All drivers must prepare a driver vehicle inspection report (DVIR) for each vehicle operated by them and must submit these reports as per FMCSA. Submission of these reports does not relieve the Motor Carrier company from any effects on the safety of the Motor vehicle. All drivers must certify their inspection reports. Failure to certify may result in citations. It is also the responsibility of the Motor Carrier to retain the original copies of the reports and certifications for at least 3 months from the date of creation of the report.

Pre-Trip inspection

The daily vehicle inspection that the drivers do before they start their trip is called Pre- trip inspection or full circle check. It is a requirement by the highway traffic Act. In this inspection drivers outline any defects that he/she comes across. When there is a minor defect driver must record the defect and report to the operator. In case of a major defect, drivers are not permitted to drive until it is repaired.

Post- trip inspection

All drivers must make sure that the vehicle is in good condition for the next driver. This is called post trip inspection. In this inspection as well, drivers are required to record major and minor defects.

Inspection every 24 hours

Drivers are required to complete a vehicle inspection every 24-hour period and make sure that the vehicle is in good condition throughout the trip. Drivers must detect any major and minor defects and submit the report to their Motor Carrier on return.

Key inspection report points required by Ontario regulation 199/07

Inspected vehicle’s license plate number and jurisdiction

The drivers must enter the plate number and plate jurisdiction of the vehicle. They might be cited if this information is not displayed on the DVIR. Motor Carriers must record all the vehicle information in their system and must make sure that this information is well displayed in the inspection reports submitted by their drivers.

Operator’s name

It is crucial that the driver’s name should be displayed in the DVIR before it is submitted. It allows the authority to know as to who operated the motor vehicle and certified the DVIR. Our ELD provides individual login credential for each driver along with synchronization between E-log and DVIR applications. This helps drivers to have their name and Motor Carrier company information displayed automatically on each DVIR.

Date, time, location where the inspection was conducted

It is important that this information is accurately entered in the inspection report as it depicts where and when the inspection was done. Drivers can get citations if any of this information is missing. If using our DVIR app this information is automatically generated but also allows the drivers to enter the information manually.

Name of the person who conducted the inspection

If the person who conducted the inspection is different than the driver then the name of that person should be printed on the inspection report. Still, the driver needs to sign the daily inspection report before they start driving the commercial motor vehicle or drawing the trailer.

Odometer of the vehicle

If the driver is operating a commercial motor vehicle, odometer reading of the vehicle must be included in the daily inspection report.

Statement of satisfactory condition of vehicle

If no major or minor defects are found in the motor vehicle during daily inspection report then the driver must sign the statement stating that no major or minor defects were found during inspection. To sum up, the condition of vehicle is satisfactory to drive.

Statement that the vehicle is inspected in accordance with the provincial/ federal regulations

A statement must be signed by the person who conducted the daily inspection stating that the inspection is done in line with the provincial/federal regulations.

Disclaimer- The rules and regulations are subject to change any time. Readers must verify with the authority, FMCSA/MTO and must not rely on the contents of this blog.

Failed to add Shipping Document Number

Any document which directs towards the movement of cargo must be mentioned in driver’s electronic logs as per FMCSA. Examples of such documents are manifests, invoices, trip reports, order numbers, bill of lading etc. These documents are required by FMCSA to verify the on duty not driving time.

Fix: Record one of the shipping document number in ELD/AOBRD system. If you are using AikSphere’s ELD/AOBRD, you can enter multiple manifest numbers throughout your trip.

Failed to certify the accuracy of the information gathered by the ELD

The drivers must certify the correctness of all entries of his record of duty status (RODS) by signing it. His/her signature certifies that all entries made by the driver are true and correct.

Fix: The drivers must certify the ELD in every 24 hours. Our ELD, electronically validates the record of duty status of driver via electronic signature at the time of submission.

Failed to maintain ELD user’s manual and instruction sheet

As per FMCSA, drivers must carry information packet onboard which comprises of

1. An instructions manual on how to operate the ELD.
2. An instruction sheet which describes steps to be taken when ELD malfunctions. Reporting requirements and record keeping procedures
3. Paper log book enough for at least 8 days
4. Step by step instructions to produce and transfer driver’s hours of service records to an authorized safety official.

These manuals and instruction sheets can also be carried by driver in electronic form.

Fix: Always carry the manuals and instruction sheets compliant with the FMCSA regulations. Contact your ELD vendors for these manuals.

Failed to provide last 14/7 days logs

Drivers must be able to provide previous 14 days logs (in Canada) and 7 days logs (in US) as per the regulations. The previous record of duty status (RODS) can be produced in either paper form (if using paper log) or electronic form (if using ELD).  These are the options available for drivers:

1. Paper logs
2. Printouts from an ELD
3. Records available in ELD which can be transferred to Authorized safety officials
4. Display from a device with logging software and electronic signature capabilities

Fix: Always make sure that previous logs are available in any of the above forms. If you are using AikSphere’s ELD/ AOBRD, you not only can show your previous elogs but can also email them to an onsite inspection officer just by one click.

Portable ELD not mounted in a fixed position 

The portable ELD must be mounted to the Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) and it should be fixed at a position from where it is visible to the driver while he/she is seated.

Fix: Install right size truck mounts according to the size of the tablets. We provide heavy duty commercial mounts that are easy to install.

Failed to add Truck and Trailer numbers

The truck and trailer numbers must be recorded on record of duty status form of ELD. The numbers displayed on the ELD must be exact same as the one being operated on.

Fix: Drivers must make sure that they choose the correct truck and trailer number at the start of their shift. If you are using AikSphere’s ELD/AOBRD, apart from choosing/entering the truck and trailer number, you can also switch them during the shift.

Disclaimer- The rules and regulations are subject to change any time. Readers must verify with the authority, FMCSA/MTO and must not rely on the contents of this blog.

All ELD’s compliant with FMCSA record some information automatically. These entries in driver’s record of duty status cannot be tampered with or edited. Some of the information automatically generated are:

• Date
• Time
• Location
• Engine hours (Engine start up and Shut down)
• Driver’s information- Identification, authentication of user
• Identification of Motor carrier
• Identification of Vehicle (provided details are added by the Motor Carrier in their records)
• Vehicle miles

As per FMCSA, ELD’s must also automatically switch to “Driving” state once the commercial motor vehicle moves with a speed greater than five miles per hour. The vehicle will be considered to be stopped once it maintains a speed of zero miles per hour for at least 3 seconds continuously.

Automatic generation of this information saves time for drivers as they do not need to enter it manually. It is crucial for Motor Carriers and Drivers to maintain the integrity of the driver’s record of duty status (RODS)

Following is the link by FMCSA- regulations which further explains this subject

www.fmcsa.dot.gov

Disclaimer- The rules and regulations are subject to change any time. Readers must verify with the authority, FMCSA/MTO and must not rely on the contents of this blog.

ELD’s have an option to mention the manifest or the shipping document number in the Record of Duty status. As per FMCSA, any document which directs towards the movement of any passengers or cargo must be mentioned in the driver’s electronic logs. Examples of such documents are manifests, invoices, trip reports, order numbers etc.

If a driver is going on more than one trip on same calendar day, then shipping document number or manifest number for each trip should be mentioned in the “Remarks” or the “Comment” section of their record of duty status.

Following is the link by FMCSA- regulations/Q14 which further explains this subject

www.fmcsa.dot.gov

Disclaimer- The rules and regulations are subject to change any time. Readers must verify with the authority, FMCSA/MTO and must not rely on the contents of this blog.

As per this graphical representation provided by Federal Motor Carrier Safety (FMCSA) on their website,  the number of times the drivers are given tickets for violations of hours of service have gone down considerably since the mandate came in effect in December, 2017.

The percentage has decreased from 1.31% to 0.64% in May 2018. The drastic change came in January, 2017 from 1.19% to 0.83% which was the first month of the ELD mandate.

FMCSA has also provided periodic Motor Carrier Safety Progress reports. For more information, please visit: www.fmcsa.dot.gov/

A prediction can be made that this decrease will continue considering that ELD’s are used accurately.

Disclaimer- The rules and regulations are subject to change any time. Readers must verify with the authority, FMCSA/MTO and must not rely on the contents of this blog.

The recent mandate of using ELD since December 2017 has made it essential for drivers and carriers to know the difference between AOBRD and ELD. The AOBRD (automatic On-board recording devices) are electronic or mechanical devices that record information about status of driver like distance traveled, driving speed, date and time etc. ELD’s (electronic logging devices) are similar and monitor miles driven, distance traveled, speed and engine use.

There are significant differences between these two devices. In terms of recording information the ELD records in detail the identification of the driver, vehicle information, malfunctions which are more than what AOBRD records. ELD allows limited changes and all changes of the driver status are recorded. Auto entries are created in ELD that automatically record the locations and status change of drivers.

There are also certain special driving options in ELD for drivers. These include yard moves and personal use options. These are selected by the driver. In case ELD is used, a detailed report of the driver duty can be sent electronically to officer when required. This option may not be provided in case an AOBRD is used.

Drivers must notify the officers at roadside whether they are using AOBRD or ELD.  All carriers that started after December, 2017 are only allowed to use ELD’s and not AOBRD’s.

For further information on ELD, please visit https://aiksphere.com/e-log/

Disclaimer- The rules and regulations are subject to change any time. Readers must verify with the authority, FMCSA/MTO and must not rely on the contents of this blog.

There is a possibility that  four areas of Hours of service (HOS) might be revised as per Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). FMCSA is seeking public comment which is open till 24th September. The 4 areas which are likely to be revised are as follows-

1. For short haul drivers an increase from 12 hours On- Duty to 14 hours On-Duty, in order to be consistent with rules of long haul drivers.
2. Increase of 2 hours from 14 ours On- Duty limitation in case driver faces adverse driving.
3. Revision of the 30 minute break time after 8 hours of continuous driving.
4. Changes in regards to the splitting of 10 hour off duty rest break if the drivers are driving trucks with sleeper- berth compartment

Read more at FMCSA page with corresponding news and current HOS rules for reference: csa.fmcsa.dot.gov

Disclaimer- The rules and regulations are subject to change any time. Readers must verify with the authority, FMCSA/MTO and must not rely on the contents of this blog.

It is possible for a trucking company to have more than one driver assigned to a single unit. When a vehicle is operated by team (2 drivers) and both drivers access their respective accounts by taking turns it is called ‘switching’.

The drivers must use their own accounts for logging their respective logs. It is the responsibility of drivers to make sure they are using the correct active account for recording their electronic logs. In order to successfully switch between two accounts, it is important that each driver is logged in with the correct credentials. When one drive is not driving, he/she should make sure that they are logged in and their status is ‘Sleeper Berth’.

Majority of ELD’s now display the active driver on top of the screen in a different colour. They also show the remaining Driving time and ON- Duty time for the current shift and cycle. This display makes it easier for drivers to plan their shifts more efficiently. Below, is a link of FMCSA document showing steps on how to ‘add a co-driver’ and ‘switch driver’ in ELD’s

Read more: csa.fmcsa.dot.gov/ELD/File/Index/13e2685c-1692-694e-bd3f-aef1c65b3734

Disclaimer- The rules and regulations are subject to change any time. Readers must verify with the authority, FMCSA/MTO and must not rely on the contents of this blog.

As per an article by Ontario trucking association, there are more than 360 types of ELD’s and it is not possible for officers to know how to operate all of them. It becomes crucial for drivers to understand how ELD works and if need be they can guide the officers about the same.

The instruction manuals must be provided to the drivers which guide the drivers and officers about using the ELD. Having untrained drivers may result in spending longer time at inspection stations due to lack of knowledge.  In addition, it may also lead to unnecessary frustration, stress and warning or violation from officer. Furthermore, it may lead to delay in the operations.

It is very important that drivers are provided classroom training on using ELD’s. Management should not train drivers on the go and should make sure drivers fully understand how to use ELD’s before they start on the road.

Read more: http://ontruck.org/enforcement-more-eld-driver-training-needed/

Disclaimer- The rules and regulations are subject to change any time. Readers must verify with the authority, FMCSA/MTO and must not rely on the contents of this blog.

Since the regulation of using ELD has been mandated by FMCSA in December 2017, it is crucial for companies to record all movement of their trucks recorded along with the driver(s) who is driving the vehicle.  However, when a truck is being driven without having a driver successfully logged in it is called Unassigned Driving Time.

It is the responsibility of the driver and the motor carrier to reassign the unassigned driving time.  Motor carrier can assign the unassigned driving with an explanation. The explanation must include the reason as to why the driving was reassigned.

If there is unreasonable amount of unassigned drive time, FMCSA may consider the driver or motor carrier an imminent hazard. It is highly advisable for the motor carriers and drivers to keep unassigned driving time as minimum as possible.

Disclaimer- The rules and regulations are subject to change any time. Readers must verify with the authority, FMCSA/MTO and must not rely on the contents of this blog.