The Electronic Logging Device (ELD) mandate will come into effect on December 18, 2017, and will affect all carriers and shippers who are driving freight within or into the United States. As we get closer to the implementation date, it’s important to ensure both carriers and shippers are prepared for what the mandate will bring.
I sat down with Mike Ludwick, Bison’s Chief Administrative Officer, and Steve Atnikov, the Senior Sales Manager for Shaw Tracking, to discuss how ELDs will affect the supply chain as the mandate’s implementation date nears.
The general consensus is that though the mandate is less than six months away, the conversation about the impacts of the mandate – especially amongst shippers – is lacking, and carrier and shipper readiness is lower than it should be.
Both Mike and Steve stress the importance of asking questions to ensure that their carriers are prepared for the mandate – the on-boarding process is not a quick one and will not happen overnight. Shippers must realize that if they are working with carriers that are going into the US, ELDs are not an option: they must be used, and shippers will be required to find a fleet that is ELD compliant.
The video covers three main topics:
It’s crucial that shippers do not wait until the last minute to make a move to a carrier that is complying with the ELD rules, or the consequences can be dire. The Federal Motor Carriers Association (FMCA) has stated that immediately after the mandate comes into effect, those carriers who are not compliant will have trucks grounded – an obvious detrimental effect to the movement of a shipper’s freight.
If you would like more information on shipping with Bison, contact our sales team by clicking below.
Additionally, Bison has created an all encompassing guide for shippers about the ELD mandate. We hope that you find this guide useful as you work with carriers throughout this transition.
