The typical automatic onboard recording device (AOBRD) has served the modern business world well over the past few decades in terms of accessible, flexible fleet management and long-haul drive time recordings. However, as of December 16, 2019, an FMCSA guideline will enter its full compliance phase, and a huge number of long-haul drivers will need to make the change from the familiar AOBRD to an electronic logging device (ELD).
While this change has been in the works since the early months of 2016, the final deadline to make the switch now looms just over the horizon. It may seem like there are a few months to wait it out and enjoy the flexibility that AOBRDs offer for just a little longer, there’s plenty of reasons to switch over to the new system.
Better, More Professional Data Collection
The biggest difference between ELDs and AOBRDs is that an ELD device collects far more information during long-haul drives and reports more accurate results while enforcing harder standards on what qualifies as drive time. According to the new law, ELDs will be required to capture and report additional information such as:
- Engine power status
- Vehicle motion status
- Engine hours
- Driving distance
It also must be able to accumulate all of these details into a graph grid that shows the driver’s activity for any given day or trip. All of this new information helps you calculate more accurate drive time for each trip a driver makes. This, in turn, allows you to ensure that every driver is sticking to mandatory Hours of Service regulations regarding drive time and that your fleet stays compliant.
Get an Early Start on Training
As you might imagine, this involves an entirely different level of technology, which means drivers will need training before it can be properly implemented. Drivers will need to learn to use the equipment, what documentation they’ll need to keep and how to properly log their hours on the new ELD system.
Non-driving personnel will need to learn to interpret the data the new device produces to calculate hours and delivery times.
Depending on the size of your operation, this training period could take as little as a few days or long as a few months. It’s always better to get early training rather than waiting and falling behind once the transition enters its final phase at year’s end, and ELD enforcement becomes an issue.
Adjust Your Operations
The use of ELDs will help to enforce stricter drive hours for long-haul truckers to ensure safe driving conditions for everyone. However, this also means that delivery trips may take longer after the change than they have historically. A drive that might’ve once been made in a single day may now take two.
It’s a good idea to begin using ELDs as soon as possible to get a head start on understanding how it’ll impact your driving schedule. You can begin working with customers to accommodate these new drive times.
Find a Certified Device
Rushing to get an important job done at the last second often leads to mistakes, and shopping for ELDs for your fleet is no exception. When purchasing new hardware, keep in mind that not just an ELD will do. They must be self-certified and registered with the FMCSA and meet certain performance requirements to keep you compliant with the law.
Before your delivery schedule and legal compliance dive, take the time to get started on the transition to your new ELD devices. Learn more about the regulations regarding devices, the ELD mandate timeline and hours of service at the official FMCSA site. Contact M2M In Motion to get your devices installed and get trained on your new technology. We’ll help to ensure that the transition goes as smooth as possible.
Image Credit: Shutterstock/stefanolunardi
