We got such a great response from this webinar – we ran it again! If you’re having trouble passing inspections, this webinar is a must watch! We’ve covered tips for both fleet management and drivers to help you fly through your next inspection.
Webinar Recap
Click the image below to access a recording of our Tips to Help You Pass Your Next Inspection webinar held on October 19, 2016:
Questions & Answers
Q. What happens about deferring hours?
A. In Canada, you can defer time from day one to day two of driving in the event of a crash, adverse weather, or other unforeseen events. You can reduce your ten hours of off-duty time to eight hours of off-duty time as long as the two hours that you reduce it by is not part of the eight consecutive hours. A more detailed breakdown of this information can be found here.
On the BigRoad Mobile App, you’d make a note on the Duty Status update for that time period and you could also make a note for the day. It’s okay to double up on notes for this purpose.
Q. When you cross the border into Canada at 14 hours from an 11 hour US driving limit, how many hours can you still work and drive?
A. In Canada, you can drive a maximum of 13 hours per day and spend a maximum of 16 hours on-duty per day. You must take at least 10 hours off per day with eight of those hours being consecutive. There isn’t a 30-minute break rule like in the US. Here is a chart with a comparison of the difference in driving times.
As soon as you cross the border into Canada, you’ll need to follow the Canadian rules. If you’re at your maximum US drive time, you’ll be able to drive for an additional 2 hours before having to take your 10 hours off (or 8 consecutive). When you head back to the US, you’ll need to flip back to the US rules so you’ll need to pre-plan your trip. If you ran 13 hours in Canada and then went back into the US, you’ll immediately be in violation of our hours of service.
Q. Is it legal to possess a firearm in a CMV if you have a legal concealed weapon permit? If so, what steps or procedures are necessary to insure a safe inspection?
A. There isn’t a simple answer for this question. If you’ve got a concealed carry permit, in most cases you’re allowed to carry a loaded gun on your person or near your person. However, gun laws vary by state. As a gun holder, it’s your responsibility to know the laws for where you’re travelling – regardless of being a truck driver or a civilian.
When it comes to keeping a gun in your truck, the FMCSA’s official response is, “Carrying concealed weapons is a matter of state law. Your question can be best answered by the appropriate state government.”
If you do carry your gun in your truck, make sure you have all of your paperwork including your permit, license, and registration for your firearm. We recommend keeping this in a binder with all of your paperwork. If pulled in for an inspection, notify the inspector immediately that you have a gun in your vehicle to avoid any surprises. It’s your responsibility to be aware of the gun laws for the states you’re travelling in or across. You can check this website for information on the various state laws.
Q. Is the ELD mandate going to be a law?
A. The electronic logging device (ELD) mandate was published to the Federal Registrar back in December 2015. This mandate requires that the majority of drivers run an electronic logging device to record their Records of Duty Status (RODS). If you’re currently using paper logs or an electronic logbook, you have until December 2017 to get an ELD. If you’re using an AOBRD, you have until December 2019 until you need an ELD – an additional two year grace period. An ELD pulls information directly from the engine of the vehicle to improve accuracy and reduce the falsification of records.
Q. Will ELDs be required by law in all states?
A. The final ELD mandate applies to all states in the US. Canada is currently working on developing an ELD mandate of their own but it has not been release yet. Additional information on what’s happening in Canada, can be found here.
Q. Who needs to use an ELD?
A. As a rule of thumb, if you’re currently required to keep logs, you’re probably going to have to run an ELD. There are a couple of exemptions to the ELD mandate, which you can read about in more detail here. The following drivers do not need to run an ELD:
- Short-haul drivers operating within the 100 air-mile radius
- Drivers who keep RODs no more than 8-days during a 30-day consecutive period
- Driveaway-towaway operation drivers where the vehicle being driven is part of the shipment
- Drivers with trucks model year dated before 2000 (1999 or older) as identified by the vehicle identification number
Q. Are electronic logs or electronic logging devices mandatory?
A. It’s important to remember that there are differences between electronic logs and electronic logging devices. Electronic logs, like the BigRoad Mobile App, are basically an electronic version of a paper log. The driver has to manually enter information into an electronic log. These are not mandatory.
Electronic logging devices (ELDs) are a piece of hardware that plugs into your vehicle and automatically records information. Our version of this is the DashLink ELD. It plugs into the truck and automatically records information which is sent via Bluetooth to the BigRoad Mobile App on the driver’s phone or tablet. This is what is mandatory.
How BigRoad Can Help
Get your fleet on the path to compliance with our DashLink ELD – the easiest and most affordable ELD compliance solution available today! Request a demo to see DashLink in action today!
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