Canadian ELD Mandate

The CCMTA (Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators) is currently finalizing the Canadian ELD Mandate proposal, and they could release their ruling within a year. With a decision coming soon, it behooves any heavy duty truck owner or driver to find out what the Canadian ELD could entail before everyone else! At Bayview Trucks and Equipment, we want to keep our customers ahead of the game, so we’ve put together this quick rundown of what you could expect from this mandate and when you’ll see its protocols coming into effect. Read on for more information, or if you’re just interested in checking out some great heavy duty trucks and equipment, head to one of our locations in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. We’re proud to serve all of Atlantic Canada!

What’s in the Canadian ELD Mandate?

The Canadian ELD Mandate will adopt many of the provisions of the U.S. regulation regarding electronic logging devices. The mandate will standardize processes to prevent errors, tampering, and driver harassment, as well as replace paper logs with regulation-compliant device that connects directly to the engine ECM. The new device requirements may mean existing devices have to be updated or replaced. However, the Canadian ELD Mandate won’t change hours of service regulations, just how drive time is recorded and reported.

Why is the Canadian ELD Mandate Necessary?

The Canadian ELD Mandate aims to increase safety and accountability in the trucking industry, but there are additional reasons it’s being considered. Over $650 billion in goods cross the U.S.–Canada border every year, and the drivers and fleets responsible for that cargo have to comply with changing regulations on both sides. The Canadian mandate will ensure cross-border consistency by adapting much of the U.S. regulation. Once passed, Canadian fleets and drivers will be able to operate across all of North America without worrying about complying with different regulations when using the Omnitracs products.

ELD Specs

A lot of the final mandate outlines specific details of how ELDs will operate and the processes that drivers and fleets need to follow. Right now, they’re still in the first round of feedback, but until something is finalized you can learn more about the kinds of changes to anticipate below:

Logbook Edits – Drivers will be able to edit their logs (with required annotations), and will be required to certify the logbooks. Fleets will not be able to edit a driver log without the driver’s approval.

Data Sharing – Data will need to be easily—and securely—shared with law enforcement in a standardized format to save time and reduce confusion.

Data Collection – Devices will collect additional data including engine power status, vehicle motion status, vehicle location, engine hours, miles driven, driver CDL#, truck VIN#, and more.

Driver Alerts – Devices will be required to trigger an alert when a there is “unassigned driving time” on a driver log, or when a device malfunction is found.

Driver Duty Status – Will require a “Duty Status” for all vehicle drive time. U.S. Mandate Duty Statuses include: On-Duty, Off-Duty, Yard Move, Personal Conveyance, and On-Duty Not Driving.

Benefits of ELD Adoption

Adopting an ELD does more than keep you safe from regulatory fines. In the U.S., the mandate is projected to save fleets and drivers over $1 billion annually and drastically reduce accidents caused by driver fatigue. Beyond that, there are much more tangible benefits that drivers and fleets can expect with the new technology.

Fleet Benefits

Simplified compliance for HOS and other industry regulations

Seamless communication between driver, truck, and office.

Improvement to overall fleet safety and reduce accidents by up to 11%.

Cost savings through automation and fleet and fuel efficiency.

Access to powerful, productivity-boosting applications.

Learn more about how ELDs can improve fleet performance.

Driver Benefits

Save time and money by eliminating paperwork.

Maximize drive time with fewer and shorter inspections.

Seamless communication keeps you updated every step of the way.

Access to applications to increase productivity and earnings.

Prevents driver harassment by increasing fleet HOS accountability.

While the compliance date is set for 2020, there’s no time like the present to get the changes to the Canadian ELD Mandate underway so you’ll be sitting pretty and ready for the future of trucking in North America. If you need help understanding these changes to ELDs and the Canadian mandate, don’t hesitate to call or come into Bayview Trucks and Equipment. Visit one of our locations in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia where we’re proud to serve all of Atlantic Canada. Come in today and learn the true meaning of customer satisfaction!