Provincially regulated commercial vehicle operators in British Columbia will be required to use electronic logging devices (ELDs) beginning Aug. 1, 2023.

Failure to equip a vehicle with a compliant ELD will lead to a $520 fine, according to a new National Safety Code bulletin issued Feb. 13 by the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.

“Using technology to ensure that commercial drivers aren’t on the road longer than they should be on a given day will protect their safety and the safety of others on B.C. highways,” Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Rob Fleming said in a press release. “It will also support a more efficient trucking industry, which is critical to keeping supplies moving across the province.”

The announcement gives B.C. carriers six months to install ELDs across their fleets and to complete driver and dispatcher training. 

Dave Earle, president and CEO of the B.C. Trucking Association, welcomed the move.

“The B.C. Trucking Association is pleased that the province will bring into force a provincial ELD mandate, which will improve safety for all road users by increasing compliance with Hours-of-Service regulations,” he said. “While there is no single fix for improved safety performance, a widespread requirement for technology that automates compliance and helps to promote effective safety programs will transform the industry for the better.”

Enforcement of the federal ELD regulations began on Jan. 1.

• This story has been updated to include information about the related fine.