Benefits of ELDs (Electronic Logging Devices) for Truckers

ELD or E-log (Electronic Logging Device), a device developed to help professional truck drivers keep track of the “ Hours of Service’ has today turned into a full-fledged assistant of sorts.

Drivers must follow an ELD mandate, a U.S. federal government regulation where CDL drivers should have an ELD to keep a Record of Duty Status (RODS) and to stay compliant with HOS rules. This is mentioned in the FMCSA’s final ELD rule published in December 2015.

While there is a lot of debate on the use of ELDs, the benefits it offers to drivers can be revolutionary.

Read: What is a Logging Vehicle?

More miles, more money:

Distraction while driving is not something a truck driver aspires. A lot of calls from dispatchers asking you for an update every now and then doesn't help.

With ELD, get rid of too much time spent on paper logs. Dispatchers can keep a tab on your truck with their real-time dashboard. They can also track your driving time.

Less/no paperwork means more usage of time for a drive. More miles covered means more hours clocked and more money earned. Incentives might be around the corner with improvement in drive performance as well.

Still wondering, how?

Let’s get into the numbers part, then.

Number of hours drivers spend on filing paper logs: 20 hrs/year.

With ELDs,

HOS paperwork reduced time: 15 mins/ day

(This is because E-logs support rounding up to the nearest minute. This is against 15-minute intervals for paper logbooks).

Read: Top 10 Qualities of a Good Truck Driver

Inspecto-patrol-less:

Too much time spent waiting for your inspector to go through the driver paper logs? This can turn out to be a not-so-satisfying experience.

With an ELD installed, it only takes a few minutes for the inspectors to go through your driving reports with clarity & error-free. The data in the app speeds up inspection to help you get back on the road.

Inspectors spending a lot of time trying to find errors and HOS violations have now become a thing of the past.

The FMSCA mandates you to go through some inspection points of the truck on your own. An in-cab tablet helps you in this regard. Everything uploads to the cloud further helping you stay error-free.

Safety:

National Highway Safety Administration, estimates that drowsy driving caused up to 6,000 deaths each year.

And thus an ELD mandate had to come into place. Drivers can now develop a proper sleep routine thus reducing the number of fender benders, vehicle damages, etc.

GPS tracking & efficient route management helps drivers focus more on the roads. According to an estimate by FMCSA, ELDs will help save 26 lives and prevent 562 injuries every year.

Get real-time fault codes and stay aware of the parts of the vehicle that need maintenance. This further helps gauge accidents related to poor maintenance.

ELDs also record the driver’s behavior such as speeding, idling thus keeping you in check and encouraging good driving habits.

The next time you apply for a job or prepare a driver resume, fleet managers will stay assured of the safety aspect that you bring in.

Tracking Hours of Service compliance, truck speed, and delivery at the right time only helps.

Less paperwork:

Hate to fill out paperwork? We, at eForm 2290 hate it too. Well, if you are someone who likes to cut down on paperwork, you have found your best mate in ELD. All you need to do is log into ELD and start your day.

Among the many advantages that ELDs offer are:

Better Fleet management relationships:

As important as your relationship with the truck. We know it’s sacred, still!

The Pre-ELD era (best way to put it) meant that people from the office or the management team had to keep calling you for every update be it location-wise, during loading or unloading, maintenance work, fuel, HOS, etc.

You had to bid adieu (you had no other option!) to peaceful driving. Not anymore!With ELDs, dispatchers can now track your location without having to interfere with your driving.

Accurate tracking and clocking required for ‘hours of service' helps. There wouldn’t any reason to blame you if at all there is a delay while loading and unloading.

Accurate tracking and clocking required for ‘hours of service' helps. There wouldn’t any reason to blame you if at all there is a delay while loading and unloading.

Read: 7 Revolutionizing Trucking Technologies

Other benefits:

Skill-up

Regular alerts help clock the required number of hours while driving. The ELDs are now connected to the engine. This helps track truck performance and behavior. All you need to do is focus on improving your driving skillset.

Fuel-up

ELDs records your HOS and idle time. With this understanding, fuel consumption can be managed. Thus saving money.

Drivers have had reactions of different kinds with the introduction of ELDs. While the device does keep you on your toes, it helps provide many benefits that are vital to a trucker’s life. Make it your best friend and reap the benefits it offers. After all, your lifestyle and safety have to be a priority. Just drive!