While 2021 may seem a long way off — especially in light of all that is going on with COVID-19 — it actually will be here sooner than we think. On June 12, 2021, Canada begins enforcement of its electronic logging device (ELD) mandate; it’s the date by which Canadian fleets must switch from paper daily logs to ELDs.
The mandate applies to drivers of commercial motor vehicles that operate in multiple provinces, territories, countries or states and any truck, tractor, trailer or combination of these vehicles with a total gross vehicle weight of more than 9,921 lbs. (4.500 kilograms).
Speaking at a NationaLease meeting earlier this year, Robin Kinsey, leasing business development manager at Geotab, explained that on June 13, 2019, Transport Canada, which is responsible for the Motor Vehicle Transport Act, announced that it was mandating ELDs for commercial trucks and bus operators.
According to Kinsey, the devices must meet the following criteria of being able to record:
- The driving times and other on-duty times for each day when the device is used.
- The total on-duty time remaining, and the total on-duty time accumulated in the cycle being followed by the driver.
- The changes in duty status and the time at which each occurred for each day on which the device is used.
- The times and dates on which the device has been disconnected and reconnected.
The goals of the Canadian ELD mandate are to:
- Improve safety and eliminate fatigue: 25% of violations are due to drivers running over the Hours of Service limit, she says.
- Curb unfair competition: Everyone will now be following the regulations
- Improve efficiency: ELDs should save time compared to electronic recording devices or paper logs.
- Lead to harmonization: The mandate will align provinces and federal rules as much as possible.
There are some similarities between the U.S. and Canadian ELD mandates:
- Log edits and workflow
- Sync with the engine
- Unassigned driving
- Special driving status like yard moves and personal use
- Applies to model year 2000 and later vehicles
However, there are also some differences:
- Rental trucks used for 30 days or less are exempt
- Drivers who “pick up” incorrect unassigned driving time can “put it back” if they incorrectly assigned it to themselves
- Personal use option must disable if the driver has used 75 km a day
- ELD must warn drivers when they are running out of HOS
- Roadside transfer will send a data package to an email address that is typed in by the driver and will include a PDF file of the logs and a .csv file that can be deciphered
- ELDs will need to be accredited by a third-party certification body
Kinsey said it is not too soon to start preparing for next June’s enforcement date.
Here are here suggestions for things Canadian carriers should be doing now to prepare:
- Review the documentation from Transport Canada and the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators.
- Research ELD vendors to ensure they will be third party certifying and that they support all required elements of the Canada Ruleset.
Prepare now, because June 2021 will be here sooner than you think.
