Turning ELDs into a long-term investment, not a short-term fix Demystifying Canada’s hours of service short-haul radius rules Enforcement update
By Mark Freitas, VP of Product Management, Solera
Canada has implemented its own version of the United States’ electronic logging device (ELD) mandate, forcing truck drivers who follow hours of service (HOS) regulations to switch from paper logbooks to digital logbooks in the form of ELDs. As of January 1, 2023, roadside enforcement personnel in Canadian provinces and territories can document violations and issue citations to commercial motor vehicle drivers operating trucks without a Canadian-compliant ELD.
The purpose of this mandate is to ensure safety on roads and highways for both truck drivers and motorists navigating around these vehicles.
Similar to how flight attendants and pilots must adhere to strict duty and rest period requirements when flying, truck drivers must follow HOS regulations to ensure they are awake and alert while driving. However, ELDs and HOS are only a few components of the larger equation fleet managers must understand their business and implement solutions that will improve and enhance the driver experience in the long run. Here are a few critical steps that managers should take to find the right solutions that will set them up for success and compliance.
Identify business needs
To comply with the Canadian ELD mandate, carriers must adopt and operate a device listed on the Canadian ELD registry. One major difference between Canada’s mandate and the United States’ mandate is that, in Canada, ELDs must be third-party certified. In the US, ELDs are self-certified by the manufacturer, then registered with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Canadian ELDs, on the other hand, must be certified by an accredited third-party organization that can ensure the device meets the Canadian government’s requirements. While carriers will not be placed out of service for having an unverified Canadian ELD from January 1 on, citations and fines may be imposed if ELDs are not certified.
Although not all Canadian provinces and territories have adopted the Canadian ELD regulations for intra-provincial transportation, any driver subject to HOS regulations who crosses provincial Canadian borders must have installed and activated one of the approved devices on Transport Canada’s list. This includes any driver who crosses from the US into Canada, even if the fleet is based in the US. Therefore, fleet managers need to first identify regions of operation. If cross-border transportation occurs, then an ELD that is compliant both in the US and Canada is necessary.
Fleet managers should also consider other factors before picking a solution that can best support their business. Some ELDs may only be appropriate for certain types of operations. For example, a fleet that operates for extended periods of time outside of cellular coverage (e.g., in remote regions with little to no wireless connection to the internet) should evaluate how the ELD is able remain compliant and have the least impact on the driver’s workday. While the solution may ultimately be compliant, the way in which it does so may not align with the fleet’s operations or the experience that the fleet desires for its drivers. Whatever the product, the ELD should fit the fleet’s needs in every situation.
Find solutions for today and the future
Fleets are equipped with a variety IoT tools to improve efficiency and support supply chain operations: on-board recording devices to monitor driving behavior, tracking devices to decrease theft, in-cab cameras to improve driving skills and reduce collisions, and sensors to gather visibility into cargo loads and vehicle performance. Since ELDs record important data on driver and vehicle activity (including location, vehicle distance, identification information, engine power cycles, engine hours, date, and time), fleets need to consider how these devices will integrate with existing products in use, both today and in the future.
The simple answer to Canada’s new mandate is to find an ELD solution that checks off the box now and fulfills the minimum requirement. However, a one-size-fits-all mentality could lead to complications down the line and cut fleets short of opportunities for growth, integrations, and implementations.
Recent digital transformation efforts across many industries (trucking included) have heightened the risk for technology stacks to become siloed.
As businesses introduce more products to their operations, some companies have wasted time on incongruous technology that require repetitive tasks, operate independently from existing solutions, and create confusion for the people working with them. For fleet managers, the key is to identify ELD solutions that not only integrate with the existing infrastructure but also improve the user experience and adoption of the solution.
Do not forget about the driver
Trucking companies need to consider cost and compliance – but reducing complexity should also be at the top of the list. Managers should examine the natural workflows of their drivers to ensure that new ELD technologies empower them to perform their best.
Fleets should think about how their ELD solution will help drivers seamlessly do their job and improve employee satisfaction, especially in the context of high employee turnover and how the right solution can aid in retaining drivers.
In an industry where time and miles are money, truck drivers are required to work long hours (inside of HOS regulations) — especially given the pressures with labor shortages, supply chain challenges, and overall heightened expectations for faster route completion. This stress can lead to unrealistic standards and unsafe driving conditions if fleets fail to prioritize the driver experience.
In a recent Solera survey on fleet safety, 39% of consumers believe truck drivers need to take more breaks to improve the safety of roads, and 44% believe the addition of more safety-based technology would lead to more people wanting to become truck drivers. ELDs are one example of a safety-based logistics tool that has become invaluable to the industry, equipping drivers with a path to work-life balance while protecting the reputation of fleets.
Conclusion
The ELD mandates in the US and Canada are a critical step to establishing an industry standard for fleets that promotes safe driving and encourages HOS compliance for truck drivers. With Canada’s latest ELD mandate, there is no better time for fleet managers to re-evaluate their business needs and integrate ELD solutions that optimize and maximize the driver experience for the future.
