ELD: What’s Needed for Roadside Inspection
It’s Here: ELD Enforcement Begins Starting April 1, drivers currently accountable for recording hours of service will need to be ready to display logs maintained in an electronic logging device (ELD) or an automatic on-board recording device (AOBRD) — or face serious consequences. The ELD mandate took effect on December 18, but truckers were given an additional three months to comply before serious citations were issued.
How serious?
Try a mandatory ten hours out-of-service penalty, combined with points against the driver’s compliance, safety, and accountability (CSA) score — and a potential civil fine. Fines alone can run into the thousands of dollars for each offense. For small operators on a tight schedule, fines combined with ten hours off-line can spell final disaster. It’s a done deal. Compliance with the ELD mandate is now absolutely essential. How can drivers and fleet managers be prepared for the inevitable enforcement check?
How to Prepare
Drivers need to be ready to prove ELD compliance, and do so in a way consistent with ELD rules.
Here’s a list of what drivers need to be ready to produce roadside in case of an enforcement check:
The ELD itself must be compliant. The FMCSA maintains a list of certified ELD devices (currently numbering over 300). Your ELD must be on this list.
A driver card and inspection instruction manual must be kept in the truck to present to law enforcement upon request.
This card will be used by the officer to perform the roadside inspection of the drivers logs. This card gives detailed information on how to put the application in Inspection mode and how to transfer logs.
The driver must be ready to transfer logs to the FMCSA web service (electronically transfer data via wireless Web services and email) or locally (through a USB or Bluetooth connection) and again, the instruction to transfer the data must be outlined in the driver card/inspection manual.
If the ELD has malfunctioned, the driver must prove they have a procedure (and relevant forms) to notify their carrier within 24 hours. The driver can go back to using paper logs for — at most — eight days. Eight days is the maximum ELD repair time allowed. In case of ELD failure, it’s a good idea to keep a supply of traditional log forms ready.
If the driver (and truck) are exempted from ELD, official proof of that exemption should be kept handy.
The Stakes
Here’s what can happen if a driver in-scope for ELD is found non-compliant during a roadside check:
Mandatory ten hours out-of-service.
After the mandatory ten hours out-of-service, driver will be allowed to proceed to next scheduled destination provided the driver has accurately documented hours-of-service requirements using a paper log and has a copy of the inspection report and/or citation. Driver cannot be dispatched again without an ELD.
If the driver is stopped again before reaching his/her final destination, the driver must provide the safety official with a copy of the inspection report and evidence (e.g., bill of lading) proving that he/she is still on the continuation of the original trip.
After reaching their final destination, if the driver is re-dispatched again without obtaining a compliant ELD, he/she will again be subject to the out-of-service process outlined above, unless the driver is traveling back to the principle place of business or terminal empty to obtain an ELD.
Possible extra points against CSA record.
Multiple fines.
Get Compliant
The good news: Many companies offer ELD fleet-tracking solutions. We happen to think we have one of the best. CyntrX makes ELD easy, and our affordable solutions will help you not only get compliant with the mandate, but also help take your trucking business to the next level.
Need an ELD solution? Request a free demo of CyntrX's ELD Pro today and discover how simple and affordable compliance can be.