ON February 22, 2022, AT&T plans to sunset its 3g network, meaning that modules and devices that use 3G voice and data will no longer work, reports the American Journal of Transportation.
This could have a crippling effect on 350,000 Class Eight vehicles and many connected cold-chain trailers.
Of the estimated 3.97 million Class 8 trucks in the US, 3.8 million are employed by smaller fleets.
Smaller fleets are more likely to have delayed the transition from 3G to 4G devices, many of which require Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) compliance via Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs).
'It is entirely likely that many fleets that have not yet transitioned will be unable to purchase, remove, and replace devices prior to February 22,' said ABI Research analyst Susan Beardslee.
'This will result in serious compliance, safety, vehicle health, and operational capability challenges to an industry that moves roughly 72.5 per cent of the nation's freight by weight, and during a time of rolling, crucial shortages of consumer and business products.'
The transition also has ramifications for cross-border trade with Canada and Mexico, as both countries have delayed their 3G sunsets to mid-decade.
'Essentially, when the devices no longer function, drivers cannot digitally track their Hours of Service (HOS). Considering that driver fatigue tops the list of road dangers, this sunset severely impacts ELD compliance and road safety,' said Ms Beardslee.
'Let's hope that when an inevitable 4G shutdown occurs in the future, telematics companies and fleets will be better prepared.'
SeaNews Turkey
This could have a crippling effect on 350,000 Class Eight vehicles and many connected cold-chain trailers.
Of the estimated 3.97 million Class 8 trucks in the US, 3.8 million are employed by smaller fleets.
Smaller fleets are more likely to have delayed the transition from 3G to 4G devices, many of which require Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) compliance via Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs).
'It is entirely likely that many fleets that have not yet transitioned will be unable to purchase, remove, and replace devices prior to February 22,' said ABI Research analyst Susan Beardslee.
'This will result in serious compliance, safety, vehicle health, and operational capability challenges to an industry that moves roughly 72.5 per cent of the nation's freight by weight, and during a time of rolling, crucial shortages of consumer and business products.'
The transition also has ramifications for cross-border trade with Canada and Mexico, as both countries have delayed their 3G sunsets to mid-decade.
'Essentially, when the devices no longer function, drivers cannot digitally track their Hours of Service (HOS). Considering that driver fatigue tops the list of road dangers, this sunset severely impacts ELD compliance and road safety,' said Ms Beardslee.
'Let's hope that when an inevitable 4G shutdown occurs in the future, telematics companies and fleets will be better prepared.'
SeaNews Turkey