Technological advancements such as Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) are reshaping the trucking industry. The ELD mandate was announced by the Federal Motors Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) in 2015, requiring all applicable carriers to use ELD systems. ELDs significantly benefit the trucking industry and have become a vital part of its regulations.
What are ELDs?
Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) show whether the trucking company and its drivers comply with trucking industry regulations. The device also enables drivers to log driving time and mileage data. As a result, ELD systems help create a much safer work environment for truckers, helping companies with vehicle inspections and allowing them to meet industry requirements.
Impact of ELDs On the Trucking Industry
Improved Safety
Commercial drivers face a lot of stress and fatigue when making deliveries, often neglecting to follow trucking regulations and maintenance requirements. Investing in ELD systems can significantly improve driver safety. ELDs are programmed to alert truckers when there is a potential maintenance problem or Hours of Service (HOS) compliance issue.
The ELD records driving time and sends it to an online server where the trucking company managers can access the data. This allows trucking companies to ensure their drivers take adequate rest between trips and monitor their overall performance. These systems also track poor driving behaviors that can increase the risk of road accidents. Such information can allow trucking companies to adjust their training programs.
Before the introduction and application of the ELD system, truck drivers had to write down their hours of service manually. Not only did it consume much of their time, but it also contributed to stress and fatigue. All this has changed since ELD systems have been made mandatory for most types of trucking companies.
Simplified IFTA Calculation Process
IFTAs are International Fuel Tax Agreement reports that truckers with IFTA licenses are required to submit quarterly. With ELDs, submitting these reports has been simplified because the ELD can automatically track fuel usage, drive time, and mileage of the trucks. It can also generate reports of miles traveled in each state. This saves truckers the time of manually calculating miles traveled and generating accurate IFTA reports.
Optimized Trucking Routes
Before ELDs, it took a lot of time for drivers to make timely deliveries due to miscommunication between the different parties, such as the dispatcher and the driver. This resulted in financial loss for the trucking company and customers.
ELD systems allow fleet managers to track locations and adjust routes to optimize operations. It also provides traffic updates to drivers so they can find the fastest routes to make deliveries and avoid areas with dangerous weather conditions or congested traffic.
ELDs also provide data on the truck’s fuel efficiency. By using ELD systems, truckers can optimize their trucking routes and use faster routes to reach their destination. This can help reduce the overall fuel consumption of the fleets and help the trucking company save money on fuel costs.
