Electronic logging devices set to be mandatory for US commercial trucks and buses
The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has announced the adoption of a Final Rule that will requiring the use of electronic logging devices (ELDs) across all commercial truck and bus industries. In a statement posted by the FMCSA yesterday (10 December), US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx was quoted as saying: “Since 1938, complex, on-duty/off-duty logs for truck and bus drivers were made with pencil and paper, virtually impossible to verify. This automated technology not only brings logging records into the modern age, it also allows roadside safety inspectors to unmask violations of federal law that put lives at risk.”
The FMCSA claimed that the new ELD rule will result in “an annual net benefit of more than $1bn” – largely by reducing the amount of paperwork required – and will also “increase the efficiency of roadside law enforcement personnel in reviewing driver records”.
“This is a win for all motorists on our nation’s roadways,” said FMCSA Acting Administrator Scott Darling. “Employing technology to ensure that commercial drivers comply with federal hours-of-service rules will prevent crashes and save lives.”
The FMCSA has calculated that the ELD rule will, on average, save 26 lives and prevent 562 injuries annually.
Commercial truck and bus drivers who currently use paper log books to maintain hours-of-service records will have to switch over to ELDs within two years. The FMCSA anticipates that around three million drivers will be affected. Canadian- and Mexican-domiciled drivers will also be required to use ELDs when operating on U.S. roadways.
The Final Rule permits the use of smart phones and other wireless devices as ELDs, so long as they satisfy technical specifications, are certified, and are listed on an FMCSA website.
A copy of the ELD Final Rule is available at: https://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/hours-service/elds/electronic-logging-devices-and-hours-service-supporting-documents.
