The Canadian government announced this month it has finalized a mandate to require the use of electronic logging devices, setting a deadline of June 12, 2021, for carriers to replace their paper logs with ELDs.
The mandate is similar to that of the U.S. mandate, which took effect December 2017, particularly the Canadian mandate’s device requirements, meaning ELD providers won’t need to make new devices that comply with the mandate. Rather, the differences will be software-based, to ensure that ELDs track hours of service relative to Canada’s regulations.
Eric Witty, vice president of product at Trimble (formerly PeopleNet), says there will be little discernible difference in the way drivers will use ELDs in the two countries, despite differences in underlying hours of service regulations and differences like use of personal conveyance under Canadian rules.
However, there’s a key difference with Canada’s mandate — one that could have an effect on the U.S. market. Instead of allowing manufacturers to self-certify their devices, Canada will require a third-party body to certify that ELDs meet standards required by the ELD regulations. That standard could test the credibility of some devices listed in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s ELD registry.
“It’s going to ripple through the entirety of the North American market, in my opinion,” says Travis Baskins, head of regulatory affairs for KeepTruckin, a prominent provider in the owner-operator market. “It’s going to serve as a filter,” he says, for providers whose hardware or software may not in fact meet federal standards, despite being self-certified in FMCSA’s registry.
For the Canadian market, that will translate to fewer device options, though all of the larger device manufacturers should easily meet the third-party certification process. The U.S.’ registry lists around 470 ELD providers. It’s unclear how many of those will clear Canada’s certification process.
“I guarantee [the Canadian market] is not going to get over saturated,” says Andy Oleson, senior solutions engineer at Platform Science, an ELD and telematics provider. “What we will end up seeing is [fewer] vendors in Canada, and that will also have some downfall into the United States.”
