Year of the ELD: A Timeline
The Dec. 18 phase-in of the mandate for electronic logging devices might be THE story in trucking of 2017 — and the mandate's effect will live into 2018 and well beyond.
Our stories ran the gamut ...
- Technology companies opened the floodgates on hardware and software to meet the mandate.
- Carriers debated the costs versus the benefits of ELDs.
- Stakeholders made predictions about the regulation's effect on the industry and its sectors.
- Drivers speculated about how they would adapt.
- Opponents unsuccessfully led efforts in Congress and elsewhere to delay the mandate.
YOUR GUIDE TO THE MANDATE: Downloadable PDF.
2017 YEAR IN REVIEW: Complete coverage, links to additional features
Here are highlights of TT's in-depth 2017 coverage of the ELD mandate, in words, pictures and video, in chronological order:
Dec. 14, 2016 — The "odyssey" actually began with our last LiveOnWeb program of 2016.
March 23 — Navistar to Launch Own ELD, Telematics Hardware
The truck maker launched its own aftermarket telematics device and e-logging application, joining the deluge of companies in 2017 that introduced tech to meet the mandate.
April 3 — ELDs Hot Topic at MATS as December Mandate Looms
FMCSA leads a seminar on ELDs at MATS. (John Sommers II for Transport Topics)
April 12 — OOIDA Petitions US Supreme Court to Reject E-Logging Device Rule
Owner-operators and small trucking companies led the ultimately unsuccessful push to delay the ELD mandate. The High Court turned away OOIDA's bid.
May 18 — More Than Half of Drivers Still Aren't ELD-Compliant, Survey Finds
July 20 — FMCSA Chief: CSA to Have Public Meeting, Defends ELD Mandate
July 26 — Kenworth Assesses Ramifications of ELDs on Business
The mandate forced a lot of companies to take a close look at how ELDs would affect the bottom line. This OEM had concerns about the devices' impact on truck production and valuation and fleet maintenance.
Aug. 9 — ELDs Must Be Registered at FMCSA, Official Reminds Safety Inspectors
Aug. 16
Aug. 17 — ELD Mandate on Track, Spear Says
American Trucking Associations favors ELDs and their implementation, and the federation's leader led the call for an end of opposition to the mandate:
It’s been litigated, it’s been debated, it’s been regulated. It will be the force and effect of law.
ATA President Chris Spear
Aug. 21 — New ELD Vendors Flood Market as Mandate Nears
Aug. 21 — Training Can Ease Transition to ELDs
Aug. 21 — Dawn of the ELD Era
The arrival of the mandate was widely expected to create significant ripple effects across the supply chain. Freight execs and shippers detail their efforts to adapt.
Aug. 25 — Analysts Predict Spot Rates Could Soar Once Mandate Goes Into Effect
Aug. 28 — Trucks Without ELDs Won’t Be Placed Out of Service Until April 1
Commercial vehicle inspectors will have their hands full with the enforcement load, so they decided on a stepped approach of ticketing violators starting Dec. 18 but not placing any out of service until April 1.
Aug. 29
Sept. 21 — Intermodal Could Gain From Trickle Down of ELD Mandate, Execs Say
Where there were fears of the adverse impact of ELDs, experts predicted their implementation will trickle down to the benefit of intermodal.
Oct. 21 — Industry Prepares for Transition to ELDs
A fleet executive, a federal regulator and a law enforcement leader discuss final preparations for the ELD mandate.
Oct. 30 — Exemption Requests Increase as ELD Enforcement Date Nears
Nov. 22 — Moving to ELDs: Carriers, Law Enforcement Prepare for Mandate
Dec. 6 — ELD Mandate Magnifies Parking Shortage, Washington Truck Exec Says
Truckers meet with lawmakers on the parking shortage — a nationwide problem as well as in Washington state. They expected the ELD mandate to add pressure to the parking crush.
Dec. 18 — Shippers, 3PLs Discuss How to Verify ELD Mandate Compliance
