Electronic logging devices (ELDs) are providing the trucking industry and supply chain with massive amounts of real-time data about how trucks operate, says Dave Heller, vice president of government affairs for the Truckload Carriers Association.
Speaking at a Machinery Haulers Association event last month, Heller said ELD data is highlighting the need for more flexible Hours of Service rules, as well as an “epidemic” in unsafe driving caused by smartphones as well as detention time issues and other industry problems.
Heller said some savvy fleet managers are already using ELD data to determine corridors where freight is hot and adjust their operations accordingly. “We can’t make our days any longer,” he noted. “But what we can do is use the data provided by ELDs to make our days more sensible.”
ELDs are also highlighting safety issues, Heller pointed out. Detention has long been an issue for drivers. And now, he said, ELD data confirms that drivers who have been detained often driver faster to make up lost time for an extended period after they get on the road.