DESPITE protests by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) over the implementation of the electronic logging device (ELD) mandate, Descartes Systems Group believes the visibility to operational metrics can be beneficial for shippers.
'Unlike the dated track-and-trace method, which was labour intensive and prone to inaccuracies or inefficiencies, with ELDs and the data that carriers are now able to collect, therein lies an opportunity to generate greater visibility into where truckers are and are therefore able to plan better,' Descartes vice president Brian Hodgson told American Shipper in an interview.
'This can reduce detention charges, overtime fees, charge-backs and save customers money by driving greater operational benefits overall.'
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) mandate for ELDs, which synchronise with vehicle engines to automatically record driving time, came into effect in the US in December 2017.
The FMCSA said the ELD mandate was 'intended to help create a safer work environment for drivers and make it easier and faster to accurately track, manage and share records of duty status data.'
However, the OOIDA has rallied against ELDs, saying the devices are costly for the trucking industry and don't advance safety.
Canada is also working on implementing its own ELD mandate. Last December Canada's Department of Transport published a proposal to require the use of ELDs in the Canada Gazette, however, a final rule has not been released.
Canada's proposed ELD mandate has garnered the support of Teamsters Canada, the Private Motor Truck of Canada and the Canadian Trucking Alliance.
'The majority of carriers and drivers have and will always put safety first. However, ELDs will end the supply chain encouraging and turning a blind eye to companies and drivers breaking hours of service rules to meet shipment needs by falsifying paper log books,' the groups said in a joint statement in March.
'As a result of ELDs, drivers and carriers will be more compliant with HOS [hours of service] regulations, contributing to reduced collisions and other negative activity associated with distracted driving.'
Mr Hodgson emphasized further benefits of ELDs: 'Say a driver is expected to unload at 7.30am but based on traffic and weather is running behind and will now get there at 8.30am. Before ELDs there really wasn't anything the shipper could do and shippers would get caught paying workers extra hours to unload a shipment that wasn't going to make it on time or waste docking slots that could have been used more efficiently,' he explained.
'Now you can adjust or move the load to use workers more effectively and can automatically notify customers to give them that appreciated heads-up.
'Through ELDs, shippers can also analyse the data to improve processes by examining their customers across the board to see which have the most detention delays and at what time of week or day to drill down and work with the customer as a valued partner to help strategically correct the issues and streamline supply chains,' Mr Hodgson said.
'Unlike the dated track-and-trace method, which was labour intensive and prone to inaccuracies or inefficiencies, with ELDs and the data that carriers are now able to collect, therein lies an opportunity to generate greater visibility into where truckers are and are therefore able to plan better,' Descartes vice president Brian Hodgson told American Shipper in an interview.
'This can reduce detention charges, overtime fees, charge-backs and save customers money by driving greater operational benefits overall.'
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) mandate for ELDs, which synchronise with vehicle engines to automatically record driving time, came into effect in the US in December 2017.
The FMCSA said the ELD mandate was 'intended to help create a safer work environment for drivers and make it easier and faster to accurately track, manage and share records of duty status data.'
However, the OOIDA has rallied against ELDs, saying the devices are costly for the trucking industry and don't advance safety.
Canada is also working on implementing its own ELD mandate. Last December Canada's Department of Transport published a proposal to require the use of ELDs in the Canada Gazette, however, a final rule has not been released.
Canada's proposed ELD mandate has garnered the support of Teamsters Canada, the Private Motor Truck of Canada and the Canadian Trucking Alliance.
'The majority of carriers and drivers have and will always put safety first. However, ELDs will end the supply chain encouraging and turning a blind eye to companies and drivers breaking hours of service rules to meet shipment needs by falsifying paper log books,' the groups said in a joint statement in March.
'As a result of ELDs, drivers and carriers will be more compliant with HOS [hours of service] regulations, contributing to reduced collisions and other negative activity associated with distracted driving.'
Mr Hodgson emphasized further benefits of ELDs: 'Say a driver is expected to unload at 7.30am but based on traffic and weather is running behind and will now get there at 8.30am. Before ELDs there really wasn't anything the shipper could do and shippers would get caught paying workers extra hours to unload a shipment that wasn't going to make it on time or waste docking slots that could have been used more efficiently,' he explained.
'Now you can adjust or move the load to use workers more effectively and can automatically notify customers to give them that appreciated heads-up.
'Through ELDs, shippers can also analyse the data to improve processes by examining their customers across the board to see which have the most detention delays and at what time of week or day to drill down and work with the customer as a valued partner to help strategically correct the issues and streamline supply chains,' Mr Hodgson said.