In this issue, we discuss the effects of the ELD Mandate on Commercial Fleets in the US and provide tips on how to minimize driver distraction.

1. Fleet
Management
and the ELD
Mandate
In this issue, we discuss the
effects of the ELD Mandate on
Commercial Fleets in the US and
provide tips on how to
minimize driver distraction.

2. Table of Contents
1. Cover Page
2. Table of Contents
3. Introduction
4. The Unforeseen Consequences of the ELD
Mandate
5. The ELD Mandate and Parking Shortages
6. Fleet Safety Tips: 9 Ways to Reduce Distracted
Driving

3. Introduction
At Safety Track, we're passionate about fleet safety
technology and what the future holds for the commercial
fleet industry.
In this short eBook, you'll learn about current issues facing fleet
managers, caused by both the ELD Mandate and distracted driving.
We'll cover topics such as:
How the ELD Mandate is Affecting Fleet Drivers' Jobs
What the ELD Mandate Has to Do With Nationwide Parking Shortages
The Main Causes of Distracted Driving
How to Reduce Distracted Driving in Your Fleet.
Also, don't forget to visit our page for more up-to-date news and
information on fleet safety technology.

4. The Unforeseen
Consequences of the ELD
Mandate
CHAPTER 1
Are laws and regulations designed to protect
drivers and keep roads safer doing just the
opposite?

5. The ELD Mandate
Finalized in December 2015 by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
(FMCSA), the ELD mandate requires commercial drivers to use Electronic
Logging Devices in their vehicles when on duty.
Intended to improve accountability, reduce accidents, and gather more
information about driver performance and activity, the ELD mandate was—and
remains—a controversial law for many drivers.
Rather than allowing drivers to make personal judgments about their schedule
and record their hours on a paper log, the ELD mandate requires that every
driver is tracked by a device that tracks hours to the second and distance to the
tenth of the mile.
Because of their accuracy and precision, ELDs leave absolutely no room for
error.

6. Before the ELD mandate, drivers used pen and paper to record their hours. The
truthfulness of these paper logs was disputed by government officials who
claimed that drivers had a habit of “fudging” the numbers and driving longer
hours than allowed by law.
The majority of employers and employees were fine with using an honor system
to record hours, as it allowed companies to make more shipments and drivers to
make more money.
However, a decade-long increase in commercial vehicle accidents and
suspicions that drivers were circumventing HOS rules with falsified logs
prompted the FMCSA to take matters into their own hands.
Despite having been set in place for years, it was the ELD mandate that brought
attention to the serious flaws and problems with the current Hours of Service
(HOS) rules.
Many drivers feel that the ELD mandate, in conjunction with HOS rules, keeps
them racing against the clock to make deliveries and shipments to avoid
breaking the law.
With ELDs now in place, drivers find themselves making less money, speeding
more frequently, and radically changing their sleeping schedule to comply with
arbitrary rules, such as having to sleep for 8 consecutive hours.
Paving A Road with Good Intentions
On top of feeling pressure from the government, drivers are being pressed by
employers to comply with these rules. Pushy dispatchers encourage drivers to
defy common sense and drive in rush hour traffic to maintain their schedules,
rather than wait until later at night.
Instead of preventing drivers from overworking and becoming fatigued,
limited hours and mandatory breaks actually force them to scramble to get the
job done before the end of their shift.

7. Simply put, HOS rules remove flexibility from truckers’ schedules and cause
them to engage in risky behaviors that decrease safety on the road—the exact
opposite of what the FMCSA intended.
Why are the HOS regulations unrealistic? Because in reality, truckers don’t live
in a 9-to-5 world where they get the recommended 8 hours of sleep and 8
glasses of water per day.
They work difficult shifts (often overnight) and have customized schedules
dictated by their work. Nevertheless, HOS rules still remain in place with
virtually no changes since they were first written up in 2011.
If the ELD mandate is to stay in place, some serious revisions need to be made to
HOS rules to ensure that drivers—and their way of providing for themselves
and their families—are truly being protected.

8. The ELD Mandate and
Parking Shortages
CHAPTER 2
HOS Regulations not only dictate how drivers
work but also how, and where, they can rest.

9. Racing Against the Clock
Previously, we talked about one of the many unforeseen consequences of the
ELD mandate: the pressure for drivers to race against the clock and make risky
decisions to complete shipments on time.
In this chapter, we’ll be discussing the effect that both HOS regulations and the
ELD mandate have on a driver’s sleep schedule and where they can spend the
night.
After a quick read through the HOS regulations on the FCMSA’s own site, you’ll
notice that the law not only dictates when a driver can work but also when they
can sleep.
For example, a driver is forced to take 10 hours off-duty to rest or sleep after
they have spent 14 consecutive hours officially on duty and just 11 of those
hours spent driving.

10. Drivers with a sleeper berth in their vehicle only have to take 8 consecutive
hours of rest inside but also have to spend an additional 2 hours off-duty or
sleeping at another time in the day, still forcing them to take 10 hours of time
off.
Forced Rest Breaks: Helpful or Harmful?
Even with the most well-planned schedule, it’s impossible to predict setbacks
like traffic, slow loading times, or missed turns. Unfortunately, any time lost by
the driver is still counted against them and subtracted from their
working/driving hours.
So, what happens when a driver is racing to complete a shipment and they
either hit the maximum driving hours of 11 or maximum working hours of 14
for the day? They have to stop and sleep—right where they are.
And once a driver has used all of their working/driving hours for the day, they
are unable to legally move the vehicle.
This often means that drivers have to park on the side of the road or at the
nearest parking lot. With an ELD measuring every mile and minute, drivers
simply aren’t able to drive around and search for parking “off-the-clock.”
Combine this with parking shortages that have plagued truckers for years and
you have a real recipe for disaster.
Parking Shortages
Many drivers report that it’s nearly impossible to find parking when complying
with HOS regulations. Once they’ve run out of hours for the day and the nearest
parking spot is full, they’re unable to shift hours on the ELD to allow them to
search for another one.
To comply with the law, truck drivers sometimes find themselves having to
park their vehicles in unsafe areas for as long as 10 hours.

11. Some of the nation’s most popular truck stops, such as Pilot Flying J and
TA/Petro believe that they’ve found the solution to parking shortages—paid
reservations. Once a thing of the past, paying to park without a fuel purchase is
becoming a lucrative business again for truck stops with reservation prices
ranging between $12 and $18.
Although a small percentage see this as a mere cash grab from truck stop
companies, many owner-operators feel that it’s a great option to ensure that
they get a place to rest along the way.
Instead of worrying about the increased cost of operation, owner-operators
have chosen to pass those extra costs on to the customer.
Paid parking and reservations, however, are just temporary solutions to a much
bigger problem facing today’s trucking industry.

12. 9 Ways to Reduce
Distracted Driving
CHAPTER 3
How common behaviors could be putting your
drivers at risk and how you can prevent them.

13. 9 Ways to Reduce Distracted Driving
According to recent data from the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA), approximately 9 people die every day due to
distracted driving.
In addition to fatalities, at least 1,000 injuries per day are caused by a distracted
driver.
These accidents are not only deadly but also extremely costly for those in the
transportation and logistics industry. Research from the Occupational Safety
and Health Administration (OHSA) shows that the average single-vehicle crash
can cost an employer around $16,500. And if at least one driver is injured, that
total can climb to more than $74,000.
In the case of a fatal crash, however, the guilty party can expect to shell out a
minimum of $500,000.

14. Shocking statistics such as this highlight the need to invest in driver safety
programs that promote good employee habits, reduce distractions, and curb
careless behavior.
To further prove our point, let’s take a look at some additional stats regarding
distracted driving:
Cellphone usage is estimated to account for 27% of motor vehicle collisions (NSC).
10% of fatal crashes, 15% of injurious crashes, and 14% of police-reported crashes in
2015 were caused by driver distractions (NHTSA).
In 2016, 3,450 lives were claimed by distracted driving (NHTSA).
In 2015, 391,000 people were injured in crashes caused by distracted drivers (NHTSA).
Leading Causes of Driver Distraction
The popularity of mobile devices has undoubtedly had a negative impact on
driver safety. The majority of distracted driving events involve using a phone,
such as making calls, texting, reading messages, surfing the web, posting on
social media, and even using video chat.

15. And according to research from the University of Utah, cellphone users are 5.36
times more likely to be involved in an accident than non-distracted drivers.
A survey of over 3,400 US adult drivers conducted by NSC revealed:
51% of respondents made and answered calls using a hands-free device and 19% used a
handheld device while driving
32% read and sent text messages
23% read and sent emails, and read and posted on social media
19% recorded or viewed photos and video
14% watched TV or a movie or participated in video chat
These numbers should be quite concerning for fleet owners as it suggests that
not only are there plenty of distracted drivers on the road but that their own
employees may be at risk of becoming distracted behind the wheel.

16. 9 Ways to Reduce Distractions on the Road
1. Don’t Eat or Drink While Driving
When rushing to complete shipments or deliveries, nothing is more alluring
than the temptation to eat and drink on the way there. However, trying to eat a
meal and drink while driving takes your concentration away from the road
ahead and prevents you from properly steering the vehicle. With a burger and
drink in hand, it’s easy to lose grip of the steering wheel or veer outside your
lane, increasing the chances of an accident.

17. 2. Avoid Multitasking and Complicated Tasks
Trying to perform multiple activities at once can distract a driver from the task
at hand. Changing channels on the radio, checking for messages on your
cellphone, and talking with friends on the phone are all examples of
multitasking.
3. Never Use Mobile Devices While Behind the Wheel
Evidenced by the statistics above, using cell phones while driving can increase
the chances of being involved in an accident by 5.36 times. Even hands-free
devices can still distract drivers, drawing their attention away from the road.
According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), drivers can remain
distracted for up to 27 seconds after making the phone call. Therefore, if a
phone call must be answered, a driver should pull over at a safe location before
picking up the phone.
4. Properly Store Equipment
Any necessary equipment should be properly stowed before beginning a trip. As
a driver takes turns and begins driving, loose items can roll around in the cabin.
Reaching down for an item while driving is extremely dangerous and should be
avoided at all costs.
5. Keep Your Eyes on the Road
Taking your eyes off the road to look at billboards, landmarks, and the
countryside may be a temporary cure for boredom, but it can also lead to a
permanent setback—a crash. Every 2 seconds, drivers should look at the road
and check their mirrors every 5 to 8 seconds.

18. 6. Don’t Drive Drowsy
It’s estimated that drowsy driving is just as, or more dangerous than drunk
driving. Studies from the National Sleep Foundation show that lack of sleep can
affect driving abilities in the same way that alcohol does. According to the
NHTSA, over 100,000 crashes each year are caused by drowsy driving.
7. Adjust Mirrors, Seats, and GPS Before Driving
Before leaving the parking space, drivers should adjust mirrors, seats, GPS
devices, etc. Attempting to adjust these items while driving can take away
attention from the road.
8. Get Ready at Home
Getting dressed, putting on makeup, or fixing your hair should never take place
while driving. If your shift starts early and you don’t have time to get ready for
the day, it’s your responsibility to get up earlier or take care of it at the next
stop.

19. 9. Stay Organized
A cluttered cabin can be a huge source of distraction for a driver. Searching for
maps, documents, and other papers while driving can remove your eyes from
the road and cause you to lose control of the wheel.
Conclusion
Distractions both inside and outside the cabin can greatly increase the chances
of your driver getting involved an accident. This not only costs you large
amounts of time and money but also lost productivity due to employee injuries
and vehicles being put out of service.
By implementing these 9 tips, you’ll find yourself reducing operating costs and
completing more shipments on time. You’ll also save incredible amounts of
money by avoiding lawsuits and paying workman’s comp.

20. But even with the best driver safety program in place, how do you guarantee
that your drivers aren’t participating in dangerous behaviors on the road? After
all, you can’t ride along with every one of your employees—that’s physically
impossible.
With Safety Track’s line of live dashcams, you can get a peek inside the cab and
monitor your fleet drivers in real time. This allows you to check up on your
employees periodically to review their performance and correct dangerous
habits and behaviors before they form.

21. Fleet Safety
Solutions
VISIT OUR PAGE
To learn how technology
can improve the safety of your
commercial fleet, visit our page
and check out our line of live
dashcams and GPS systems.