All Hope is Lost – Nothing to Stop ELD Law Taking Effect
posted in Alerts by Brian Gray
All Hope is Lost – Nothing to Stop ELD Law Taking Effect
4 Common Doubts & Fears of the ELD Mandate
1. The ELD Mandate Won’t Happen
The ELD Mandate was passed as a law by Congress. In order to remove it, a Congressional vote is required. If President Trump wanted to throw out the ELD Mandate:
- A new bill would need to be proposed to amend the current law
- The bill would have to go through multiple congressional oversight committees
- AND the bill would have to pass both Houses of Congress
Could it be overturned? Yes. Is it likely? It would be a long and very difficult process and the Supreme Court just declined to hear the ELD Lawsuit.
OTA President Jana Jarvis touched on the new Trump administration and how the ELD may be affected by the president. “The ELD rule has already been, what we call, promulgated, it’s on the books, it’s in force, it’s not up for discussion.”
2. I’ll Get a Pre-2000 Model Truck So I Don’t Have to Worry About an ELD
There are usually two reasons for this:
- The idea that drivers are not tech savvy enough to handle an ELD
- Drivers and companies fear it will be way too expensive to implement ELDs
The first one is easy to address. Can the driver play an app/game on their smartphone? Then the tech ability of the driver can handle most ELD devices.
The second reason requires a quick math problem. What's the average Miles Per Gallon the driver will have with a pre-2000 truck? What is the driver currently getting in a post-2000 truck? Do you think you will spend more than $30/month in extra diesel for the older truck? Then the ELD pays for itself in your current vehicle!
3. There’s No Rush, I’m Waiting Because I Can Add the ELD to My Truck(s) Anytime
The ELD mandate represents a very large change that affects every aspect of trucking. Drivers that have already transitioned say that in time they realize that using ELDs was not as bad as they imagined.
You will only be as compliant as your least competent ELD user. About 20% of drivers gain mastery in using their ELD devices within a few days or a week. However, some drivers will have trouble with using ELD(s) properly and may need multiple sessions of hands-on training before feeling comfortable with their device.
Expect at least 30 to 60 days of lead-time before your fleet will be comfortable and competent in using your ELD solution.
Do not wait until the Fall of 2017 to begin your fleet's implementation of an ELD solution and make sure your drivers and driver leaders are aware of your implementation schedule, which you should already have in place or be planning at this time.
4. The Government is Going to Spy on Me
You own the data, not the DOT! The idea that "Big Brother" is going to spy on you or to use the telematics data to automatically issue violations is a myth. Your telematics data BELONGS TO YOU. The inspection rules have not changed, only the way the records are presented to an auditor.
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