Now that you’re getting ready to move to electronic logging devices (ELDs), you’re going to have a lot less paperwork to manage. ELDs, like BigRoad’s DashLink ELD, eliminate the hassle of paper logs by automatically generating clean electronic logs and storing them all in one central location – the BigRoad Web App! Here are 5 ways to clean up your office space by getting rid of all of the extra paperwork that you’ll no longer need.
OK, so you’ll still have to keep some of the older stuff in case you’re audited. But only for the first six months! Then after that, you’ll never have to look at overstuffed filing cabinets again..or dig through stacks of paperwork to access the files you need. Every month for that first six months, you can start by getting rid of a stack of old paperwork with one of the following suggestions:
1. A Bonfire
Burn, baby, burn! The first big difference you’ll notice in your operation once you transition to ELDs, is a huge reduction in the amount of paperwork you’re required to do, and the amount that you are required to store!
With ELDs, like the DashLink ELD, your logs will be stored in the back end for as long as you need them. Won’t it feel great to mark the end of storing logs with a bonfire? Get your coworkers or fellow drivers together, and dance around the fire to celebrate never having to keep track of messy paper logs again!
2. Shred it
If a bonfire isn’t your thing, maybe shredding is? Sure, it might not be as dramatic as a bonfire would be, but it will still be satisfying! Plus, shredded paper can be extremely handy.
If you have any pets, shredded paper makes for a great cage liner. You can also use it for packing material. The holidays are coming up, line your boxes with shredded paper logs to keep that precious cargo safe on its journey to your loved ones.
3. Origami
Not only is paperwork messy, it can also be very time consuming. Using ELDs will save both drivers and fleets time by eliminating the hassle of paperwork. For drivers, having automated logs means that they don’t have to waste time during their shifts to fill them out. For fleet administrators, it means not having to sort through stacks of paperwork to ensure all of the logs have been filled out properly. For some fleets, this is so time consuming that they need to hire a dedicated resource just to manage driver logs.
Why not take up a hobby with all of that extra time you’ll get back once you switch to ELDs, and learn the fine art of origami? Origami began sometime after Buddhist monks carried paper to Japan in the early 6th Century. The word origami is compounded from two Japanese words meaning to fold paper. And oh, how much paper you’ll have! The most popular shape to create is a crane, and there are lots of online tutorials that you can use to get started, like this one!
4. Paper Mache Piñata
Do you know what’s worth celebrating? The cost savings of eliminating paper logs from your orginization. Not only can the logs themselves get expensive, but the automation ELDs provide means a reduction in violations due to commonly made form-and-manner errors! ELDs also warn you about potential upcoming violations, saving you money on costly, easily preventable fines, and protecting your fleet’s CSA score – which could in-turn, reduce your insurance rates and save you even more money!
To commend this cost savings, use some of that old paperwork to make a piñata! Make it in the shape of a truck – or better yet, a filing cabinet – and grab a bat. Talk about satisfying. Plus, you’ll be rewarded with candy! It’s impossible to lose here, guys.
5. Paper Planes
Paperwork might not have a place in modern, 21st Century trucking anymore, but if you’re feeling nostaligic and miss putting a pen to paper, bring it back to the 7th grade and make some paper airplanes to pass notes. Nobody handwrites a note anymore – it’s time for them to make a comeback! If you want to skip the notes, and just make a stellar paper airplane instead, there are paper airplane clubs and competitions all over the country that you could participate in – new hobby, anyone?
How BigRoad Can Help
Are you ready to ditch the paperwork and achieve ELD compliance? BigRoad is here to help! Our DashLink ELD is the easiest and most affordable ELD solution available. Fleets of all sizes can Buy a DashLink now until December 18, paid upfront for one year, and get 3 MONTHS FREE! That’s 15 months for the price of 12!