October 18, 2017 Vol. 14 No. 21

Electronic logging devices haven’t made an appearance in this newsletter for as far back as I can remember, maybe never. But with the U.S. mandate just two months away — December 18 — and many fleets and owner-operators and drivers apparently unprepared, it seemed like a good time to address ELDs here.

There’s still an effort south of the border to have the ELD deadline delayed, if not scrapped altogether, but the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is adamant that it will go ahead as planned. Enforcement will be softish, I gather, but will be different from state to state. It will also be wildly uneven, I expect, so brace yourselves.

A similar Canadian ELD regime will come at some point soon, likely to mimic about 70% of U.S. rules while of course reflecting our own distinct hours-of-service requirements.

You can get a decent summary of the differences we’ll likely see between the two countries here.

AS IT HAPPENS, I DON’T LIKE ELDs much in principle, largely because they seem to represent yet another intrusion. For many drivers they’re the last straw in the onslaught of regulatory controls that started a couple of decades ago and hasn’t abated. Will the coming mandate force a mass exodus of drivers? No, certainly not, but some will definitely leave and the recruitment of young people may get a little more difficult.

I see a productivity drop coming too, as much as 8-12% at first, according to estimates I’ve heard, then levelling out to a drop of 3-5% once the rollout is complete.

My main beef has less to do with ELDs themselves than with existing hours-of-service rules. The HOS regime is flat-out nuts, based on dumb science or no science at all, forcing every driver into the same mould, which may or may not fit. Or may not even come close to fitting. It would sure leave me and my odd sleep patterns confused and frustrated. I wouldn’t last a week.