It’s time to start getting serious about complying with the electronic logging device (ELD) mandate. With the ELD mandate being upheld, surviving the OOIDA’s lawsuit last week, you’ve got just over a year to get ELDs in your commercial motor vehicles (CMVs)!
Tips to Help You Transition to ELDs
Don’t panic! We’ve pulled together a list of 6 things that you should be considering when you start planning your transition to ELDs.
Tip 1: Know the Mandate
It’s a little bit of a long read (126 pages), but we recommend that you, or the person responsible for managing the implementation of ELDs at your fleet, read the ELD mandate Final Rule.
We also recommend you read some of our ELD-related posts on the BigRoad Blog. We’ve covered everything from transition tips, what to look for in a provider, information on exemptions, and much more. Looking for something a little more interactive? You can also watch recaps of our recent ELD webinars!
Tip 2: Understand What Your Fleet Needs
It’s important to understand the unique requirements of your fleet when it comes to technology. What works for a fleet of 100+ trucks probably isn’t the best solution for an owner-operator. Sit down with your team (Safety Managers, Fleet Managers, Dispatchers, etc.) to determine what features they’re looking for in a solution. Do you need a full-blown telematics system or simply an hours-of-service (HOS) management solution?
Once you understand what technology is ideal, start assessing your current situation, and the technology you’re using to determine how the mandate will impact your fleet:
- Using paper logs?
If you’re currently using paper logbooks, you need to transition to an ELD by December 18, 2017. - Using an electronic logbook (eLogs)?
If you’re currently using an electronic logbook (like the BigRoad Mobile App), you need to transition to an ELD by December 18, 2017. - Using an AOBRD?
If you’re currently using an automatic onboard recording device (AOBRD), you’re granted a two-year grace period. You’ll need to transition to an ELD by December 16, 2019.
Tip 3: Determine If You’re Eligible for An Exemption
If you meet specific criteria, you might be exempt from having to comply with the ELD mandate! The following people, do not need to run an ELD:
- Drivers who are not currently required to keep RODS including short-haul drivers
- Drivers who keep RODS no more than 8-days during a 30-day consecutive period
- Driveaway-towaway operators when the vehicle being driven is part of the shipment
- Drivers of vehicles manufactured before model year 2000
A more detailed description of ELD mandate exemptions can be found here. Even if you’re exempt from having to run an ELD, we highly recommend that you transition to an electronic logbook. As ELDs become the standard, inspectors are going to be more comfortable with electronic logs which might lead to more scrutiny when it comes to inspecting paper logs.
Tip 4: Research What Products Are Available
There are many companies offering ELD mandate compliance solutions. You’ve probably noticed a lot of companies “coming out of the woodwork” and companies you’ve never heard of until this year.
For that very reason, it’s important that you take your time and research the solutions that are being offered to ensure that they are compliant with specifications within the ELD mandate.
When looking at a solution provider, ask yourself these questions:
- Is this a reputable company that you can trust?
- Do they have a proven track record and satisfied customers?
- Do they have experience with hours-of-service and regulatory compliance management?
- Do they actually have a product that’s available to purchase?
Tip 5: Request a Demo or Trial
At this point you’ve probably narrowed it down to a few providers. Now it’s time to see those solutions in action by requesting a live demonstration of the product or even a trial. If the provider isn’t able to do this, I’d highly doubt the legitimacy of their product. Any reputable vendor is happy to provide you with a demo and/or trial.
Tip 6: Involve Your Drivers in the Decision
Probably the most important thing on this list is to involve your drivers in making the final decision. You want to select a solution that’s driver-friendly and meets their needs because they’re the ones who are going to be using it.
Keep the fear of change at bay by making sure
your drivers know what’s happening and that they’re included in the process and final decision. This will go a long way! We’ve already seen a lot of successful transitions to BigRoad’s DashLink ELD by fleets that included their drivers and valued their opinion.
How Can BigRoad Help?
BigRoad has been providing hours-of-service management solutions to the transportation industry since 2011. As a trusted and reputable provider, you can be confident in the performance of our DashLink ELD! We invite you to setup a demo so that you can experience how easy compliance can be with BigRoad!
{{cta(‘3a7d740f-b07e-419a-900b-615fcae4f037′,’justifycenter’)}}