Over the Road November 2021

SAFETY DAWG

Chris Harris

What Makes for a Good or Great ELD?

As Canada moves forward with the Electronic Logging Device (ELD) mandate, many of my clients are asking, ‘What should I look for in an ELD’?

What a great question. Many companies right now are looking at their options. For all the companies that go stateside, they of course already have an ELD. But does that ELD meet the Canadian requirements?

The very first item that all trucking companies need to look at is if they (the ELD provider) are listed on the Transport Canada approved website? https:// tc.canada.ca/en/road-transportation/ electronic-logging-devices/list-certifiedelectronic-logging-devices

In Canada, the Government correctly chooses to have ELD vendors ‘Approved’. In the USA, the DOT decided to have a ‘Self-Approved’ process. This means that a provider only has to say that their device meets all the DOT criteria. It has been proven that not all self-approved ELDs meet the criteria. It is estimated that between 25% to 50% don’t meet the government stated criteria. In Canada, our transportation sector made third-party testing part of the mandate. Each device supplier must pay for the cost of testing with no guarantee that they will be approved. All this is to say that third-party testing is necessary in Canada.

So, the first thing to look for, is the device approved? If you are looking at a device that is not yet on the approved list and you are going to purchase the device on the word of the salesperson who is saying ‘Don’t worry, we are going to be approved’, ask them to put in writing that you will not be out any money if the device does not get approved. In other words, you want to know that they will buy back the devices and refund any installation costs that put you out of pocket. And this needs to be decided well before June of 2022. Why June of 2022? That is the date when many of the provinces will begin hard enforcement. This means they will be writing tickets and possibly be putting trucks out of service if they don’t have a Canadian compliant ELD system. So, the guarantee needs a date that is well before June 2022. i.e., March 30, 2022. This way, it will still give you three months to select a new provider. But remember that the closer that we get to June 22, the more shortages that we are likely to see with the suppliers. So, March may be too late. I’m telling my clients that the devices need to be approved no later than December 31, 2021. This way, the client can select a new ELD supplier early in 2022, get the devices, install them, and train the drivers and dispatchers, all before the crunch of June 2022. In other words, don’t wait to make your choice.

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The same can be said for trucking companies going into the States. If your ELD supplier is not approved by December 31, 2021, I would be looking for a new supplier. I would not get stuck with ELD’s that are not approved. And it will happen to some companies as they are not aware that approved ELD devices in the USA may not be approved in Canada. An approved supplier is the first item of business.

Secondly, I would be investigating what your management team sees on the devices? What reports does each device give to you? As a trucking company owner who is paying for the devices, how can the device benefit your company and your shippers/receivers?

As to the reports, will the reports that the ELD device produce let you manage your business better? Are they going to reduce Hours of Service violations? Are the ELD devices giving you data that is useful to you or to your clients? Since you are paying the bills, how is the ELD device going to serve you?

Remember, data that you never use and pay for is a waste. And, that data may be subpoenaed and used against you in court during a collision lawsuit. So don’t buy an ELD device that includes lots of data and information that you will never use.

hardware device large enough to be easily used while parked? Can the interface be easily understood by a person who does not regularly use computer devices? Truck drivers do an excellent job of driving. But they don’t all possess computer skills. Therefore, you will want the device to have large colourful graphics and large print, with a well-lit screen. Sometimes in a truck, the cab is flooded with sunlight, so the driver will also need the device to be readable in bright sunlight.

To summarize, always check to make sure that the device is Transport Canada approved. Check to see what the device, reports, and what the software can do for you, for your company, and for your clients. And finally, check to see how the ELD can be of service to your drivers.

Stay Safe!

Chris Harris Top Dawg, Safety Dawg Inc. 905-973-7056 chris@safetydawg.com @safety_dawg (twitter)

The last item that I think you should consider is the truck driver interface. How easy is it for the driver to use? Many of our drivers are older and need corrective lenses. Are the print and graphics large enough to be easily navigated? Is the actual

NOVEMBER 2021JOBS FOR TRUCKERS • 19