Top stats on migrating from AOBRD to ELD

While most fleets made the switch to ELDs by the time the April 2018 grace period expired, there are still some fleets using AOBRD devices, relying on the grandfather clause which permits AOBRD usage through December 16, 2019. With this deadline approaching, carriers who haven’t already done so must plan to prepare to switch all AOBRD devices for ELDs, and should plan to train and prepare all drivers for the switch as well. 

Last year, carriers adopting ELDs close to the December deadline created a capacity crunch among ELD providers for devices and installation support. Using the lessons they learned last year, providers have prepared for the AOBRD switch deadline to run more smoothly by adding extra customer service and technical support staff, but carriers can mitigate the risk of running into crippling onboarding issues by making the switch from AOBRD to ELD devices as soon as possible. 

Here are the need-to-know stats ahead of the industry transition: 

1. According to a 2018 survey conducted by CarrierLists on behalf of FreightWaves, 40% of respondents said they are still running AOBRDs.
2. The same survey found 51.92% of respondents plan to complete their conversion to ELDs in the fourth quarter of this year.
3. CarrierLists also found that 53.85% of carriers do not expect any impact on productivity, while 38.46% expect either a slight or a great decrease in productivity.
4. More than 60% of carriers plan to switch over to ELDS using the same vendor as their AOBRD devices.
5. Total revenue in the U.S. trucking telematics sector has doubled since 2015 to $1.1 billion, largely due to the ELD mandate.
6. Despite the ELD mandate going into effect in December 2017, the Teletrac Navman 2018 Telematics Benchmark: US Edition report found that 19% of respondents are still tracking Hours of Service on AOBRD devices. 

The AOBRD to ELD deadline is just 6 months away, and carriers should plan accordingly. Preparing to make the switch over to ELDs well ahead of the December deadline can save time and guarantee that money isn’t lost with operations being halted due to unforeseen last-minute compliance issues. Switching from AOBRD to ELD ahead of the deadline also gives carriers ample time to address any questions that arise during the transition, and ensures drivers can demonstrate proficiency with the ELDs.

Sources: CarrierLists, FreightWaves, FreightWaves, Teletrac Navman

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