Managing working hours in logistics and transportation is a delicate balance of productivity, safety, and compliance. For fleet managers, logistics coordinators, and admin teams, time and attendance control goes far beyond clocking in and out: it’s the foundation to cut costs, avoid labor exposure, prevent driver fatigue, and keep operations predictable from the first to the last mile.

In this guide, you’ll learn what time and attendance control is, how legislation affects daily operations in Brazil, the most common pitfalls, and how Meu Rastreio’s Time and Attendance Control solution can transform your operation with data, automation, and simplicity.

Why time and attendance is critical in logistics

• Operational complexity: multiple routes, shifts, on-call schedules, stops, and activities (loading, unloading, waiting).
• Labor risk: overtime not calculated correctly, breaks not accounted for, discrepancies with collective agreements.
• Safety and fatigue: continuous driving above legal limits increases accidents and damage.
• Rising costs: without visibility, overtime and premiums (night shift, hazard) skyrocket.
• Low predictability: delays from poor planning of breaks and delivery windows.
• Dispersed data: spreadsheets, manual entries, and disconnected reports make decisions harder.

When timekeeping is manual or fragmented, errors multiply. The result? Liabilities, fines, lost productivity, and unhappy customers.

What the law says (plain English) In Brazil, time and attendance is governed by the CLT and specific regulations:

• Electronic timekeeping: Ordinance MTP 671/2021 modernized electronic time clock rules and defined models and requirements for recording, storage, and audit trails—favoring digital solutions with robust auditability.
• Professional drivers (Law 13.103/2015 – “Driver Law”): sets limits for driving time, breaks, and rest. As a general reference, breaks are mandatory during driving (e.g., after 5h30 of continuous driving), plus daily and weekly rest.
• eSocial and collective bargaining agreements (CBAs/CCTs): require consistent data and adherence to regional or sector agreements.

Best practice blends technology (for traceability) with configurable rules (to support different contracts, branches, or unions). Note: always consult your legal counsel and the applicable CBA/CCT for rules specific to your operation.

How time and attendance control works in practice Reliable field records

• Start, pause, and end of shift recorded via mobile app.
• Geolocation to evidence where events were recorded (without violating privacy).
• Offline mode for areas without coverage, with automatic sync.
• Reasons and categories for events (loading, unloading, waiting, meal, rest).

Configurable business rules

• Policies by role, branch, contract, or customer.
• Configurable driving limits, rest windows, and proactive blocks for excess.
• Time bank, night differential, and exception handling.

Validation and auditing

• Manager approval workflow for inconsistencies.
• Audit trails and reports for internal and external inspections.
• Export of timecards and payroll integration.

Real-time analytics

• Preventive alerts before limits are exceeded.
• Dashboards with total hours, overtime, absenteeism, and compliance.
• Cross-analysis with operational data (routes, stops, deliveries).

Top challenges—and how to overcome them

1. Excessive overtime and unpredictable costs

• Why it happens: lack of visibility, poorly sized routes, cascading delays.
• How to fix: real-time monitoring, alerts before hitting limits, and dynamic schedule re-planning.

2. Labor risk and fines

• Why it happens: manual records, mismatches between timekeeping and operations.
• How to fix: electronic timekeeping with audit trails, CCT-configurable policies, and standardized audit reports.

3. Driver fatigue and safety

• Why it happens: poorly distributed breaks and deadline pressure.
• How to fix: rest rules aligned to the Driver Law, proactive alerts, and planned stop windows.

4. Difficult cross-team integration

• Why it happens: timekeeping, TMS, tracking, and payroll in separate systems.
• How to fix: a unified platform connecting time, routes, and KPIs, with export/integration to ERP/payroll.

Measurable benefits of time and attendance control

• 10% to 25% reduction in overtime with planning and alerts.
• Fewer incidents and accidents through better break management.
• Less idle time (waiting) by balancing loading/unloading windows.
• Better delivery predictability (OTIF) and higher customer satisfaction.
• Fewer labor liabilities and faster audits.
• Manager productivity: fewer hours reconciling spreadsheets and justifications.

Quick ROI example: in an operation with 60 drivers, eliminating just 15 minutes of daily overtime per person saves roughly 300 hours/month—the equivalent of almost two FTEs in direct cost, not counting reduced risk and incidents.

Practical use cases Last mile (urban distribution)

• Challenge: multiple stops, traffic, short delivery windows.
• Solution: simple app-based timekeeping, break alerts, and dynamic route re-planning as teams approach daily limits. Result: fewer overtime overruns at peak times.

Inter-branch highway transfer

• Challenge: long distances with mandatory breaks and overnights.
• Solution: configurable rest policies and event validation (rest, meal, waiting). Result: strong audit readiness and lower fatigue-related incidents.

Distribution center and warehouse

• Challenge: shifts, night premium, and time banks.
• Solution: shift-based policies, exception-based timekeeping (where permitted), and automated premiums computation. Result: faster payroll close and fewer disputes with HR.

Trends and best practices in logistics timekeeping

• Full digitalization: from capture to audit, eliminating paper and spreadsheets.
• Exception-based timekeeping: focus on what deviates from the norm where legislation and agreements allow, reducing bureaucracy.
• Predictive analytics: anticipate risk of overtime overruns and resource unavailability.
• Safety culture: encourage breaks and real rest as part of your SLA.
• Privacy and LGPD: collect the minimum necessary, be transparent, and protect data.
• Operational integration: connect time to routes, dock windows, and delivery events.

Meu Rastreio – Time and Attendance Control: how the tool helps Meu Rastreio’s Time and Attendance Control is built for transport and logistics, combining ease of use in the field, robust rules, and real-time visibility:

• App-based time clock (even offline) with event geolocation.
• Flexible policies: driving limits, breaks, night premium, time bank, and team/branch rules.
• Proactive alerts: notify managers and drivers before limits are exceeded to enable re-planning.
• Timecards and reports: audit-ready and exportable to payroll.
• Operational integration: connect time with routes, stops, and performance KPIs.
• Approval workflows and exception handling: reduce friction between operations and HR/Payroll.
• Compliance dashboards: monitor worked hours, overtime, and legal adherence in real time.
• Adoption experience: intuitive for both drivers and managers, minimizing training time.

When time and attendance connects with fleet tracking and route planning, you eliminate blind spots and make decisions based on trustworthy data.

Learn more about the solution: Meu Rastreio – Controle de Jornadas https://meurastreio.app/pt-BR/controle-de-jornadas

How to implement in 30 days (step by step)

1. Diagnosis

• Map roles, schedules, routes, and collective agreements. Identify major sources of overtime and inconsistencies.

2. Policy definition

• Set rules by profile (urban driver, highway driver, checker, warehouse operator). Detail breaks, intervals, premiums, and time bank.

3. Setup in Meu Rastreio

• Register teams, schedules, and policies. Configure alerts, event categories, and reports.

4. Controlled pilot

• Select 1–2 branches. Train leaders and drivers. Track metrics in week one (overtime, break adherence, exceptions).

5. Adjustments and rollout

• Fix bottlenecks, expand across the operation, and align routines with HR/Payroll and Safety.

6. Continuous improvement

• Monitor compliance KPIs, OTIF, and personnel costs. Recalibrate rules for seasonality and contracts.

Quick tips to avoid pitfalls

• Simplify field capture: few taps and clear categories.
• Alert before overruns: prevention costs less than correction.
• Handle exceptions transparently with audit trails.
• Align with HR/Payroll and legal: technology + compliance = safety.
• Communicate benefits to the team: less rework, more predictability and safety.

Conclusion: controlled shifts, efficient operations Time and attendance control isn’t just about following the law—it’s about safety, predictability, and margin. By digitizing timekeeping, configuring rules, and connecting time to operations, your company reduces costs, mitigates risk, and gains day-to-day agility.

Meu Rastreio’s Time and Attendance Control delivers exactly that: simplicity for drivers, analytical power for managers, and compliance for the business. Ready to transform your people management and operational performance?

Book a free demo and see how Meu Rastreio’s Time and Attendance Control can elevate your operation in practice: https://meurastreio.app/pt-BR/controle-de-jornadas

Or talk to a specialist to design the ideal project for your reality.