ELDs Will Have a Major Impact on Industry

What is the ELD mandate?

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is enforcing electronic logging devices (ELD) for all trucks in the US. These ELDs will be making their way to Canada, too. ELDs will electronically record a driver’s Record of Duty Status. This will completely replace the traditional paper logbook that some drivers are currently using for tracking of their hours of service. The ELD mandate requires, at the basic level, that ELDs be plugged in and synchronized with a truck’s engine and that a driver’s hours of service are tracked.

Are there any alternatives to buying an expensive ELD?

You can use smartphones and tablets, as long as they meet the FMCSA’s requirements. One of these requirements, as aforementioned, is that the device must be hardwired to the truck’s engine.

When is the ELD mandate coming into effect?

December 18, 2017.

What are the benefits of ELDs?

  • Less paperwork, as the ELD logs everything digitally. This can result in savings, according to the FMCSA.
  • Keep dispatcher up-to-date on driver’s status, which makes it easier to plan loads and deliveries
  • Assist in regulatory compliance, such as vehicle inspection reports.
  • Cost-benefit analysis y Transport Canada reports that the benefits of the ELD mandate outweighs costs by 2:1. This takes into account “time saved by drivers, administrators, roadside inspectors and reduced vehicle collisions due to driver fatigue and Hours of Service violations.”

What are the drawbacks of ELDs?

  • Potentially decreasing miles travelled by drivers. For example, if a driver is stuck in traffic, he or she cannot pause the ELD. This means that the 2 hours in traffic will count towards the driver’s hours of service, which will lead to the shift being ended with 2 hours of barely driving.
  • If a driver has a minute before their hours of service ends and the driver is within 5 minutes of the delivery site, for example, the load will have to be delivered the next day. Why? Drivers who go over their hours of service will be penalized with a cooldown period. Drivers are discouraged from making these deliveries because it will prevent them from driving longer than usual.

Sources

“ELD Facts – Info You Need Now on Electronic Logging Devices.” ELD Facts. https://eldfacts.com/eld-facts/.

“Electronic Logging Devices – Pros and Cons.” 123Loadboard. December 04, 2016. https://www.123loadboard.com/blog/electronic-logging-devices-eld/.

“We can help get you ELD mandate compliant!” Shaw Tracking ELD Mandate Comments http://www.shawtracking.ca/eld-mandate.

Transport Canada Says Electronic Log Devices Finally Coming | Today’s Trucking. https://www.todaystrucking.com/transport-canada-says-electronic-log-devices-finally-coming.

“Canadian ELD Mandate Announcement Coming Soon.” Geotab Blog. June 13, 2017. https://www.geotab.com/blog/canadian-eld-mandate/.

Thumbnail image provided by Thefleetbeat via Wikimedia Commons

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