What are the ELD Mandate exemptions

Virtually, gone are the days of paper-pushing paper logs of the past. Especially, it is no different for the long-haul truckers that transport shipment to distant locations as they are tracked by an electronic logging device (ELD). The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) state the device is in place to maximize operation’s efficiency, reduce costs, and improve profits. In the end, the sole purpose is to achieve the maintenance of road safety. Commercial trucks do have an automatic onboard recording device (AOBRD) equipped but to ensure quality and save lives, paper logbooks are scrapped for ELDs. This is also to ensure the truck drivers’ status of the hours worked in the record of duty status (RODS) which complies with hours of service (HOS) guidelines, issued by the FMCSA. The FMCSA imposed the “Grandfather clause” to award the necessary time of 2 years to install, integrate and synchronize the ELD (or E-log) with the AOBRD.

The kind of data that can be featured electronically are GPS tracking, log audits, standard short messaging service, and real-time message alerts. More importantly, the miles are accumulated to calculate the trucker’s payment with the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) report. The device can track the moment when the fleet is idle, do a diagnostic check of the vehicle, and, make a driver scorecard. The scorecard identifies driving abilities that can pose a threat like, hard braking, cornering, acceleration.

If we look back at the reason for the ELD mandate to exist, it is to simply prevent road injuries and deaths. Driving long hours leads to fatigue, subsequently, it leads to accidents. Plus, there are internal issues in the commercial trucking industry with inaccurate paper log entries. It could be human error, incorrect estimations, or, the case of employer “arm-twisting” the truckers. So, the ELD mandate is to keep everyone in check, although, not every category of truckers should be in check.

Who is the ELD mandate for?

In general, the ELD mandate applies to interstate commercial motor vehicle drivers that are bound to maintain RODS. Depending on the class of the vehicle, if it can accommodate 8 – 15 passengers, an ELD is mandatory. The weight class of the vehicle and having the appropriate placarded hazmat load determines the truck to have an installed device on the dash. Non-compliance and violation will allow the chance of getting issued with a hefty fine.

ELD exemptions

According to the FMCSA’s website, the carriers employed under these associations are exempt from the ELD mandate: the Truck Renting and Leasing Association, United Parcel Service, and, the Motion Picture Association of America. To break it down even further short-haul drivers do not have to keep ELD or RODS. Including the individuals involved in drive-away/tow-away operations. This also applies to any cross-border operations with vehicles from Canada or Mexico. Vehicle models that were manufactured pre-2000 do not require an E-log on the dashboard. On the topic of short-haul drivers, if they operate for more than 8 days in 30 days, they will be forced to keep a device, furthermore, the 30 day period does not necessarily mean a month, but rather, a span of 30 days from any date of a month. The vehicles from Canada or Mexico must obey and oblige the HOS when they operate in United States soil. ELDs are built to meet the work order’s requirements, including in the duration of a cross-border operation.

For vehicles that are older than 2000, there are other options to acquire the vehicle’s stats while on the road. Transporting an RV which is not from a shipment is in no shape or form, excluded from the ELD mandate. Rental trucks have certain criteria if they are to be exempted. If they possess a rental agreement and or on duty for less than 8 days, they are free from the ELD mandate. The rental agreement must have the details of the vehicle and the dates of the lease. An exemption document assigned from the FMCSA should have the vehicle’s driver. Additionally, copies of the RODS have to be up to the minute in the duration of the 7 days. Truckers from Canada or Mexico that are employed to work in the United States for more than 8 days in the 30-day duration are subject to follow the ELD mandate. Any cross-border trip within a 100 air-mile radius is spared from keeping a log during the time the driver is on the journey in the U.S., also, given the fact that, the driver returns to their homeland within 12 hours. In particular, this is also taken into account the number of times an alien vehicle can enter the U.S.

A situation may appear where the short-haul driver’s task can get completed in 8 days within the 30 days. When this transpires, pre-planning is highly recommended. The work order falls apart if the job does not conclude on the seventh day which means all of the details for the last 7 days must be registered. Certainly, that task will accumulate time and more workload. More cannot be stressed on how imperative it is to plan when there is any uncertainty on the deadline of a work order.

The scope of the ELD mandate

Vehicles traveling on short routes can escape from using an ELD. Most of the commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) models in the U.S. are beyond 2000 to keep up with the contemporary nature of the freight business. Industry experts are spearheading the idea that the ELD mandate is the future, the future of streamlining consumerism. Progression can be reached through the measure of insight from monitoring and the pursuance of solutions.