Electronic logging devices (ELDs) can be a delicate issue for fleets that use the owner-operator business model.
Last year, research by CCJ’s sister publication, Overdrive, found that independent operators are strongly opposed to the technology. Seventy percent said they would go so far as quit the industry before using ELDs.
What remains to be seen is how long the animosity will remain. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will mandate the use of ELDs when it publishes a final rule later this year. Fleets and drivers will then have a two-year window to implement ELDs before enforcement of the mandate begins, presumably by the end of 2017.
Traditionally, fleets have used in-cab systems to deploy electronic logs. Company and leased drivers would use these corporate devices for work-related duties but for nothing else. By contrast, fleets can now deploy electronic logs on consumer platforms like smartphones and tablets to create a different vibe. In many cases, drivers have already installed these apps themselves, for free.
Free electronic logging applications from the Google Play and App Store are an easy entry point, with the caveat being that drivers will need to have a printer in the cab to create a paper copy of logs for law enforcement. Fleets and drivers that use these apps will also need to upgrade to an ELD-compliant device in the near future.
Diamond Coach Leasing operates a fleet of luxury buses for clients in the music entertainment industry. All 94 drivers for the Nashville, Tenn.-based company are owner operators.
When looking to make the transition to electronic logs, Sarah Beth Imperi, the fleet’s safety director, put a premium on ease of use. Two of the fleet’s drivers were already using a free application from BigRoad. After gathering input from the drivers and from the National Association of Small Trucking Companies, Diamond Coach Leasing decided to implement BigRoad fleet wide.
