOG BOOKS.
Can I really expect to drive 10 hours a day and have the rest of the day off?
Or will I be driving 15-20 hours a day with 5 different Log Books with little or no time?

Answer
Peter, your bewst source of information on Hours of Service is the FMCSA website:
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations/truck/driver/hos/hos-faqs.asp
The real world demands however are another question.  If you are an owner operator you control your own time.  You are required to keep a set of logs and they can be checked at any roadside inspection or weigh station.  The carrier you are contracted to cannot force you to exceed your legal hours, however some will ecourage you to cheat by giving financial incentives.  If you are a company driver your employer cannot legally ask you to exceed the HOS regulations.  Again however some may ecourage you to keep two sets of books.  In the long run you are better off to seek out carriers or employers who are committed to running legal and working within that framework.  There are plenty of driving jobs and a shortage of drivers so with a little effort you should be a able to find a fit that you are comfotable with.
Best of luck.
Jim