ELD mandate off to a bumpy start for some drivers

During the first week of mandatory use of electronic logging devices (ELDs), some truckers have reported delays in having devices delivered, difficulty in getting units installed, and trouble logging in to smartphone apps that sync up with the devices.    The federal rule that went into effect earlier this month requiring truckers to electronically log their hours behind the wheel has already resulted in complaints from drivers regarding technical glitches and limited customer support for the devices, according to a recent report in the Wall Street Journal.
   The mandate, which went into effect Dec. 18, requires the use of electronic logging device, or ELDs, for commercial trucks and buses. Designed as a replacement for traditional paper logbooks, an ELD synchronizes with a vehicle’s engine to automatically record driving time.
   The ELD rule doesn’t change any of the basic hours-of-service rules or exemptions, and, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), is simply intended to help create a safer work environment for drivers, and make it easier and faster to accurately track, manage and share records of duty status data.
   However, during the first week of mandatory use of the devices, some truckers reported delays in having devices delivered, difficulty in getting units installed, and trouble logging in to smartphone apps that sync up with the devices, according to the Wall Street Journal.
   Other drivers reported waiting for hours on hold trying to reach customer-service representatives.
   Norita Taylor, a spokeswoman for the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), an industry group that has opposed the mandate, said her organization has received a lot of negative feedback regarding ELDs and the providing companies.
   “In one day we had 50 calls complaining about problems of some sort dealing with ELDs,” she told WSJ. “We think the providers are not prepared to deal with owner-operators or small businesses. They are used to servicing large fleets.”
   Although the rule was completed in 2015, some truckers held off on adding the devices in belief that there might be a delay in the rule or that exemptions to it might be given by the FMCSA. And although some temporary exemptions were granted to agricultural transports as well as the Truck Renting and Leasing Association in recent weeks, the mandate, which requires ELDs to be installed on all interstate commercial vehicles model year 2000 and newer, went into effect as planned for the vast majority of truckers and trucking companies.
   Significant market disruptions could come as soon as April, WSJ predicts, since that’s the earliest that trucks without ELDs can be legally removed from the road until the devices are installed.