Coretex, a leader in compliance and fleet management solutions, announced the results of its post-mandate Electronic Logging Device (ELD) satisfaction survey, with responses from 303 U.S. trucking companies of various sizes.

The premise behind the ELD mandate was to increase hours of service (HOS) compliance, which would reduce the risk of fatigue-related crashes and deaths. Prior to the mandate issued December 18, 2017, drivers were allowed to keep paper logs that could easily be manipulated. Now that driver hours are tracked electronically, and devices are linked to truck engines, there is no way to circumvent the HOS operating rules. After a temporary grace period, full enforcement of the ELD mandate began on April 1, 2018. Coretex conducted the online survey from April 15, 2018, to June 15, 2018.

According to the survey, slightly less than half of fleet operators (47 percent) believe the ELD mandate is good for the transportation industry. Over two-thirds (69 percent) of the companies said ELDs do not improve driver satisfaction, and 33 percent indicated it is more difficult to retain drivers due to strict HOS compliance. These concerns coincide with a statement from the American Trucking Association revealing there are 50,000 fewer drivers than available jobs and an EIA report that diesel fuel costs are at the highest level in over three years. When asked about problems with their existing ELD solution, top responses were inaccurate data, connectivity issues and poor technical support.

While the benefit of the mandate is split among respondents, 82 percent are satisfied with their ELD provider and rated an average of 3.73 out of 5 for their existing technical support. The ELD features they like best are real-time tracking, ease-of-use and reporting capabilities. Just over half (51 percent) indicated that the deployment of ELDs will improve their CSA (Compliance, Safety, Accountability) score, which the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration bases on performance data of drivers, including safety-based roadside inspections and reported crashes.

"We conducted this survey in an effort to gain actionable insights from fleet operators directly impacted by this significant regulatory requirement," said Craig Marris, executive vice president of mixed fleets at Coretex, in a statement. "The survey illustrates that companies, especially those with small fleets, view the mandate as a burden. Yet, now that connected technology exists inside every cab, there is a huge opportunity to utilize this newly captured data to improve efficiencies and productivity for the entire supply chain. It is time for ELD providers to educate the industry on how to turn compliance into a business advantage."