Verizon Telematics offers bundles for meeting ELD mandate

Verizon Telematics is offering Electronic Logging Device (ELD)-ready bundles to address the needs of fleets that are going to need to comply with a Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) deadline of Dec. 18, 2017.

The Verizon Telematics ELD-ready bundles are designed to conform to certain technical specifications and serve as a one-stop shop for customers who need to meet the ELD mandate requirements before the deadline.

The FMCSA announced in December 2015 that it was adopting a new rule designed to improve roadway safety by using technology to strengthen commercial truck and bus drivers’ compliance with hours-of-service regulations.

For years, drivers used pencil and paper to keep track of on-duty and off-duty hours, a method that's virtually impossible to verify. The new technology means roadside safety inspectors can spot violations that otherwise could put drivers at risk. An ELD automatically records driving time and monitors engine hours, vehicle movement, miles driven and location information.

Verizon Telematics customers can choose from a number of different bundles for hardware and monthly software subscription pricing that include what drivers and fleets need to comply with the new rules, including: telematics hardware and installation, onboarding assistance, ELD and driver vehicle inspection reporting (DVIR) software, two-way messaging, in-cab tablet mount, electronic tablet, mobile device management (MDM) software, compliance reporting and more.

Connectivity for the tablet and the telematics hardware also uses the Verizon Wireless 4G LTE network.

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"The impending ELD mandate can cause a lot of confusion and even panic for large enterprise fleets and small businesses – it's a very complicated and arduous process but businesses required to meet the mandate have to get there by December 18," Kelly Frey, vice president, product marketing for Verizon Telematics, said in a press release. "By combining hardware and software, plus components that satisfy the needs of the back office and the driver, we not only help customers meet their compliance requirements, but can also help save them a huge amount of legwork on the front end."

The FMCSA stated that it implemented the ELD rule to make it easier and faster to accurately track, manage and share record of duty status (RODS) data and to help keep drivers safer on the road.

Any commercial motor vehicle carrier or driver subject to the ELD rule must be electronically recording hours of service by the December deadline, Verizon noted in its release.

Verizon built up its automatic and fleet telematics business by buying Hughes Telematics business back in 2012. In 2016, it closed on the acquisition of Telogis, a California-based developer of telematics and fleet logistics systems used by the likes of Ford, GM, Volvo Trucks and John Deere, to name a few.