4 Key FMCSA Changes fleets should know in 2022

Since the Electronic logging device (ELD) mandate officially went into effect, various rule updates, rule changes, notices and proposed changes have taken place (as the ELD mandate continues to evolve). These notices are published on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) website, which in turn is linked to the Federal Register website.

There are 4 noteworthy changes that took place this year (so far) that motor carriers should be aware of:

 

1.    Eliminating the annual list of violations

Per this change, carriers no longer need to request an annual record of violations from their drivers. Section 391.27 were removed from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations on May 9, 2022.

Since carriers request an annual motor vehicle record (MVR), asking drivers for a list of the same violations was redundant.

It’s important to note however that annual violation lists created through May 8, 2022 must be retained in the DQ file (driver qualification) for at least 3 years (meaning potentially as far out as May 8, 2025).

 

2.    Removing personal information from the road test certificate

Some notable changes were made to the format of the road test certificate (a form that is kept in the DQ file per §391.31).

This change removes personal identifiable information (PII) which most people are understandably uncomfortable providing.

The following information is no longer required, effective March 22, 2022:

  • Driver’s license number
  • Licensing state
  • Social Security Number

 

For those that have already purchased older road test certificates, you can simply leave those fields empty as they are no longer required.

It is important to note that per §391.21, PII (date of birth, social security number, driver’s license number, etc.) still remains on the driver-specific application.

 

3.    Licensing Authorities – wording changes

Effective March 22, 2022, the FMCSA changed wording which concerns driver licence issuing entities. “State” was replaced with “driver’s licensing authority”, which provides clarification that to obtain a driver’s MVR, motor carriers would contact states, provinces and territories to satisfy §391.23 and §391.25. This also impact §391.21(b)(5).

This clarification is particularly important for drivers in Canada or Mexico who operate in the U.S.

 

4.    Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) rule (as of Feb 7, 2022)

As of February 7, 2022, entry-level driver training (ELDT) regulations have stricter requirements for individuals who want to obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL), upgrade a CDL, or obtain a hazardous materials (H), passenger (P), or school bus (S) endorsement.

 

“These individuals are subject to the ELDT requirements and must complete a prescribed program of instruction provided by an entity that is listed on FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry (TPR).” – Federal Register / Vol. 87.

 

Stay up to date on regulatory changes

The FMCSA announces updated notices, rules and proposed rules/rule changes regularly. The ELD mandate rules can be particularly complicated and/or confusing in some instanced for carriers and drivers alike, so it is very important to check regularly and familiarize yourself with changes/potential changes to prevent possible violation or non-compliance.

 

Keep in mind that these changes can also help your drivers by either simplifying their work, removing redundancy or providing greater clarity so they can stay focused on what they do best, safely and effectively, without worrying about potential violations.

You can check for changes or updates via the notices and rulemaking documents page on the FMCSA website.

 

Astreon’s ELD – ELD built for Drivers and Carriers alike

Astreon has partnerships with fully certified leading ELD service providers in Canada and the USA, such as Apollo ELD, brought to you by Astreon. These are industry-leading ELD products that are driver-friendly, easy to use, feature-rich, and well recognized in North America.

In addition to certification, leverage our ELD solutions to provide continuity and risk mitigation for your business with HOS, IFTA reports, Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports, Engine Diagnostics, and many more powerful tools & features.

Visit our ELD pages to learn more.

Contact us today!

Tel: +1 (888) 647-4730
Email: sales@astreon.com

We are social. Follow us!

facebook     LinkedIn

2022 Truck Trends

2021-2022 are transformative years for the truck industry and have been keeping people in the truck industry busy. This transformation affects operations, expenses, and administration. With ELD compliance, Electrification to ease climate change, driver shortages, rising fuel costs, and trucker convoys for COVID-19 restrictions, it’s been a busy couple of years.

This article digs a bit deeper into ELD mandates and tighter truck emission regulations in Canada and the USA, and how this affects the transportation industry.

ELD Compliance

ELD(Electronic Logging Devices) mandate went into effect in December 2017 in the USA and will be fully mandated in January 2023 in Canada(Find the Canadian ELD mandate schedule).

Electronic logging devices (ELD) are used to electronically keep a driver’s Record of Duty Status (RODS) and all drivers are required to use an ELD to document their compliance with HOS rules.

In Canada, the full ELD mandate will go into effect on January 2023 and this deadline extension will ensure that carriers can have sufficient time to purchase, install ELDs and educate drivers to comply with the ELD mandate rules. However, the reality is you need to get started preparing as soon as possible. Here is why you should start preparing today for the ELD mandate:  https://www.astreon.com/full-eld-enforcement-delayed/

 

Electrification

The electrification of heavy commercial vehicles is making a splash right now. According to Natural Resources Canada, “Transportation accounts for approximately 25% of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions(GHG), of which almost half comes from passenger cars and light trucks.”.

The electrification movement is accelerating in North America.

“Roughly half of all U.S. and Canadian Class 8 tractors engaged in regional-haul applications could switch to battery-electric technology today with minimal or no impact on operations, productivity, or efficiency, according to a new report.” – HDT

For more information about the reaction from countries and how we can help customers reduce their environmental impact and comply with emission regulations: https://www.astreon.com/a-greener-solution/

 

Driver Shortages

As the demand in the supply chain industry is increasing, North America is facing a serious shortage of truck drivers. According to the American Trucking Association (ATA), the shortage of truck drivers was 60,800 and is estimated to reach 160,000 by 2028 in U.S. Whereas, Canada is expected to be short 25,000 truck drivers by 2023 according to a study from Trucking HR Canada.

truck driver shortage

 

The stressful environment caused by COVID-19 is further accelerating the shortage of truck drivers and exacerbating disruptions in the supply chain.

Find out how to ease driver shortages with telematics:  https://www.astreon.com/telematics-can-improve-drivers-safety-and-retention-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/

Sky High Fuel Costs

Rising fuel costs are pressuring trucking companies. Many companies are struggling with minimizing the impact of fuel costs to their clients, but there is a limit.

In order to combat the impact of rising fuel costs, it is critical to have insightful data about your fleet operations to analyze and drive effective improvements into your business. To get this insightful data, you need a leading GPS Tracking solution in your fleet to better understand how much gasoline or diesel is consumed by your fleet each month and year. A GPS Fleet Management system is also important to help analyze data and receive powerful automated reports to identify where you can drive additional efficiencies and savings.

For detailed tips to combat the effects of rising fuel costs, read this article.

 

Astreon Can Help

Astreon offers the most Comprehensive & Advanced Fleet Management platform available for your Vehicles, Trailers, Machinery, and Equipment, with over 3.3 million+ tracked assets globally. Our software is easy to use, fully customizable, and provides advanced industry-leading features. With our Fleet Management platform, you can visualize all of your fleet assets on one screen in a simple to operate, powerful application. Fuel Management with Astreon is the complete solution for optimizing fuel expenditure and ultimately saving your company time and money. For more information about our fuel control, click here.

Contact us today!

Tel: +1 (888) 647-4730
Email: sales@astreon.com

We are social. Follow us!

facebook     LinkedIn

Apollo ELD is ranked in the TOP 3 for Electronic Logging Devices

One of the buzzwords in the commercial transport industry since last year is surely the ELD (Electronic Logging Device). It’s been in effect in the U.S. since 2017 and 2021 in Canada.  In Canada, ELD will be the topic of discussion frequently this year because the penalties for non-compliance will be enforced on June 12, 2022, and very few companies are certified by Transport Canada as of the time of publishing this article.

ELDs are ECU-connected devices combined with Android or iOS Phones, Tablets, or other hardware logging screens used in the commercial transport industry which provides an accurate and simple means of keeping HOS records.  For professional drivers and fleet operators, this is required by law.

 

Apollo ELD: TOP 3 Electronic Logging Device

Apollo ELD device and app

Apollo ELD provided by our partner Assured Techmatics, was selected TOP 3 Electronic Logging Devices by Verified Market Research.

Assured Techmatics was founded in 2004 and is based in Florida, United States. Its purpose is to develop a location-based solution to improve drivers’ travel experience. It has come a long way since the track and trace days. It has achieved unbelievable success with its ELD solution since it was launched back in 2016. Its flagship product apollo ELD is the powerful bundle of reliable hardware, state-of-the-art software and an ongoing commitment to support its customers and increase its satisfaction with the service it provides. – Verified Market Research

Apollo ELD is the second ELD provider listed by FMCSA and is now certified in Canada. With the ease of use and advanced features support of numerous ELD devices, DVIR, IFTA, and dispatch integration, Apollo ELD has been awarded TOP 3 ELDs.

 

What’s unique about Apollo ELD?

Apollo ELD is a certified and ELD-compliant product that fully conforms to both ELD and AOBRD standards. While being comprehensive, apollo ELD is developed with drivers in mind and thus is quite easy to use. In addition to an app for the driver, there is a feature-rich portal for use by the back-office personnel. Remote drivers and office staff are always in sync with key information, critical to operations, is available to all.

 

Integration with Dispatch

Another unique feature of apollo ELD is the integration with dispatch. Drivers or back-office personnel can initiate a dispatch, i.e., pickup or delivery, and can update information as required including ETA. Shippers or receivers can log into the portal and know where the truck is and note current ETA information. This significantly reduces the need to buy a separate Transportation Management System and manage additional products which are probably not integrated with ELD. Apollo ELD is integrated with dispatch and information such as remaining driving time flows seamlessly into dispatch decision-making to better schedule drivers and maximize dispatch effectiveness and efficiency.

 

Key features of Apollo ELDapollo desktop_mobile_tablet

  • Extremely easy to use and navigate
  • Fully ELD compliant in the United States and Canada and supports Mexican rules
  • Integrated with multiple hardware device types
  • Supports IFTA
  • Supports key intrastate driving rules
  • Available in English, Spanish, Canadian French
  • Integrated with dispatch
  • Supports Android and iOS devices

 

Applicable for diverse industries

  • Commercial fleet
    • In 2019, the commercial vehicle market stood at 13.8 million vehicles, 30% of which being GVW 8 general freight, rental/leasing services trucks. apollo ELD proved to be reliable for the commercial fleets which are the major market.

 

  • Public Transportation
    • As of December 2017, Precious Cargo has installed Electronic Logging Devices on all motor coaches and school buses in accordance with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Part 395, 49 CFR 395.8(a). The ELD Rule is the latest safety initiative that was enacted by the FMCSA on December 15, 2015. apollo ELD is fully compliant with this rule and provides services to the bus operators.

 

  • Logistics & Supply Chain
    • During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 logistics and supply chain vehicles were essential in delivering vital supplies to the national supermarket chains and companies. Apollo ELD provides service to big food supply chains.

 

Get ready for ELD compliance with us and replace your current ELD!

If you are not compliant yet or you are looking for extensively advanced features, you can easily migrate your ELD providers to apollo ELD without buying new hardware. For more details about Apollo ELD, visit our Apollo ELD page.

Contact us today!

Tel: +1 (888) 647-4730
Email: sales@astreon.com

We are social. Follow us!

facebook     LinkedIn

Contact Us