Vehicle fleets brace for electronic logging device mandate

Aug. 17, 2017
With a December deadline looming for commercial truck operators to install electronic logging devices (ELDs) for tracking hours of service (HOS) data, a number of fleet and telematics solution providers are offering new systems to help fleets stay compliant.

With a December deadline looming for commercial truck operators to install electronic logging devices (ELDs) for tracking hours of service (HOS) data, a number of fleet and telematics solution providers are offering new systems to help fleets stay compliant.

Earlier this year, Samsung and Magellan announced a partnership to offer a solution on Samsung’s Galaxy E and Galaxy A tablets, as well as some Galaxy S7 smartphone models. SYNNEX will distribute the systems, which will offer Magellan’s FMSCA-certified HOS logging tools, as well as dispatch and web portal features to create HOS and fuel tax reports. The system also will include Magellan Fleet Navigation. The hardware also can be used as a personal device for drivers.

The initial compliance data for the mandate, which is administered by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), is Dec. 18, 2017.

“The impending instatement of the U.S. electronic logging device (ELD) mandate has many smaller commercial vehicle fleets and owner-operator businesses seeking advice from trusted brands on pricing and features that will address security and flexibility compliance concerns with their businesses,” said Susan Beardslee, senior analyst at ABI Research. “Magellan’s partnership with Samsung Electronics America – and their plans to develop commercial-grade truck navigation and ELD-compliant hours of service (HOS) tracking solutions – is indicative of the many opportunities that still exist for both new entrants and long-established players in this still-fragmented fleet management market.”

ABI expects fleet management system revenues to exceed $22 billion by 2021, and predicts that global commercial telematics subscribers will reach 59 million that same year.

The ELD mandate was passed into law in 2015 with bi-partisan support to improve tracking and enforcement of HOS compliance. By eliminating paper driver logs, it will be easier for inspectors to identify violations, reduce fraud and tampering, and potentially improve driver safety.

The mandate also is expected to reduce the amount of supporting documents and paperwork drivers need to maintain. The rule includes a prohibition on driver harassment related to data generated by ELDs. This is to deter fleet operators or shippers that might attempt to coerce drivers into violating HOS limits.

Carriers that already use automatic onboard recording devices (AOBRDs) will need to update to ELDs over a four-year implantation period. The ELDs must be certified, registered and listed on the FMCSA website, as well as comply with new technical specifications.

Independent drivers and smaller fleets have objected to the mandate because of the expense required to install the equipment, and the potential for increased driver surveillance.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) filed a lawsuit against the FMCSA contending that the mandate was not safety focused, and claiming that it constituted warrantless surveillance of drivers in violation of the Fourth Amendment.

“That intrusion on the rights of hard-working Americans cannot be justified. The mandate will not improve safety. It will, however, be another costly regulatory burden heaped upon an already over-regulated industry,” said OOIDA president and CEO Jim Johnston. “The mandate has everything to do with large, economically motivated entities using the government to impose their will on small businesses which comprise the majority of the trucking industry. Until the government is able to answer many fundamental and basic questions about the mandate, they should at least delay its implementation,” said Johnston.

In June, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the association’s appeal of a lower court ruling in favor of the FMCSA. The OOIDA promised to pursue repeal of the mandate through Congress.

“We are pleased to see that the Supreme Court will not interfere with the implementation of this important, and Congressionally mandated, safety rule,” said Chris Spears, president and CEO of the American Trucking Associations (ATA), which supports the mandate. “We will continue to support FMCSA as they work toward the December deadline for electronic logging devices and urge them to provide certainty to the industry about when and how to comply with this rule by continuing to move toward implementing this regulation on schedule.”

Some fleet operators are asking for more exemptions or compliance timeline extensions. UPS has asked for exemptions to help more cost-effectively transition from AOBRDs to ELDs across its fleet. The company also asked for an exemption on automatic recording of changes of duty status to comply with its labor agreement with the Teamsters, and a temporary exemption for a special driving mode for yard moves. In addition, the company asked for an exemption for movement of vehicles in the yard by non-driver support staff.

Starting in December, fleets have two years in which they can either use certified ELDs or AOBRDs that were installed prior to Dec. 18. After Dec. 16, 2019, all drivers and carriers subject to the rule must use certified ELDs.

The ELD requirements include features (such as integral interfacing with the electronic control module, and automated duty status entries) that were not addressed or required in the original AOBRD rules.

Other vendors are getting their solutions certified by the FMCSA. Fleetmatics has launched LogBook for IoS, which also provides alerts for potential violations.

Other solutions that are now on the FMCSA list include Teletrac Navman’s Director ELD, and the ZED Connect system, which was launched by engine maker Cummins.

Schneider Logistics is offering a solution from J.J. Keller for third-party carriers that broker with the company. Trimble, meanwhile, acquired electronic logging provider Innovative Software Engineering (ISE), which the company says will boost its R&D efforts relative to ELD solutions.

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