Less than a year after the ELD mandate went into effect, hours-of-service violations are down 46%.
The law has proven to be an achievement by contributing to reducing truck driver fatigue, which is a critical factor in large truck crashes. The success is evident in the estimate published by the FMCSA that 1,844 large truck crashes will be avoided, and 26 lives will be saved each year with the ELD law. This overturns an alarming trend in which 4,317 people were killed in large truck crashes in 2016-the the highest number since 2007.
With the federal mandate in full force, fleets that are not currently in compliance can expect fines and sanctions. In fact, the law has become so widely accepted that it is already on the road to being adopted for intrastate drivers. Beginning with Florida and Texas having committed to requiring their intrastate drivers to use electronic logging devices, the two states will begin enforcing December 31, 2018, and December 19, 2019, respectively.
Unlike paper logbooks, ELDs accurately and truthfully record a driver’s on-duty driving time. ELDs, combined with driver behavior scoring and training, are highly effective in helping fleets improve safety. Given the confidence in using ELDs, the Alliance for Driver Safety & Security is urging state legislatures to mandate ELD use in commercial trucks that are designed to operate within state lines.
In a statement recently made by Lane Kidd of the Trucking Alliance, he noted, “Electronic logging devices should be as common in large trucks as seat belts.”
While safety is a top priority for fleet professionals, and significant progress in ELD adoption is being made, there is still a percentage yet to comply. If you are part of that non-compliant group, it’s critical to immediately take steps to choose a reliable solution.
An ELD compliance software that tracks driver hours-of-service accurately to ensure that drivers stay compliant with the ELD Mandate.
