Into the Clouds:
On June 12, 2019, Transport Canada published amendments to the Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Regulations in the Canada Gazette, Part II (the Regulations). The new rule mandates that by June 12th, 2021 all commercial motor vehicles need to be equipped with ELD devices to record Hours of Service (HOS) data electronically.
While drivers of commercial motor vehicles will still need to enter some manual information from their record of duty status (such as on-duty time related to fueling, loading or unloading), the ELD will automatically record driving time, odometer readings, engine power-up, and other key details.
Whether you have already started preparing your fleet and drivers for the ELD mandate or you’re not quite sure where to start, we’ve got you covered. The following checklist, based on Government of Canada directives, can help you get on track.
1. Review and understand the ELD mandate
As discussed in our previous blog, an ELD (Electronic Logging Device) is a piece of electronic hardware that is installed in a commercial motor vehicle and used to record and report HOS driving hours.
ELDs are becoming mandatory in Canada because they have been proven to help:
· Reduce fatigue-related crashes, injuries, and deaths
· Reduce out-of-service detention time of drivers who violate the regulations
· Reduce administrative costs for industry
· Reduce enforcement costs for the provinces and territories.
· Make competition fairer for federally regulated motor carriers
· Work better with regulatory requirements in the US
· Make it easier for drivers and motor carriers to comply with the regulations
· Improve drivers' quality of life
Understanding the reasons for the mandate can help when implementing the new HOS procedures in your company and getting everyone on board to follow them.
2. Check to see if you are exempt
There are a few reasons that a commercial motor vehicle might be exempt from having to comply with the ELD mandate. For example, drivers that maintain a Record of Duty Status (RODS) for less than 8 days in a 30-day rolling period are exempt. Also, drivers that stay within a certain radius for short-haul trips, and commercial motor vehicles with special permits do not need to be equipped with ELDs. A full list of exemptions is available for you to review here (link to What you need to know about Canada’s Upcoming ELD Mandate).
3. Create an ELD implementation plan
If you haven’t started implementing ELDs into your commercial motor vehicles, we recommend coming up with a plan of attack now and sticking to a schedule. The solution you choose needs to be certified by an accredited certification body in order to comply. Be sure to keep in mind that you will need to choose, buy, and install certified devices in all of your commercial motor vehicles by June 12, 2021.
4. Explore solutions and select the one that is right for you
Ideally, you will select an ELD provider that is not only certified but can offer an affordable and easy to implement solution. CloudHawk’s FMCSA’s Certified ELD solution makes it easy for businesses to become ELD compliant and can help you become ELD compliant in as little as 24 hours.
Failure to comply with the ELD mandate set out by the Canadian Government and Transportation Canada can lead to serious legal consequences. That is why it is important to start the ball rolling so you can be ELD compliant in time for June!