The electronic logging device (ELD) mandate went into effect in December of 2017, but the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) granted an interim period to allow drivers to get used to using the technology. While officers could still issue warnings and citations, they would not place drivers out of service. Warnings also had no effect on driver’s Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) score. However, the interim ended April 1, 2018, and drivers now bear the full responsibility and penalties associated with violating the ELD mandate.

ELD Inconsistencies and Inspection Mishaps

No two manufacturers produce the same ELD. While this gives drivers many options to choose from, not all are high quality. This also causes confusion for inspectors because the devices have different idiosyncrasies. For example, some tablet devices require finicky handling to be able to email hours of service (HOS) data. Other devices sometimes fail to switch over to on-duty time automatically, a problem that drivers may not notice for several hours.

A more serious problem, however, is when the ELD fails to work at all. Inspectors have encountered drivers that cannot log into their ELDs because they are new to the devices and unfamiliar with troubleshooting them. While most drivers keep paper logs and receipts of their whereabouts during the soft enforcement phase, this will not be sufficient going forward.

Addressing the ELD Enforcement Date Issues

Officers and inspectors are now supposed to place individuals out of service for not using an ELD. While drivers and fleets had more than 90 days to work out the kinks of their ELD, many delayed and are now facing this harsh reality. Because inspectors continue to encounter numerous issues and because ELDs vary widely in features and usage, many are pushing to extend the soft enforcement period. However, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, original supporters of delaying full enforcement until April of 2018, were not amenable to the idea.

With limited options, drivers and fleets need to bring their ELD up to standards. If your fleet and drivers are struggling with your current ELD solution, DriverCheck can help. We enlisted the aid of commercial drivers to help create our ELD product to ensure it is simple to use while meeting FMCSA standards. To learn more about our ELD solution, contact us today.