The trucking industry saw a huge year in 2016! Headlines were made as autonomous trucks inched toward reality (while delivering beer no less). The electronic logging device (ELD mandate) and its aftermath saw court challenges and confusion as we head into 2017.
Below, as determined by our BigRoad Blog readers, here are the top 10 most-read stories of 2016:
#10 – Webinar Recap: The Top ELD Myths Uncovered
August 15, 2016
We’re less than 18 months away from the effective date of the ELD mandate. Commercial drivers in the United States will soon be required to use an electronic logging device (ELD) to create their driver logs.
With the mandate so close, we’ve decided that we need to address some of the myths making their rounds. In our recent webinar we separate fact from fiction when it comes to the ELD mandate. Watch the recording below and see answers to all of the questions we received during the webinar.
#9 – Hit The Breaks with Break Safety Week
September 8, 2016
There’s no stopping now! The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual Brake Safety Week is being held from September 11 – 17, 2016. Here’s what you need to know to make sure you keep rolling!
Every year the CVSA holds it’s annual Brake Safety Week as part of their Operation Airbrake Inspection program. These programs are operated in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
#8 – ELD Mandate Update
September 20, 2016
The industry has been buzzing with conversation in support of and against the electronic logging device (ELD) mandate since it was announced over 9 months ago. This included a lawsuit launched by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) a day after the ELD mandate final rule was published.
The biggest questions now are will the ELD mandate stick, are the requirements and/or specifications going to change, and how is all of this going to impact me? Here’s an update on where we sit today.
#7 – Inspection Levels Explained
Jully 12, 2016
Over 4 million commercial motor vehicle (CMV) inspections are conducted annually in North America. We all know what an inspection is (some of us know this better than others). But…do you know what’s actually involved in the each of the seven different inspection levels? Find out!
Inspections are conducted as part of the North American Standard (NAS) Inspection Program. The criteria for these inspections were developed by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) to help ensure trucks and buses are operating safely on our roads. Inspections can be performed by trained and certified state, provincial, territorial, and federal law enforcement personnel only.
#6 – 5 Things to Think About Before Becoming an OO!
June 23, 2016
A year ago a friend of mine quit his company driver job at a well-known trucking company to become an owner operator. At the time, I thought he was crazy! He was giving up a stable paycheck, a guaranteed run, benefits, and more to follow his dream of becoming an entrepreneur. Little did I know, he put a lot of planning and research behind his decision which ultimately helped him become the successful owner operator he is today. Over the weekend he shared his top 5 tips for things to consider before becoming an owner operator with me.
A lot of people think that becoming an owner operator is easy…wrong, very wrong. Being your own boss is a lot of work…and it’s definitely not as easy as some people make it look. Before you decide to quit your current job, give operating as an owner operator a try by tracking your current tips, costs, and time.
#5 – Changes to the ELD Self-Certification Process
May 12, 2016
In an article published by Overdrive, Todd Dills reported that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) would be “standing up vetting process for ELD certification” after much public scrutiny over the self-certification process. What exactly does this mean and how is it going to impact drivers and fleets?
Let’s start the at beginning. There seems to be little knowledge across the industry on how exactly an ELD becomes a registered ELD with the FMCSA under the mandate. It isn’t as simple as just adding your product to the website – providers are building completely new products from scratch, updating existing product offerings, and scaling their organizations to meet the demand. There’s a lot involved!
#4 – ELD Mandate Upheld
October 31, 2016
The electronic logging device (ELD) mandate has been upheld in court – this means that the December 18, 2017 compliance deadline date remains in effect for the majority of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers in the U.S.
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals voted unanimously in favor of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to keep the ELD mandate in place. The decision was issued today (October 31) following the oral arguments made by the FMCSA and Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) on September 13, 2016.
#3 – Roadcheck Inspection Blitz Dates Announced
March 24, 2016
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) has released the dates for their 29th annual International Roadcheck program. The inspection blitz will be taking place from June 7 to 9, 2016. 10,000 CVSA certified inspectors (local, state, provincial, and federal) will be performing thousands of inspections across the United States, Canada, and Mexico during this time.
Roadcheck is the largest targeted inspection program for commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) in the world. It operates in partnership with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Transport Canada, Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators, and the Secretariat of Communications and Transport (Mexico).
#2 – I’ll Quit Before I use eLogs!
January 12, 2016
That was the exact statement Paul Kirkland, a driver of 23 years, told his supervisor. You may recognize Paul from his facebook profile, featuring trucking videos and all things rodeo. Several months ago, he found out his new company, Acadiana Energy, exclusively use electronic logs (eLogs) and have been for the past couple years. As a long time paper log user, he was not interested in the least to switch over to this new electronic format.
“I said no way you can make money with an electronic log and I will quit if I have to use them. I’ve been trucking for 23 years – I don’t need someone tracking my hours or telling me when to sleep. It’ll prevent me from getting where I need to be on time… Well, I was wrong! It hasn’t affected me one bit as far as my money goes.”
#1 – ELD Mandate Exemptions
April 28, 2016
The Electronic Logging Device (ELD) mandate applies to the majority of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers who are currently required to maintain records of duty status (RODS). The Federal Motor Carrier Association (FMCSA) estimates the mandate will impact over 3 million trucks and 3.5 million drivers.
Although the majority of drivers are impacted by this mandate, the FMCSA has allowed for a few exemptions. We are regularly being asked questions about exemptions during our webinars and on social media, so we wanted to shed some more light on who is exempt.