Jun 2019

Canada Announces New ELD Rule Requiring Third-Party Certification

Canada has finalized the updated electronic logging (ELD) device rule, which the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) claims will put Canada ahead of the US in regards to the safety and compliance guidelines that must be adhered to.

The ELD rule requires third-party device certification, something that is not required in the US. This third-party certification process helps to prevent tampering that may occur during self-certifications. No exact timeline was given, but officials have stated they hope to get the new rule in effect as quickly as possible.

By June 2021, third-party-certified ELDs will have to be used by all truck drivers currently required to maintain a logbook. This timeline was cut in half, as it was initially proposed as a four-year transition. The hours-of-service rules themselves will not be changed, they will now have to be recorded using an ELD.

Stephen Laskowski, CTA president, stated that “As we learned from the previous era of paper logbooks, the non-compliant segment of our industry, while a minority, have a history of finding workarounds of the rules. We must ensure that there are no gaps or opportunities to manipulate the technology and that compliance is the only option.”

Another step to ensure improved safety and adherence is the removal of the grandfather clause. This facet of the rule does not allow for existing automatic on-board devices to be used. Mike Millian, the head of the Private Motor Truck Council (PMTC) worries that this update may cause financial and logistical headaches for companies that implemented these devices in the recent past, so tracking how that plays out will be interesting.

He states that, “as a certifying body has yet to be determined, [these fleets] may have to wait to find out the status of their device, which reduces their lead time to plan a transition if their current device is not certified. That can be problematic and time-consuming if the device is integrated into back office systems.”

The CTA is taking the time and effort to meet with ELD suppliers to hash out the details. They are also working to create educational programs to help ensure everyone is on the same page as this moves forward and goes into effect. A major aspect still to be determined is who will provide these third-party certifications.