Top 3 ELD Fears Answered
With the approval of the ELD mandate, there have been many worries and fears, from trucking companies and drivers, regarding elements of the new electronic logging devices (ELDs). However, we hope to shed some light on how the new ELDs are here to help you, rather than hurt you. Stay tuned as we cover some of the most frequently asked questions surrounding ELDs.
1. ELDS will cost more
2. Will ELDs benefit me?
3. Will ELDs improve driver safety?
3 ELD Fears Answered
1. Will ELDs cost more?
The expense of ELDs have drivers worried; the truth is, however, that it is less expensive than you think. When the first electronic logging system came to be, the cost of the system was upwards of $2,000. Now, ELDs are much more cost-efficient, thanks to smartphones and tablets, which have helped reduce the cost of ELDs by half. With the FMCSA estimating an annual cost range of $165 to $832 per truck, the electronic logging devices are actually affordable for most drivers. For instance, Konexial’s ELD app (My20) is $25 per month per driver. Check out Konexial’s ELD for this great deal on an ELD. With this setup, your first-year cost for the My20 app could be just $430 – a price much lower than most ELD apps on the market!
2. Do ELDs benefit me, the driver?
Yes! The ELD is here to benefit the driver, first and foremost. With the new system coming into play, ELDs will not only help the driver record more accurate times but manage and share track records, thereby reducing the amount of paperwork that drivers must maintain. The FMCSA reported that most truck drivers file 240 RODs per year; with the new mandate, the time filling out and filing paperwork can now be used to drive. If you want more information about the benefits of ELDs, check out 4 ELD Benefits You Should Know About.
3. Will ELDs improve driver safety?
The ELD mandate was made to improve road safety and the safety of drivers. For road safety, ELDs log and accurately track hours of service (HOS), allowing smarter dispatch decisions. Research has also been made to test the ELD system. For example, FMCSA estimates that a little over 2,000 crashes will be avoided, saving up to 31 lives annually, just by switching to the new ELD mandate with the HOS compliance.
ELDs are also meant to improve driver safety. For instance, ELDs allow drivers to monitor their HOS to ensure that they aren’t exceeding daily drive times. With the HOS regulations that are applied to the ELD mandate, truck drivers will ideally have a reduction of fatigue and drowsiness, thanks to the ELD’s ability to keep track of how long the driver has been on the road, as well as when to rest.
The ELD Mandate is Here to Help
The ELD mandate was put into play to optimize performance for drivers and fleets, but it was also created with truck drivers’ safety in mind. We hope that answering these top three ELD fears has helped you see how the ELD mandate was really created to create a safer environment on the roads, as well as to unburden drivers from the stress of paperwork.