Electronic Truck Logbook for Australian Heavy Vehicle Drivers
Truck Me includes a three-tier digital logbook built into the routing app. Record work and rest hours, track trips with GPS, and export for roadside inspections, all without carrying paper.
Fatigue management under the Heavy Vehicle National Law
The Heavy Vehicle National Law (HVNL) requires that drivers of regulated heavy vehicles record their work and rest hours. The purpose is fatigue management: ensuring drivers get adequate rest and that operators and drivers can demonstrate compliance when required by an authorised officer.
There are three work and rest options under HVNL. Standard Hours is the default and applies to drivers who have not enrolled in an accredited fatigue management scheme. It sets fixed maximum work windows and minimum rest periods within a 24-hour cycle and across a 7-day period. Basic Fatigue Management allows more flexible scheduling in exchange for an accredited fatigue management plan. Advanced Fatigue Management gives the most flexibility and requires the most detailed documentation.
What a logbook must capture varies by option, but at minimum drivers must record the date, start and end times of work and rest periods, and the locations where rest was taken. Under BFM and AFM, additional records are required. Paper logbooks work, but they are easy to fill in incorrectly under fatigue, slow to complete at the end of a long trip, and hard to present quickly at an inspection.
Truck Me's three logbook tiers
Not every driver needs the same level of logbook functionality. Truck Me lets you choose the tier that fits your situation.
Off
Logbook features are completely disabled. All routing, incidents, and mapping features work normally. Choose this if you are operating under a different compliance method, or if you are doing short local work that does not require a logbook.
Reminders
Truck Me prompts you at trip start and trip end to record your work hours. The prompt appears automatically when you begin navigation and when you arrive. You enter start time, end time, and rest locations manually. No GPS tracking is recorded. Good for Standard Hours drivers who need a quick digital record without a full tracking setup.
Full tracking
Continuous GPS waypoint logging throughout the trip. Odometer readings from app-calculated distance. Rest break recording with a single tap: Truck Me captures start time, end time, and location from GPS automatically. Full trip history stored in the app with export to CSV or PDF. Designed for BFM and AFM drivers and fleet operators who require detailed records.
Export your logbook for inspections and audits
A digital logbook is only useful if you can present it when required. Truck Me lets you export your logbook directly from the app in two formats: CSV for operators and compliance teams who need to process data in spreadsheets, and PDF for roadside inspectors and operators who need a readable summary.
The PDF export includes trip date, start and end times, locations, distance, rest break records, and the driver and vehicle details from your profile. You can email it directly from the app or save it to your phone for offline access. The CSV export includes the same data in a format that can be imported into fleet management systems.
On the fleet tier, operators can pull logbook exports for any driver in their fleet from the web portal, without needing access to the driver's phone. This is useful for scheduled compliance audits and for responding to requests from regulatory bodies.
Logbook features in Truck Me
Every logbook feature is integrated with the routing app so records are captured automatically during normal use.
Trip start and end prompts
The reminders tier prompts you automatically when you begin navigation and when you arrive at your destination. Takes seconds to complete at either end of a trip.
GPS waypoint tracking
Full tracking tier records continuous GPS waypoints throughout your trip. Route history is stored against each logbook entry and exportable for audit.
Rest break recording
Log rest breaks during a trip with a single tap. Break start time, end time, and location are recorded automatically from GPS data.
Fatigue option aware
Set your work and rest option in your driver profile: Standard Hours, BFM, or AFM. The logbook records the correct fields for your chosen option.
Export for audits and inspections
Export your logbook to CSV or PDF from the app. Roadside inspectors can view the file on screen or you can email it to your operator directly from the app.
Rest reminder alerts
Under Standard Hours, Truck Me can alert you when a rest break is approaching based on your recorded work time. Configurable per your chosen fatigue option.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a digital logbook legally accepted in Australia?
Under the Heavy Vehicle National Law, drivers can use a digital logbook provided it records all the required information. The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator has published guidance on electronic work diaries. Truck Me's full tracking tier records the fields required under HVNL. Check the latest NHVR guidance for your specific situation and fatigue option, as requirements differ between Standard Hours, BFM, and AFM.
What tier of logbook do I need?
It depends on your fatigue management option and your operator's requirements. If you are on Standard Hours and running shorter trips, the reminders tier is often sufficient. If you are on Basic Fatigue Management or Advanced Fatigue Management, or your operator requires detailed trip records, the full tracking tier provides GPS waypoints, rest breaks, and exportable trip logs.
What is the difference between Standard Hours, BFM, and AFM?
Standard Hours is the default HVNL fatigue option with fixed work and rest windows. Basic Fatigue Management (BFM) allows more flexibility with work and rest schedules in exchange for an accredited fatigue management plan. Advanced Fatigue Management (AFM) allows operators to design their own fatigue management system subject to NHVR accreditation. Each option has different record-keeping requirements.
Can my fleet operator access my logbook records?
On the fleet tier, operators can access logbook records for drivers who are linked to their fleet account. Individual drivers on the solo Pro tier own their own logbook data. You can export and share it with anyone, but it is not automatically shared.
Does the logbook work offline?
Yes. Logbook recording works without a data connection. Trip data is stored locally and syncs to the cloud when connectivity is restored. If you are operating in an area with patchy mobile coverage, your records are not lost.
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