Robert Voltmann, chief executive of the Transportation Intermediaries Association, believes many in the industry, including drivers themselves, have suffered under misapprehensions about what ELD compliance really means. “ELDs did not change one letter of the hours of service regulations,” he insists. “If you were 100 percent compliant with hours of service in your paper logs, you’ll be compliant with ELDs.” While recognizing the various issues that may complicate compliance, such as parking and delays, he believes that ultimately drivers will be the top beneficiaries of the new rules.
“Where ELDs will have the biggest impact is on shippers and receivers,” Voltmann points out, because he believes “drivers will be able to pick and choose the loads they want.” When this occurs, shippers that treat drivers well and respect their hours of service will win. “The biggest improvement will be from how we make more efficient use of drivers and their fungible hours.”
Adding Up the Pluses
One of the ironies is ELDs are meant to make all truck driving safer—FMCSA estimates more than 1,800 crashes, representing 560 injuries and 25 fatalities, will be prevented by their use. The devices, however, created their own set of problems with some drivers racing to the next rest stop or parking lot and then speeding away when the required break ends.
Christensen puts it this way: “What I’ve noticed on the road is very unsafe—trucks running faster to get 11 hours of driving, [then] sleeping on the side of the freeway.” Even worse, he admits, “I find myself pushing harder to maximize my day.”
In addition to prioritizing safety, FMCSA says there are also significant financial upsides: reduced paperwork, tracking in real time, more efficient fuel usage, and the opportunity to use data to increase savings and make more informed price adjustments. Projected savings in administrative costs top $2.4 billion according to FMCSA, purportedly outpacing adoption expenses by hundreds of millions of dollars.
Looking Ahead
While it’s still early in this new era of ELD compliance, and real numbers are hard to come by, it’s clear adjustments will continue in most every aspect of produce transportation. Whether or not the ultimate effect is positive or negative, the rules aren’t going away and represent the future of shipping.
Voltmann, in looking into his own crystal ball, minimizes the impact ELDs will have on consolidation, which he says will be an ongoing issue anyway and will be countered as more drivers become owner-operators thanks to high rates.
He does see a continuance of the driver shortage, however, as a “simple matter of demographics” with many drivers in their upper 50s. “And with the oil patch reemerging and unemployment low, capacity constraints will continue for the foreseeable future,” he notes—which is good news for independent operators.
