The electronic logging device mandated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in 2015 goes into effect for commercial motor carriers December 2017, less than 12 months from now. The purpose of ELDs is to increase safety on the road, efficiencies, and strengthen hours-of-service compliance. The FMCSA believes ELDs help reduce accidents that involve large trucks and buses due to driver fatigue from driving long hours. ELDs also provide a more accurate and efficient method of recording a drivers’ time on the road.
It is yet to be seen exactly what the impact of the ELD mandate will be. Many drivers are still logging their miles with paper logs, so the transition to ELDs may be a big leap, both financially and operationally, for many. The challenges may be especially significant for smaller drayage firms and independent drivers. This is where we may see a reduction in driver capacity if these challenges are too demanding.
Additionally, this regulatory change adds to existing challenges in the drayage sector, including: port congestion, an aging driver population, and drivers leaving to work in other industries. Together, they create a challenging capacity environment in 2017.