Though many fleets still seem to be wary of them, electronic automated driver logs may gain in popularity as the government prepares to implement new hours-of-service (HOS) rules next year.
“We believe there's a substantial return on investment equation for fleets when it comes to electronic automated driver logs,” T.J. Cooper, direct sales manager for Fremont, CA-based mobile communication firm @Road, told Fleet Owner.
“Fleets aren't flocking to such technology right now for many reasons, but mainly because they think electronic logs take away the ‘fudge factor’ drivers have in case they make a mistake,” he added. “However, our system allows supervisors to correct any mistakes and still keep the logs in DOT compliance.”
The savings from electronic automated logbooks could be substantial, Cooper explained here at the Great American Truck Show. The main benefit is the time-savings for drivers: conservatively saving them the 15 minutes a day it typically takes to fill out today's logbooks. Cooper said.
One @Road trucking customer, Applegate Logistics, pilot tested its electronic log system and found it saved $750 a day by cutting that 15 minutes out of the day each of its 50 drivers spent filling out paper logbooks.
“We think electronic logbooks will gain more attention among carriers as the new HOS rules go into effect next year,” Cooper added. “That's the buzz we're hearing.”
