THE GREAT ELD MANDATE DEBATE
January 04, 2018
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMSCA) published the electronic logging device (ELD) Final Rule in late 2015, which requires fleet owners to keep electronic records of driver’s duty services (RODS) by December 18, 2017.
Since then the ELD Mandate has been unsuccessfully overturned and truck drivers are not satisfied. Small owner and owner-operators will be impacted financially, while many bigger companies already have ELD installed in their trucks. Big companies have the funds to install these devices and have had them for a while due to their operation system. Small-owners are not as financially stable and add a dent to their pay.
Not only is it a financial burden for many small-owners and owner-operators, who are trying to make a living doing what they love the most, it may create more problems in the long run. As this ELD Mandate is still new, each state has its own enforcement policies and citation system. It is currently unknown how exactly the enforcement of this will play. Many states are waiting until April 1st to enforce. Unfortunately, California is not one of these states. Thee citations will vary from state to state and it is believed that many citations may be issued due to malfunctions and simple device errors.
As the ELD Mandate was initially created to increase safety, it is speculated that this will not reduce accidents nor improve road safety. Since many of these devices are still new, there have been malfunctions occurring and may not even be FMCSA complaint. Many argue that the main issue of this mandate is actually the hours of service (HOS) rules. The HOS rules make it harder for an owner-operator to deliver a load at their own pace and the ELD are not necessary tracking the correct times and do not take into consideration any wait time or issues that drivers may face on the road.
For those drivers who have decides to comply with the ELD Mandate, a few have seen the negative side. With the ELD installed in their trucks, many drivers are being harassed by their dispatch. Drivers are being watched in their every move and may get in trouble for taking a restroom break.
At the end of the day it too early to tell if the ELD Mandate will benefit or affect small-owners. Many truck drivers are waiting until April 1st to make a final decision on either or not to purchase the ELD. Note that many states, including California, will be allowing their enforcement teams to cite drivers for not being ELD compliant. This fine is estimated to start at around $100 and can go up to $1000.
Make sure you are compliant in California; the simplest fines start at around $300 and may go up to the thousands. By being compliant, you are able to pick up and deliver your loads on time. Contact us now for a free over-the-phone consultation on your reefer units and drayage trucks. Take your time and avoid the fine.