On December 18th, 2017, the day the U.S. mandated for all truckers to track Hours of Service with the use of an Electronic Logging Device (ELD), Canadian Transport Minister, Marc Garneau announced a similar plan for truckers in Canada.
Siting research showing an “ELD mandate would have a direct and immediate impact on curbing behaviours strongly linked with higher crash rates such as driving over limits of service, which leads to fatigue”, Garneau stated the Canadian mandate would be expected to mirror the one now in place in the U.S. and consist of a two-year rollout plan, but added, “if we can do it quicker than that, that would be even better”.
The reasoning given for the two countries’ mandates being mirrored was, “there are almost 30,000 trucks a day that travel between Canada and the United States. It helps if we have the same rules on both sides of the border”.
Although truckers in the U.S. also had what could be seen as sufficient lead time to implement ELDs into their trucks, whether single-truck owner-operators to fleets with hundreds of vehicles, many chose to hold out until the eleventh hour to see if any actions by various advocates would reverse the decision or delay the deadline. The deadline was not delayed and the decision went ahead leaving many panicking to meet the requirements before roadside enforcement of the ruling begins in a few short months.
Our best advice to any Canadian trucker or fleet owner who does not already have a GPS fleet tracking and ELD system implemented into their truck or trucks, is to start now so it not only gives drivers and fleet managers time to learn the new technology, you can also get a head start on experiencing the advantages making the change can offer your business.
What are some advantages of using GPS fleet tracking and ELDs?
- Improved Productivity
- Less downtime and overtime
- Reach more customers in a day
- More efficient fuel use
- Prevent unscheduled stops, detours, or off-hours use
- Vehicle Maintenance
- Receive reminders for regular maintenance & check-ups
- Alerts for engine lights & diagnostics
- Alerts to you and drivers for poor driving (speeding, idling)
- Be notified of off-hours use, and find stolen vehicles
- Safer Driving
- Improved company image on the road
- Save on fuel costs by eliminating aggressive driving
- Reduced chance of accidents
- Better Customer Service
- Faster routes and response times
- More accurate ETA’s for customers
- Proof of service reports
- Reduce Costs
- Enjoy less downtime and fuel costs
- Reduced risk of accidents and vehicle wear & tear
- Accurate time sheets and less need for overtime hours
- Potential to lower insurance rates for safer drivers
- Insightful & Useful Reports
- Make sound business decisions based on real data
- Better manage and allocate resources
- Reduce routing time, costs and fleet miles
- Learn from over 30 standard reports or customize your own
Get started today with our $50 Trial Offer here!
