LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A new low-cost electronic on-board recorder (EOBR) was introduced at the Mid-America Trucking Show, which is easy to use and doesn’t require a monthly subscription fee.

The VDO RoadLog from Continental Commercial Vehicles and Aftermarket, can track Canadian and US hours-of-service and has a built-in printer that can produce printed records at the push of a button. The printouts look very similar to what drivers and enforcement officers are accustomed to seeing.

Continental has about six million such devices deployed around the world.

The EOBR can be easily mounted onto the dash and retails for about US$499 with no further fees. That price doesn’t include the cable assembly, which varies by vehicle.

While the device was designed primarily to track hours-of-service, officials said it can also track International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) data as well as information related to the International Registration Plan (IRP) and Vehicle Maintenance and Inspection Records (DVIR).

The device also warns drivers when they are nearing the end of their allowable driving cycle. Drivers can input their personal information via a USB port before beginning a driving shift.

Officials at the Mid-America Trucking Show indicated a simple software upgrade will allow customers to reprogram the device to reflect any changes in US or Canadian hours-of-service regulations.

For more information, visit www.vdoroadlog.com.