There are countless acronyms used in the trucking industry, but one you definitely need to know about is “ELD.”
If you don’t already know what this device is, then you need to quickly get up to speed or risk potential violations and fines.
If you’re still not sold by this new piece of technology, then you need to get on board by reading about some of the benefits offered by these devices.
What Does ELD Mean?
An ELD is an “electronic logging device” that is used to record and then transmit driving information electronically. These devices are hooked up to commercial motor vehicles and are used to ensure compliance with a wide variety of federal and state safety regulations, including but not limited to Hours of Service (HOS) standards.
ELDs essentially provide a 21st-century solution to old-school paper recording. And while some drivers may be hesitant to incorporate new technology into their lives, using ELDs while on the road is no longer optional. In fact, the use of ELDs for most commercial motor vehicle operators is mandated by the United States federal government.
How Does an ELD Work?
Now that you know what an ELD is, you’re probably wondering how it all works. It’s quite interesting! An ELD works by connecting with the vehicle’s engine and automatically records driving activity and other relevant information. Specifically, ELDs are designed to record driving time, driving details, and geographic location.
ELDs are also designed to transfer the data collected electronically through telematic means, including wireless or email, and locally through USB devices or Bluetooth connections. ELDs also certify driver records, display reports for safety officials, and provide drivers with a user manual. Finally, ELDs prevent tampering and ensure accurate and automatic data collection.
Some of the specific data points recorded and transmitted by an ELD include the date, time, location, engine hours, vehicle miles, driver identification, user authentication, vehicle, and motor carrier.
What Are the Benefits of an ELD?
While ELDs might seem like a useless annoyance, there are actually real benefits to using them. Here are just some of the benefits that you can enjoy by using an ELD:
1. Driver Safety
The biggest benefit of an ELD is that it helps improve driver safety. Tired drivers cause more accidents. More accidents lead to more injuries and potential deaths on the road. So it’s really not an exaggeration to say that ELDs can save the lives of drivers.
According to an estimate made by the FMCSA, the use of ELDs can help save 26 lives and prevent 562 injuries every year. So in the three years since the ELD mandate took effect, an estimated 78 lives have been saved, and 1,686 injuries have been prevented.
2. RODS Simplification
ELDs also make it easier for drivers to maintain records of duty status or RODS. According to the FMCSA, every driver is required to maintain RODS for each 24-period with each change in duty status and corresponding location. Instead of having to do all of this manually, an ELD makes it incredibly easy.
All you have to do is press a button to change your duty status effectively, and the device does all the rest — including logging your location and transmitting the information to the proper channels. So instead of taking the time to write all of this information down physically, you can meet RODS standards at the click of a button.
3. Increased Hours of Service Compliance
Another benefit of an ELD is that it helps improve HOS compliance. Thanks to these devices, it’s harder for drivers to fudge their records with manual record keeping. Instead, these devices are connected to the trucks themselves and can tell when the truck is moving, idling, and stopped.
As a result, it becomes very clear who is driving more than they should be, who isn’t taking the required breaks, and who isn’t taking enough time off the road.
All of these HOS requirements are designed to keep people safe on the road — which is why compliance is so important.
4. Easier Office Administration
While ELDs certainly save lives, they also save time in terms of office administrative tasks. Drivers can now spend more off-duty time relaxing instead of worrying about manual record-keeping that can be quite time-intensive.
ELDs also make things easier for office staff who no longer have to perform manual record keeping. Less time spent on less paperwork equals more money saved.
5. Reduced Errors
Finally, ELDs help cut down on errors. Sometimes even the most diligent drivers make errors with their record keeping. And while a small error here and there might not seem like a big deal, these errors can quickly create larger problems for the driver and the company in question.
ELDs help to avoid human errors by using automated tracking technology. At the same time, technology isn’t perfect either — which is why drivers also need to know how to deal with possible ELD malfunctions.
Increased Efficiency
ELDs aren’t just beneficial for drivers; they’re also beneficial for fleet managers that are always looking to increase the efficiency of their fleets. The data collected by ELDs can be easily organized into actionable items.
For example, if a fleet manager notices that idling time is high, they can take action to decrease idling time and boost efficiency.
Alternatively, ELDs can be used for engine fault reporting so that fleet managers can proactively schedule vehicle maintenance before issues come up that take a vehicle out of commission — saving time and money in the process.
They can also develop a system wherein they decide when to replace vehicles based on their mileage and service histories — ensuring that they maintain the most efficient fleet possible.
Who Needs an ELD?
According to the ELD Mandate issued by the U.S. Federal Government, ELDs are mandatory for most commercial motor vehicle operators. If you aren’t sure if you are required to utilize an ELD under this mandate, here are some guidelines to help you make this determination:
- You must maintain an operational ELD device in your vehicle if you’re a commercial motor vehicle driver/operator that drives between states within the United States.
- You must maintain an operational ELD device in your vehicle if you are a driver of a vehicle that weighs more than 10,001 pounds.
- You must maintain an operational ELD device in your vehicle if used to carry placarded hazmat loads.
- You must maintain an operational ELD device in your vehicle if your vehicle is used to carry more than eight or 15 passengers, based on the vehicle class.
And while most commercial motor vehicle operators fall under the above categories, there are some noted exceptions to the ELD mandate:
- You are exempt from the ELD mandate if you drive a vehicle with an engine that was manufactured prior to the year 2000.
- You are exempt from the ELD mandate if you are a short-haul driver who only operates within a 100-air mile radius.
- You are exempt from the ELD mandate if you are a non-CDL driver who only operates within a 150-air mile radius.
- You are exempt from the ELD mandate if you are a driver who conducts drive-away-tow-away operations, in which the vehicle being driven is the commodity being delivered.
- You are exempt from the ELD mandate if you operate under short-haul exceptions and may continue using time cards instead of keeping RODS and ELDs.
- You are exempt from the ELD mandate if you are a driver who uses paper RODS for no more than eight days out of every 30 days.
- You are exempt from the ELD mandate if you are a driver who transports insects and livestock.
So unless you fall into one of these very specific categories, you need to be using an ELD in your vehicle at all times. And while this may seem difficult to comply with, compliance is straightforward when you understand the requirements.
Is ELD Mandatory?
ELDs are mandated for commercial motor vehicle operators by the United States federal government.
And while some people may assume that this mandate is unenforceable, the federal government has made it clear that they’re serious about enforcement.
These devices are used to transmit HOS data to FMCSA enforcement partners and safety officials.
This means that they will know if you’re not complying with the mandate. They will also know if you’re not complying with HOS regulations.
How to Comply with the ELD Mandate?
It can be difficult to comply with something if you’re not sure what the requirements are in the first place. RPM is here to help make ELD compliance easy by following these simple guidelines:
- A compliant ELD must connect to the vehicle’s engine and be able to record information related to driving, stopping, and stalling times.
- A compliant ELD must allow the driver to select between different duty statuses, including on-duty, off-duty, and on-duty but not driving.
- A compliant ELD must gather data in a standardized format to be easily transmitted to law enforcement agencies through email, USB, or Bluetooth.
- A compliant ELD must include geographical tracking capabilities to comply with RODS standards.
- The provider must certify the ELD to show that it meets the required technical specifications.
- The driver must maintain the ELD user manual, an ELD malfunction guide, a guide for transferring HOS data, and backup paper log sheets that cover at least eight days.
What If You Don’t Comply With the ELD Mandate?
The ELD mandate began its enforcement period back in April 2018, so there’s no reason why you should be risking non-compliance at this point.
As a result, the FMCSA has included 22 new roadside inspection and ELD violations within the CSA’s Safety Measurement System (SMS).
Here’s a list of these new violations, including a short description and the severity level of the violation:
- Citation 395.8A-ELD: No record of duty of status (ELD Required)
- Severity Level: 5
- Citation 395.8A-NON-ELD: No record of duty of status when one is required (ELD Not Required)
- Severity Level: 5
- Citation 395.8A1: Not using the appropriate method to record hours of service
- Severity Level: 5
- Citation 395.11G: Failing to provide supporting documents in the driver’s possession upon request
- Severity Level: 7
- Citation 395.20B: The ELD’s display screen cannot be viewed outside of the commercial motor vehicle
- Severity Level: 5
- Citation 395.22A: Operating with a device that is not registered with the FMCSA
- Severity Level: 5
- Citation 395.22G: Portable ELD not mounted in a fixed position that is visible to the driver
- Severity Level: 1
- Citation 395.22H1: Driver failing to maintain the ELD’s user manual
- Severity Level: 1
- Citation 395.22H2: Driver failing to maintain the ELD’s instruction sheet
- Severity Level: 1
- Citation 395.22H3: Driver failing to maintain instruction sheet for ELD malfunction reporting requirements
- Severity Level: 1
- Citation 395.22H4: Driver failing to maintain a supply of blank driving record of duty
- Severity Level: 1
- Citation 395.24C1I: Driver failed to make annotations when applicable
- Severity Level: 1
- Citation 395.24C1II: Driver failed to manually add location description when applicable
- Severity Level: 1
- Citation 395.24C1III: Driver failed to add file comment per the request of a safety officer
- Severity Level: 1
- Citation 395.24C2I: Driver failed to manually add CMV power unit number
- Severity Level: 1
- Citation 395.24C2II: Driver failed to manually add the trailer number
- Severity Level: 1
- Citation 395.24C2III: Driver failed to manually add the shipping document number
- Severity Level: 1
- Citation 395.28: Driver failed to select, deselect, or annotate a special driving category or exempt status
- Severity Level: 1
- Citation 395.30B1: Driver failed to certify the accuracy of the information gathered by the ELD
- Severity Level: 1
- Citation 395.30C: Driver failed to follow the prompts from the ELD when editing or adding missing information
- Severity Level: 1
- Citation 395.32B: Driver failed to assume or decline unassigned driving time
- Severity Level: 5
- Citation 395.34A1: Driver failed to note malfunction that required the use of a paper log
- Severity Level: 5
The points according to the level of severity are added to the driver’s CSA score that encompasses compliance, safety, and accountability. These scores are calculated on a scale of 100, with 100 being the worst.
Higher CSA scores indicate that a driver is unsafe, poses a greater risk for accidents, and can quickly turn off potential customers. Higher CSA scores also negatively affect insurance rates and can lead to higher premiums.
Finally, the FMCSA itself pays close attention to CSA scores and can open an investigation into any driver with a score above 65.
In addition to these negative ramifications, there are financial ramifications for non-compliance as well. You can be charged $1,214 per day for knowingly falsifying electronic log records with a maximum amount of $12,135.
You can be charged anywhere between $1,045 and $7.864 for reporting and recording violations. You can be charged a per-person fine of $10,450 for commercial regulation violations within the ELD mandate.
If you’re not using an ELD at all, the FMCSA won’t hesitate to put you out of service. In fact, this is the most common reason for placement out of service.
The second most common reason is for falsifying ELD records. If you’re placed out of service, you lose money and hurt your CSA score in the process.
Conclusion
Using an ELD is just one thing that you can do to make driving easier. Another thing you can do is work with a logistics provider like RPM.
RPM makes it incredibly easy to drive, thanks to our driver-friendly initiatives. For example, we have a dedicated driver app where you can view and book loads, receive support, and capture all your documents.
We also offer fast payments within just 72 hours. So consider driving with RPM to gain access to thousands of shipments a day.
Sources:
Freight and Trucking DOT Hours of Service Regulations | The Balance Small Business
What Is the ELD Mandate? 7 Things to Know About the Trucking Law | Business Insider
General Information about the ELD Rule | FMCSA
