ELD's (the basics)
Electronic Logging Devices (ELD's)
After just reviewing the new ELD mandate it should be no shock that the FMCSA has just reworded their previous version of EOBR's to ELD's. It is pretty much the same load of horse crap that the previous version was. I asked them then who was going to pay for this new technology? They told me I the carrier was, or the driver was. They have come out with a bogus cost savings instead of showing the additional cost. I am not opposed to Electronic Logging Devices used in lieu of paper logs, I have always been opposed to Electronic On Board Recording devices that record the engine hours, speeds, RPM's as well as other information from my equipment.
The new ruling still includes engine hours, and power status of the equipment. By having to have a device attached to our equipment that tracks such things. It will also have the ability to track other items as well, you will be able to track anything that equipment does by looking at the ECM of the equipment. I don't know how the rest of you feel but our government can already track way too much or our activities as it is. Imagine having some $15.00 per hour flunky watching a screen and you have to hit your brakes to avoid that car that just cut you off. Here goes a call to the closest officer to pull you over and see if you are safe to drive or not. I know that sounds like a conspiracy theory but it will become the norm because our government can't help itself.
I wonder if the shippers and brokers have asked themselves how this is going to impact their pricing structure. Most likely not, or they would have been fighting this all the while themselves. Now that this will become the law in a couple of years the wise Independent Carriers are making the move forward and are adjusting our rates accordingly. Shippers, receivers, and brokers will no longer be able to argue about how long your equipment was at their facility. They will no longer be able to make outlandish demands upon your company due to their screw ups, likewise will the carrier no longer be able to use bogus excuses as to why they were late to the shipper or receiver. It will be really screwy for a while until our industry adapts to the new way of doing business.
Who is going to pay for the additional cost? Not us the carriers, we quite simply are going to pass that on to the shippers and brokers.
We that are members of the Independent Carrier Group need to also be members of OOIDA and help support them in the law suit on the ELD's (really EOBR's), until they at least get it removed that it has to track our equipment hours, and on/off status. The Electronic Logging Devices can be a stand alone device that don't have to be plugged into the ECM or our equipment. I don't believe the government needs to know how many hours our equipment idled, or if we forgot and left the key on while we were at the house. I don't think they need to know what is going on with our machines, do you?
The members of the Independent Carrier Group have seen the actual cost for themselves as well as what we need to in return charge the shipper/broker/receiver to defray such cost.
Alfred Scott Jordan
Powerhouse Transportation
A member of the Independent Carrier Group