The ELD mandate deadline is growing closer with each passing day. With less than four months to successfully implement ELDs, more and more fleets are growing restless to find the perfect ELD solution for their needs.

However, there are still some carriers who are waiting for the last moment to start the ELD implementation process. Such companies can face a lot of problems as the compliance date comes closer.

In this blog post, we are going to highlight four big reasons to start the ELD implementation right now. Acting quickly does have its advantages. Waiting for the last moment, on the other hand, can land you in serious trouble.

Here are four crucial reasons why you should implement ELDs right now.

A Distinct Advantage Over Competitors

ELDs have many benefits; there is now no doubt about that.

ELDs are expected to improve fleet safety, provide fleet managers with insightful data, minimize the number of HOS violations, improve driver retention rate, maximize profits, and much more. By choosing to implement ELDs before the deadline, you can leverage those benefits — especially over competitors without electronic logging devices.

However, after December 18, 2017, you will be competing on a level-playing field. Everybody would have adopted ELDs, so your competitors would be able to leverage the same data and insights that you could.

But implementing ELDs now — a few months before the deadline — can give you a head start over your competitors. You can use these few months to sneak ahead.

Proper ELD Training

There already isn’t too much left for successfully implementing ELDs. Transitioning from paper logs to electronic logging devices requires time.

One of the biggest reasons for that is because you would need time for training your administrative staff, drivers, and fleet managers. Since ELDs are technical hardware devices, there is still much to learn about them and their usages.

As you start using ELDs, you would come up with many questions that must be answered for you to remain compliant. If you can manage to implement ELDs now and do a practice run for three months, you can iron out possible issues and train your staff at the same time.

However, if you implement ELDs at the very last moment, you won’t have enough time for conducting proper training sessions or doing a trial run. You would be in the trenches right away after the deadline — which isn’t the perfect way to go about such a change.

A Possible Rise in ELD Prices

There is a growing concern that as the deadline grows closer, ELD prices will rise. And there is a strong possibility that it actually happens.

As more and more fleets would demand ELDs, the increased demand may negatively affect prices and cause them to increase dramatically. And since there won’t be another option than buying those high-priced ELDs or face the risk of being noncompliant, you will have to pay much higher prices than current ELD rates.

However, now, because ELD providers are competing with low prices, you can take advantage of it and lock-in competitive rates. You won’t have that option, however, when things go down the wire.

Sufficient Time for Searching the Perfect ELD Provider

On the same note, researching for the perfect ELD provider is also a time-consuming task.

As mentioned above, there are now many ELD companies trying to sell their product. Not all those ELDs are bad, but there are some that you just shouldn’t invest in.

There are many technical aspects to consider before you buy ELDs for your fleet. For that, you should have sufficient time. At the very last moment, you won’t have enough time to find the perfect ELD solution and may end up compromising on the important stuff.

When finalizing an ELD solution, make sure to consider the following points:

• Price: Not just the monthly price, but also inquire if there is any additional hardware or implementation charges. Most ELD companies charge a lot of extra money.
• Compliance: Is the ELD listed in the FMCSA’s list of certified ELDs? How is it going to handle possible compliance issues?
• Features: What kind of features does the ELD solution have? Good ELD solutions are now equipped with helpful features, such as automated IFTA calculation, idle-time tracking, geofencing, and driver scorecards, etc.
• Connectivity Medium: How does the ELD connect with the driver’s mobile device? FMCSA has recently confirmed that ELDs which rely on cellular networks are a compliance risk. Instead, you should look for ELD solutions that rely on USB or Bluetooth connections.

Further reading: FMCSA confirms that cellular-based ELDs are a compliance risk.

Conclusion

So here are the four big reasons in our opinion that everyone should start the ELD implementation process right now — without any further delay.

By utilizing these 4-5 months, you can get ahead of your competitors, get accustomed to how ELDs are operated, train your staff, and lock better prices.

Use our ELD Price Comparison Chart to find out the best, most cost-effective ELD solution for your fleet.