An electronic logging device (ELD) is hardware that records driving time for commercial motor vehicles. Once plugged into the vehicle’s onboard diagnostics port, it captures its location, engine, miles driven, speed, and more. According to the ELD mandate, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requires commercial vehicles to have an ELD. Fleet owners and managers use ELD for compliance, dispatch and routing, maintenance, safety, reporting, loss prevention, and security.
Non-compliance with the ELD mandate results in harsh penalties. ELD violations can be categorized into an incomplete or wrong log, false log, EOBR related log, and other form/log and manner. Below are tips for preventing ELD violations.
1. Find an ELD solution to help you maintain compliance
Choose a solution that can help you manage your Record of Duty Status (RODS) by combining vehicle data with driver status. ELD tracking enhances faster roadside audits/inspections, eliminates costly errors, backs office driver log records, eliminates costly mistakes, and allows fleet managers to quickly and easily create driver logs. With a reliable logging device, you can successfully fulfill the ELD mandate.
To find an ELD solution that can help with compliance, find out what current clients are saying about the provider. Go for the one offering various ELD connectivity methods and ensure they’re easy for the drivers to use. Choose a solution that makes it easy to see manner/form errors and HOS violations in real-time, enhancing log auditing.
2. Use PSP reports when recruiting
A Pre-employment Screening Program (PSP) report provides insights into accident and violation data from a potential candidate’s driving history. For example, most ELD violations depend on the driver’s constant attention to detail, like maintaining paper logs supply and making log annotations in the cab. Drivers without substantial ELD/ HOS violation history are most likely to remain compliant when driving. Using ELD violation history, you can identify which drivers need additional ELD training and House of Service.
3. Consider regular driver log audits
With a reliable ELD solution, fleet managers can easily audit and sort driver logs for the drivers with form or manner errors and House of Service violations. When such errors and violations occur, immediately contact the responsible driver and coach them through what to do in the future. Consider setting up an alert to instantly get notified whenever issues arise.
4. Add compliance checks into maintenance and repair routines
When vehicles come for maintenance and repair, it’s essential to consider their ELD compliance health. Ensure the maintenance staff has a documentation checklist of what should be in the vehicle, such as ELD instruction sheet and user’s manual and graph grid paper logs. This allows them to get the vehicle in compliance immediately.
5. Ensure ongoing driver training
Drivers need to familiarize themselves with ELD violations, their effect on CSA scores, and what they can do to avoid them. With ELD carrier-driver training and basic instructions, most of the violations can easily be avoided. Focus your training on the supporting documents the driver must possess, additional materials that should be in the vehicle, how to handle ELD malfunctions, and more.
Endnote
Being proactive about ELD violations protects your CSA score, reducing insurance premiums and ensuring quality loads. Use the above tips to avoid ELD violations.