It’s not an on-board data recorder or a hand-held black box: it’s a cell-phone with a built-in computer that looks much like a Palm-Pilot or Blackberry type of device. It accepts manually entered data to track a driver’s hours of service electronically. The Verigo wireless log makes HOS tracking as easy as using a calculator, and much more efficient than the paper method.

To make an entry, the driver taps the screen with a stylus to indicate the time of the duty-status change. As the times are entered, a screen with a standard log grid displays the duty periods in the traditional manner. It requires all the same information as a paper log, and it displays that information on the screen. It will tell you how many hours you’ve worked on the day, and it tracks the previous seven or 14 days, as well as the hours you have available in Canada or the U.S.

It’s completely compatible with the current U.S. rules and current and forthcoming Canadian rules – including the ‘North of 60’ provisions, and it complies with the Transport Canada and U.S. DOT definition of an electronic log.

Drivers make the entries themselves, and the entries are correctable but a note remains indicating when the correction was made. You can even add an electronic signature to the log. When completed, the logs can be e-mailed to the terminal over the cellular phone network – at a fraction of the cost of satellite date transmission.

If inspected at roadside and asked to produce a paper copy for enforcement. The driver can e-mail the log directly to the squad car’s computer for printing, and the officer can ‘sign’ the device to establish a chain of custody.

With the Verigo wireless logbook, carriers can manage all log data electronically. Receive it by email, archive it as data, and even audit electronically or print the sheets for a paper audit. You can also eliminate the need for redundant data entry into log-audit programs by subscribing to Verigo’s data-hosting service. Edmonton-based Verigo can even conduct on-line audits: just choose the drivers, choose the audit period, and a comprehensive audit is e-mailed to your desktop.

Verigo’s Wireless Logbook software requires a Pocket PC phone with the Microsoft Mobility 3 or Mobility 5 operating system, such as the UTStarcom 6600 and 6700, or Audiovox 5050 – all supported by Bell Mobility and Telus. Before purchasing a phone other than those listed above, drivers should get their sales rep to download and try the software. Trial software is available on the Verigo website.