In The News

Electronic Logs Pay Off From Regulatory Standpoint

During this week's PeopleNet User Conference 2010 in Boca Raton, Fla., PeopleNet executives and fleet customers alike touted the benefits of electronic logs, especially from a regulatory and safety standpoint. The overall consensus was that electronic logging can pay off and give a company a leg up on the competition when it comes to pleasing such regulatory agencies as the Department of Transportation.

For example, Ron Konezny, CEO of PeopleNet, said one fleet he talked to was fined $150,000 following a safety audit. The fleet managed to negotiate the fee down to just $2,300 if they agreed to adopt electronic onboard recorders within one year.

According to Jim Angel, PeopleNet safety and compliance product manager, implementing electronic logs can also help fleets improve their safety scores under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's CSA 2010.

In 2009, the top inspection violations included log violations; drivers' record of duty status not current; requiring or permitting drivers to drive after 14 hours on duty; requiring or allowing drivers to driver over the 11-hour limit; and a false report of driver's record of duty status. All of these could be corrected with electronic logging, Angel said.

In addition, if you're operating in an electronic environment for logs, the severity weighting under Fatigued Driving would only be one point for every violation, whereas it would be higher for those using paper logs.

"The DOT looks at you a whole lot differently if you have [electronic] driver logs," said Steve Teeple, president of Pollywog Transportation, during a panel discussion.

Pollywog underwent a safety audit in 2006 after someone made an accusation against the company. While the accusation was found to be false, the audit did find the company had some violations related to driver hours of service reporting. That's when the company decided to implement PeopleNet's in-cab electronic logging.

EOBR Buy-In

The DOT is not the only one pleased with electronic logs. Michael Demers, director of operations for Coastal Pacific Xpress in Canada, said his drivers' satisfaction has improved. "Their quality of life is so much better now than it was before, and the reason is sleep."

Drivers' families are also seeing the impact of e-logging because the drivers are happy to see them and they're more well rested. Demers suggests asking a driver's wife what she thinks of e-logs.

There has been an issue with getting safety inspectors and weigh scales to buy in to the technology. Demers said Coastal Pacific Xpress took the tool to the scales to show them how it works and let them play with it. It also helps to explain the benefits, such as that drivers can't cheat with e-logs. "They were like kids in a candy store," Demers said of the inspectors. The technology does their job for them, so it contributes to a better use of their time.

From the Horse's Mouth

The PeopleNet event also included a presentation by Deborah Freund from the FMCSA, who gave a crash course in the latest EOBR rule.

According to Freund, the new rule applies to motor carriers operating in interstate commerce. While it's voluntary for most, it's mandated for carriers subject to a "Remedial Directive" issued on or after June 4, 2012. The application of the remedial directive is for carriers with hours of service pattern violations of 10 percent or more records reviewed in a single compliance review.

One of the incentives built into the rule to encourage voluntary use is that motor carriers maintaining time and location data produced by EOBRs need only maintain additional supporting documents to provide verification of on-duty, not-driving activities.

Freund stressed that the FMCSA did not intend the EOBR rule to make other electronic logging devices obsolete. In fact, AOBRD devices installed before June 4, 2012, can still be used. "We don't want your operation to come to a grinding halt because you have to change out these devices," she said.

Why didn't the FMCSA go further with the final rule? Freund says the FMCSA could not go beyond the scope of the notice of proposed rulemaking. This rule was also the best near-term approach. Rulemaking is in process for an expanded EOBR mandate, and it's expected to be published by the end of the year, she said.

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