The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) originally set rules for electronic on-board recorders (EOBRs) in 2011, but the court vacated the agency's EOBR Final Rule, saying FMCSA failed to ensure the mandate would not result in carriers and enforcement officials harassing drivers. Now that the problem has been addressed, the Department of Transportation anticipates publishing the proposed rules sometime in November that would mandate the use of EOBRs.
There are several reasons why the use of an EOBR is beneficial to truck drivers and fleet managers:
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More driving time. EOBRs track driving time and round up to the nearest minute, not the nearest 15 minutes as is required with paper logs. Therefore, drivers can get more driving time by using an EOBR because it takes away from spending time entering information on paper logs. That means more money in your pocket.
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Compliance. Since EOBRs automatically track driving time, there are fewer Hours of Service violations. Enforcement officers can quickly see information on the driver log, which shortens inspection time and translates into more miles on the road.
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Electronic logs. No more paper logs or trip sheets, and recording mileage at the state line is a thing of the past. EOBRs automatically record mileage in each state travelled and help generate IFTA reports and DVIRs. This also reduces the time spent on paper work and the expense of paper used.
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Real-time operations. Fleet managers are able to see what is happening with a truck in real time. EOBRs record speed, hard-braking sessions, idle time and more, which can result in key coaching or training to reduce fuel consumption and reduce speeding violations, ultimately saving money.
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Return on investment. Currently, there are more than 70 companies that are providing a fleet management system or some kind. There are many different options and pricing structures, but all will prove positive for return on investment (ROI). Because EOBRs can help improve CSA scores, reduce fuel consumption, reduce time spent on paperwork and administration, fleets and even independent operators are finding the ROI happens in a very short period of time.
Know your budget and what you can expect to spend on up-front costs for installing an EOBR and the expenses you will incur after the hardware has been installed.
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FMCSA estimated that installing an EOBR would cost approximately $1,675 per unit, but that was based on earlier EOBR models that were being used. Today, that cost has substantially dropped for many EOBR units. There are units out there that are free to start with a monthly subscription rate, while others can cost a few hundred dollars up front. Some require a monthly subscription cost, while others do not.
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Do up-front costs include installation, or just the hardware? How much are monthly subscription fees? Who pays for repairs to the EOBR if needed? Do your homework and know what you need. Cheapest is not always the biggest money saver, while most expensive doesn't always mean it is the best. Most monthly subscription rates are easily paid for through cost saving measures that come from having an EOBR.
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Understand what the company offers — not just the initial investment. Know where your money is going and what is included. Are you simply purchasing hardware with the initial, up-front investment, or does that include post-purchase support. Does the monthly subscription rate include only the application, or is there back office support to help with troubleshooting or to answer questions concerning the app?
The November prediction is for the Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rule Making, not the final rule. After the rule is published in November, there would be a 60-day comment period, followed by a review of those comments before the final rule is published. That would likely happen sometime midway through 2014. Following the publishing of the Final Rule, there would be a two-year grace period in which to become compliant, meaning the enforcement of the EOBR rule would mostly likely happen sometime in 2016.