ELD Mandate Compliance
Electronic Logging Devices
If you're a trucking company, you
should have Dec. 18, 2017 circled on your calendar. That's the day on
which commercial drivers must be in compliance with the Federal Motor
Carrier Safety Administration's mandate for using electronic logging
devices (ELD). After that date, drivers are subject to penalties and
fines if they are not found to be in compliance with the mandate. The
ELD mandate is proposed to convert drivers' hours of service and other
information from pencil-and-paper logs to electronic data. Through the
use of ELDs, drivers will be able to log fundamental information
directly from the engine of their trucks as well as information they
log themselves such as trailer numbers and shipping documents. This
allows such information to be logged automatically and more accurately
than on paper.
Being in compliance with the ELD mandate
means trucking companies need to be aware of which devices count under
the new rules, how to ensure those devices remain in compliance, and
how to confirm the devices are being used in accordance with the law.
For example, carriers must be aware that any action they take that
they know will lead to drivers violating their hours of service rules
constitutes harassment - they can face stiff penalties for such
transgressions. These actions considered harassment of drivers include
interacting with the driver while the driver is supposed to be
sleeping and falsely editing records on the ELD. Carriers also need to
be sure their drivers carry all of the required materials related to
their ELDs, including user's manuals, instruction sheets and paper
logs in the event of an error.
The future is now for the
trucking industry, and carriers can't afford to wait much longer to
bring their drivers and trucks into compliance with the ELD mandate.
The consequences for missing the deadline for compliance may be
aggravating at best and devastating at worst for carriers. It's in a
company's best interest to make sure everything is taken care of prior
to the deadline. The following slideshow from Track Your Truck details
what you need to be aware of regarding the upcoming ELD mandate
deadline, so make sure you're ready for Dec. 18.