Chapter 1: ELD BASICS
The electronic logging device mandate, effective on Dec. 18, requires most carriers and drivers to convert from using paper logs or logging software to a registered ELD if they do not have an automatic on-board recording device in use. And those using AOBRDs prior to the mandate’s effective date will only be able to keep using them for two more years (until Dec. 16, 2019).
It’s a mandate that has led to a lot of questions, with the government continuing to clarify and tweak the regulation even as we went to press. We’ve endeavored to find answers to the most common questions that arise, starting with the basics…
ELD Questions 16: What will I need to keep in mind going forward, if I have some trucks grandfathered with AOBRDs and some trucks with new ELDs?
You will have to be mindful that the two types of electronic logs function differently and that you will have to switch over to an ELD-compliant device within just two years or if you expand your fleet.
There are key differences between AOBRDs and ELDs that need to be kept in mind, says Keller’s Schedler.
For instance, he says, “It’s difficult for some back-office systems to ‘commingle’ AOBRD and ELD data and/or to present it in a usable fashion. In some cases, the back-office system will be split, requiring users to go back and forth between the systems.”
Another issue is that the system display may be different for the different devices. The data may be presented in such a way that the AOBRD data may appear incomplete and/or the ELD data cannot be fully displayed to make it match the AOBRD data.
Drivers who were using AOBRDs but who get assigned ELDs will need to be trained on several key differences, including what will be required of the driver during a roadside inspection, how to make and/or approve edits, the speed threshold at which the ELD automatically moves into “driving” status (can be set at up to 5 mph), and how to use the special driving categories correctly.
Witty suggests that fleets currently on AOBRDs may want to do a terminal-by-terminal or site-by-site ELD adoption once they reach a certain number of trucks with ELDs. The good news is that for many AOBRD devices, switching them to ELDs will simply require a software upgrade. In many cases that won’t even be an extra charge.
ELD Questions 17: What if some drivers are subject to the ELD rule and some aren’t?
In a mixed fleet, it is possible that some drivers may have a compliant but confusing blend of exempt time, time records, paper logs, and electronic records. To alleviate the headache, a carrier that has a mixed fleet may decide to exceed the requirements and use electronic records for all drivers in all vehicles, says Rick Malchow, a transport editor at J.J. Keller & Associates. Read more…