Electronic Logging Device Mandate
The US truck driving industry passed the Electronic Logging Device Mandate that went into effect in December 2017. Due to this mandate, all commercial truck drivers operating vehicles in the US must use electronic logbooks. In addition, any driver from other countries in North America including Canada is required to use e-logs whenever they operate a truck in the US. Considering the vast amount of freight being transported from Canada into the US and vice versa, the Canadian government passed a similar law requiring e-logs. Find out the facts about the Canadian ELD Mandate including when this law will go into effect.
Canadian ELD Mandate
When the US passed the Electronic Logging Device Mandate, it didn’t take Canada long to join in. In fact, that same day on December 17, 2017, Canadian Transport Minister Marc Garneau announced that Canada would also move to ELDs. According to Garneau, “We’re constantly looking at how technology can improve road safety, and electronic stability control and electronic logging devices fit the bill. These new measures not only make trucks and buses safer, but they also have a trickle-down effect of making the roads safer for all Canadians.”
The Canada Gazette clarifies the ruling. According to the regulation:
- Canadian truck drivers and trucking companies will have until 2020 to install ELDs.
- Commercial trucks older than 2000 are exempt from using electronic logging devices.
Keep in mind that any Canadian truck driver currently crossing over the US border is required by the US DOT to use an electronic logging device that is Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration compliant. Here is a list of compliant ELDs by the FMCSA.
Update: 6/13/19: Canada Announces Final ELD Mandate to Take Effect in 2021. Canadian Minister of Transport Marc Garneau on June 13 announced the rule, The regulation will take effect June 12, 2021, and is meant as a replacement for paper logbooks.
Preparing for the Mandate
The Canadian and US mandates are very similar. The biggest difference is that Canada collects driver data every 14 days while the US collects this every eight days. While opponents of the rule state the trucking industry will slow down to the use of the e-logs, the example set by the US shows this isn’t exactly the case. The supply of freight is at an all-time high coupled with a stagnant truck driver pool for trucking jobs. Rather than fretting about what could happen, prepare for the mandate by getting your trucks outfitted with compliant ELDs. Include ELD mounting solutions by ProClip USA as part of your preparations.
