Updated ELD Mandate Proposed

Phil Cohen

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The FMCSA has updated a proposed mandate for interstate carriers to have on-board electronic logging devices installed in their units. This proposal improves on a prior mandate introduced in February 2011 and is expected to take effect in late 2016.

Electronic logging devices (ELDs) will be required for all carriers currently required to maintain duty records on paper and who must keep records for at least eight out of every 30 days. While new ELD users have until two years after the effective date of the rule to comply, companies already using “automatic onboard recording devices” at the time of the new mandate will be given an additional two years to upgrade their technology.

The updated ELD mandate includes several provisions of the canceled 2011 rule while including a critical provision prohibiting driver harassment. The other provisions include the actual requirement to use an ELD; specifications for compliant hardware; and a list of hours-of-service documents that drivers will need to carry in addition to their electronic logs.

Of particular importance, however, is the provision protecting drivers from harassment related to electronic logging devices. The FMCSA is committed to preventing communications that interrupt driver rest periods as well as undue pressure to violate hours-of-service regulations. There are eight parts to the proposed rule regarding driver harassment, including protecting driver privacy during enforcement and providing a complaint process that drivers can use to report harassment.

The American Truckers’ Associations have come out in support of the new FMCSA rule, noting that it will promote both safety and equality within the trucking industry. The OOIDA, meanwhile, is still reviewing the rule and evaluating potential issues with its implementation.

At a cost of up to $800 per unit to install compliant electronic logging devices, small trucking companies may need significant assistance to make the investment if this rule is put into effect. EZ Invoice Factoring offers trucking factoring programs that help carriers and brokers serving a variety of industries, and can give owner-operators the immediate cash they need to keep their fleets in compliance with the updated ELD mandate. Contact EZ Invoice Factoring today for more information about trucking factoring and to receive a same-day competitive proposal.

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Phil Cohen

Phil is the owner of PRN Funding and sister company Factor Finders. He has been an authority in the factoring industry for over 20 years, serving on the board of directors for several factoring associations.

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