Electronic logging devices (ELDs) are the future of truck enforcement. They can tell law enforcement exactly when and where trucks are driving and allow for them to be easily traced back to the driver.

Recent Transport Canada and FMCSA rules require ELD compliance. This means that all commercial vehicles over 10,000 lbs include an ELD by December 2018, which is a huge improvement to truck safety.

There are many features that need to be included in an ELD. The features will determine the type of device and the pricing of the device. Truck drivers should have as few entries into their logs as possible.

ELD solutions today can show things such as:

[1] Communications with server 

ELDs currently have two main methods to communicate with their truck: radio waves or signal wire transmission. Each method has specific properties that need to be considered for successful communication, whether it is between a driver and his truck or an ELD and its manufacturer’s server.

Radio waves are the most commonly used method for transmitting data between a truck and its driver. Radio waves need not be stationary for communication, which is why it is widely used both in the military and commercially. Signal wire transmission is a method that is strictly limited to its close proximity. 

[2] Trip data

Trip data is the time, date, and location of when a vehicle was in operation. This information can be displayed either in the form of a graph or numerical values. Because it is difficult to obtain this information from ELDs, government officials might require truckers to undergo training on how to interpret trip logs before they take their exams.

ELDs also log other trip-related data such as:

– Speed

– Odometer readings

– Latitude and longitude

In the future, trip data could be saved in a cloud or in the device itself. This could allow for access to historical trip information at any given time and would eliminate the need for law enforcement to examine each entry individually.

[3] Driver information

A driver’s duty status will be clearly shown on the display panel and can be changed by selecting an option from a list or using a keypad. ELDs must also include an option for entering the driver’s available hours of service. This helps to ensure that he follows ELD compliance at all times.

Driver information could also be saved in a cloud or in the device itself. This could allow drivers to save their detailed logbook information for later use.

To sign off

Make sure your truck fleet has an ELD that doesn’t slow down the drivers or makes their life hassle-prone. Connect with eTrucks for future-ready ELD solutions.

Brian Styris is the author of this article. For more details about Highway Use Tax please visit our website: etrucks.com