ELD Rule to Boost Technology Adoption
Industry analyst Clem Driscoll described the federal ELD rule as perhaps the most significant event in the history of commercial-vehicle telematics.
He said the mandate will necessitate rapid adoption of ELDs through late 2017, when the rule is expected to go into effect, since a majority of the trucks on the road are not yet equipped with the technology.
Beyond 2017, the telematics market will shift to upgrades and added services, in large part for smaller trucking companies that start out with a basic ELD product but then seek to get more out of their onboard technology, Driscoll predicted.
ELD RULE ANNOUNCED: Main story with reaction
ELD makers expect to bring their current systems into compliance with the new rule through software updates rather than major hardware changes.
At first glance, “nothing’s really alarming” about the final rule, said Elise Chianelli, director of safety and compliance at PeopleNet.
She said the data-transfer options and the exemption for model-year 2000 and older trucks without electronic control modules addressed some concerns about the rule.
Looking ahead, Chianelli said different carriers will adopt different types of ELD products, with some just complying with the mandate and others looking for more opportunities for a return on investment though applications such as fuel-mileage tracking, vehicle-location monitoring, dispatch and onboard navigation.
Tom Cuthbertson, vice president of regulatory affairs at Omnitracs, said some potential benefits of onboard technology, such as fuel management and engine-fault reporting, can benefit fleets of all sizes.
“I would advise people to take a look at the other features and functions out there that can help you manage your fleet,” he said.
He also recommended that first-time adopters give themselves adequate time to implement ELDs correctly and ensure that their drivers and dispatchers are properly trained on how to use them.
Fred Fakkama, vice president of compliance at Zonar Systems, offered a similar warning.
“Getting a fleet and its drivers to switch from paper logs to a technology they may not be familiar with has an inherent learning curve,” he said in a Dec. 10 statement.
Rustin Keller“I think the industry has been looking for clarity on this issue for a long time, and now we can move forward,” said Rustin Keller, executive vice president and chief operating officer at J. J. Keller & Associates, which offers an ELD product that runs on smart devices. “We were pleased to see that FMCSA has expressly allowed mobile devices, which J. J. Keller views as critical to offering a low-cost and flexible option for E-logging. We were also pleased to see some flexibility added in how data is transferred to law enforcement.”
The ELD mandate “will really help the industry move forward in terms of increasing compliance to the hours-of-service rule while also helping to solve productivity issues linked to detention time,” said Alex Capelle, ELD program manager for Continental, which offers an electronic product called VDO RoadLog.
He said the number of ELD suppliers will only grow as a result of the rule, which means the ELD certification process will play an important role in ensuring the quality of the products on the market.
“That certification process will be key for the industry and for the ELD rule to be successful in the end,” Capelle said.
Skip Kinford, CEO of the Americas at MiX Telematics, said the ELD rule will lead to safer roads and a “level playing field on compliance so there’s no competitive advantage” among carriers.
He, too, predicted that many first-time adopters will opt not only for an electronic logging system but also will look for efficiency and safety applications to generate a return on the investment. That would lead to greater efficiency and compliance across the industry, he said.
