Yes, there are some carrier delays. Yes, we’re seeing capacity tighten as non-compliant drivers and carriers aren’t able to move freight. And yes, there’s a strong chance this will make shipping costs go up.

But there are some positive aspects to the mandate that are easy to overlook.

So let’s talk about why the ELD can be a good thing.

Driver Protection – Because the ELD logs hours spent driving electronically and can’t easily be cheated, carriers attempting to abuse their drivers have been stopped in their tracks, so to speak.

Safety – Awake and alert drivers simply means less accidents. A tired driver is more likely to either cause an accident, or be less able to react in time to prevent an accident caused by a reckless driver. Less accidents means your products are less likely to get damaged and more likely to get where it’s going in time.

Legal Protection – ELD devices can accurately capture driver and vehicle behavior immediately before, during and after an accident, which means carriers have an easy way to reconstruct accidents and defend against lawsuits.  This reduces liability for both the carrier and driver, leading to lower transportation costs.

Logging – The ELD and smart phone applications now log hours automatically, with no chance for human error. Less errors and time spent logging means drivers can spend more time on the road and won’t be bogged down with paperwork and hour logs.

So what can you do about it? You’re in the hands of the carriers and drivers and have probably already seen delays and higher costs.

We may be biased, but now is the perfect time to consider a 3PL. AFS has a network of carriers and experts in finding creative, cost effective solutions to manage your supply chain. We’re no strangers to capacity issues and have staff experienced in mitigating these hurdles on our clients’ behalves.

Change inevitably happens. It’s the way of the world. The transportation industry will adapt to this mandate and things will get better in time.

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