The Best ELD Device in the Market Right Now

Background
As per FMCSA specification, the MAP (Moving Ahead for Progress) in the 21st Century Act was signed on July 6th, 2012.  In accordance with this mandate, all commercial motor vehicles engaged in interstate commerce should have ELD’s installed and is passed officially in December 2017.

ELD device essentially records the RODS (Record of duty status). The US Department of Transportation defines that “Every motor carrier must require every driver to record his/her duty status for each 24 hour period through specific methods outlined by regulation. It will save current duty status records while recording every change in a duty status. The paper-based log entries are replaced with electronic driver records also known as HOS (Hours of Service). However, some drivers may choose to record their duties this way.

Why look right now?

US Department of Transportation specifies that vehicles having AOBRD (Automatic on-board recording device) installed in vehicles before Dec 18, 2017 and is in-use can continue to use this device till 16th Dec 2019. Different ELDs have different ELD standards.

Hutch ELD 2020 System

Device Overview

All a driver needs to do for using “ ELD2020” is simply plug it into ECM (Engine Control Module) port that is present underneath the dashboard.

ELD 2020 hardware talks to the computer in your truck which will then send logging information to the Hutch ELD 2020 app installed in your tablet or phone.

Features

Instead of using paper-based records, ELD 2020 allows you to store and send all the records at a single place i.e. an app on your device. This application is connected to the hardware deployed in the truck that helps to share driving information and is simple to navigate. 

You will have to set up a company interface in which all DOT records are saved. Everything is collectively saved in this space regardless of the number of trucks operating in a fleet.

How is “Hutch ELD 2020” helpful for you?

ELD mandate has caused a hustle in fleet business as they have to switch over to it which seems to be difficult for them, but over the time, it will save an abundance of time and energy.

• Less paperwork: ELDs help to make business more efficient by reducing the paperwork they need to perform.
• Up to date: One of the main benefits of ELD 2020 is that dispatchers can track the truck, check the driver's progress that will be helpful to plan their future trips. There is no need to wait for the papers based records to be reviewed at the end of the day.
• No hassle: Maintaining RODS may become a hassle for the drivers so ELD’s can overtake this challenge.

Choose Hutch ELD 2020 for your company’s ELD needs. Keep everything at once place for simple access and efficient communication across different members of an organization.

Transition plan for ELD’s

 When it comes to ELD transition, it does not have to be all or nothing. Drivers who are enthusiastic and technology savvy are a good choice of initial users of ELDs. Proper training is provided to these proficient employees and they will be given time to practice using ELDs for one to two weeks. Once they are successfully trained about the functionality of ELD, they will become proficient and are then rolled out to the rest of the drivers. 

ELD Transition Plan

Here is a sequence of steps to be followed for successful deployment of ELD:

Getting familiar with the latest functionality:

 ELD mandate requirements are associated with how devices can gather and report log details. Below given are some of the new requirements:

• ELDs track data related to trucks and drivers in order to create visibility with law enforcement and avoid fraudulent reporting.
• Duty status is desired to be assigned for different vehicle activities
•  Devices will generate an alert in case of unassigned driving time

Analyze operational impacts:

Research how ELD requirements impact fleet operations. Different types of changes that need to be introduced are:

• Automatic duty status regulations and thresholds
• Editing driver and carrier logs
• Unassigned vehicle activity

Generate an implementation plan

Deployment of a new application is a complex process as it impacts the operations of different departments. Therefore, it is important to build a solid plan that is to be followed in a complete implementation phase. This plan includes timelines and details of different roles and responsibilities assigned to the team member from start till the end phase.

Determine the appropriate solution

There are several ELD providers in the market but selecting the right solution that fits the company and driver requirements is a challenging task. So, search for providers having a renowned success rate in the market.

Pre-deployment
This is the right time to reinforce ELD benefits with drivers and prepare vehicles to install ELDs in it. At this point of moment, HOS policies are analyzed to make sure its objectives are compliant with HOS rules.

Run the pilot

In the initial pilot deployment process, set up driver accounts, ensure they are able to successfully login to the device and all the necessary documents are placed in the cab.

Training

Driver training should be focused on major threshold aspects like personal conveyance, yard moves, data transmission and editing. Training is also given to back-office staff so that they can suggest log changes and they must possess knowledge about log transmission in case of an audit.