Your ELD should have everything needed to keep your trucking business compliant with federal regulations come January 1, 2023. However, choosing the right option can be challenging. If you are looking for an Android logbook app for your truck or fleet, we will tell you some valuable qualities to look for, red flags to avoid, and reasons to consider HOS247.
Choosing an ELD System
An efficient logbook might look different for different trucking businesses. However, there are some qualities that you should definitely look for, including:
- Positive user reviews. Fellow truckers give practical knowledge of the product. You can find their reviews on Google Play to find out how the Android logbook app performs once on the road and the quality of customer support the provider offers.
- Easy-to-use. An intuitive and user-friendly interface means the drivers are more likely to use it properly, and it can contribute to lowering turnover rates.
- Compatibility. Some drivers like to work with different tablets or smartphones. It is best to find a provider that offers an Android logbook app as well as a version for iOS for driver convenience.
Try to avoid providers if you find any indication of the following:
- Issues with customer support. You may need technical assistance with your elogs at a critical time. Help has to come fast and easy because every delay represents a loss of time and money. Some drivers find that their provider’s technical support is not reliable: getting someone to help takes too long and the service is not very helpful. When you purchase an elog, it becomes a part of your toolbox, and customer service should become a part of your team.
- The log book is too difficult to use. Your electronic logbook’s primary purpose is to streamline record keeping and make logging easier. Data such as previous days’ logs or remaining drive time must be available with a few taps. If managing RODS or accessing data on the Android logbook app is time-consuming or frustrating, it’s missing the point.
Prices are not clear upfront. Hidden fees are also a common problem. Many providers have additional charges in their pricing structure for things like activation, training, or additional tablets to run their software. They present themselves as an ”affordable” solution when fees add up to much more than what was agreed upon.
HOS247’s Top-Rated Android Logbook App
The HOS247 team is committed to providing truckers with a dependable electronic logbook. We have achieved this by crafting a quality log book and assembling a team of dedicated professionals to support the user. We believe in keeping a close relationship with our clients and offering as much value as possible to their business. The core of the HOS247 differential is reliability and ease of use. Our benefits include:
- Top-rated technical support. Our staff is available Monday through Sunday, ready to assist clients in four languages (English, Spanish, Russian, and Polish) with reliable driver support on the road. We have a callback policy to make sure your rep follows up on your case if something goes wrong with the call.
- Flexible plans. You can scale your subscription plan up or down as you need to. You do not need to worry about contracts, our services are subscription-based, and you can manage them as you like.
- Android and iOS compatibility. The HOS247 Android logbook app and the iOS version operate equally well on smartphones and tablets of either operating system to suit the driver’s preference.
- Reliable hardware. The ELD hardware has been tested extensively to make sure it functions properly and maintains a stable Bluetooth connection via the trucker logbook Android app.
All-around user-friendly logbook. HOS247 users across the board appreciate the intuitive design of the Android logbook app and the fleet manager portal.
More Benefits of the HOS247 Logbook
The HOS247 truck driver log book app for Android comes with multiple features that improve performance, streamline tasks and increase productivity, such as:
- IFTA calculations. The distance driven in each province or territory is calculated automatically to ease tax reporting and prevent human errors.
- Fault code detection. The device detects codes from the vehicle’s engines and informs fleet managers and drivers.
- GPS fleet tracking. The GPS tracker improves vehicle security and the overall performance of the fleet by enabling a view of operations in real-time. The tracking system analyzes and displays data via the fleet manager portal on a computer, tablet, or smartphone.
Fleet maintenance. Schedule preventative maintenance to extend vehicles’ life and avoid breakdowns.
ELDs Must Support HOS Exemptions
Transport Canada enforces HOS rules to reduce driver fatigue and improve road safety. Drivers can claim an exemption from some of the regulations in certain conditions. These are:
- Emergency conditions. Driving time may be extended if needed to reach the closest safe destination during an emergency.
- Adverse driving conditions. If there are unexpected adverse driving conditions while driving south of latitude 60°N, the limit on driving time may surpass 13 hours and the vehicle operator may forego the 2 hours of required daily off-duty time in order to complete the trip if:
- Driving, on-duty and elapsed time in the cycle the driver followed does not extend beyond than 2 hours
- The driver still takes the required 8 consecutive hours of off-duty time.
- The trip could have otherwise been completed under normal driving conditions.
- Sleeper berth provision. If the vehicle has a sleeper berth, drivers can meet the mandatory daily off-duty time requirements by adding time in the sleeper berth in one or two periods. These periods must be spent in the sleeper berth. Note that conditions to comply with split daily off-duty time is different for single drivers and team drivers.
The previous HOS exemptions are different from ELD rule exemptions. When the mandate is enforced on January 1, 2023, drivers under the 160 km radius exemptions will not have to fulfill the requirement. Keep in mind that these drivers must meet all of the following to be exempt from keeping daily logs:
- The driver operates within a 160 km radius of their home terminal
- The driver returns each day to the home terminal to take eight consecutive hours off-duty (minimum)
- The vehicle is not under an exemption permit for driving and off-duty hours
- The carrier keeps accurate, legible records showing the cycle the driver followed and on-duty times for each day and keeps those records and supporting documents for a minimum of six months.
What to Do in Case of a Logbook Malfunction
There is a specific set of rules for Canadian drivers to follow in case of a logbook issue. If the driver notices the ELD is displaying a malfunction or a diagnostic code, they must:
- Notify the motor carrier immediately after parking.
- Annotate the record of duty status of the paper log on the day the malfunction was detected.
- Reconstruct RODS for that 24-hour period and the previous 14 days.
- Use graph-grid paper logs or logging software that complies with regulation SOR/2019-165.
- Paper logs are not necessary if the driver was able to record or retrieve the data from the ELD.
- Annotate the specific malfunction or data diagnostic code on RODS.
- Record the date and time of malfunction or data diagnostic code.
- Include the time on which the driver transmitted the notification of the malfunction or data diagnostic code to the motor carrier.
- Record this specific information in paper logs from the time of malfunction until the ELD is operational.
- The motor carrier must repair or replace the ELD before 14 days have passed since the notification.
- If the planned trip exceeds the 14-day period, it is acceptable for the repair or replacement to take place when the driver returns to the home terminal.
There are no extension provisions.
The most common elog malfunctions and events include:
- Power data diagnostic events.
- Power compliance malfunctions.
- Engine synchronization data diagnostic events.
- Engine synchronization compliance malfunctions.
- Timing compliance malfunctions.
- Position compliance malfunctions.
- Data recording compliance malfunctions.
- Missing required data elements and data diagnostic events.
- Data transfer diagnostic events.
- Data transfer compliance malfunctions.
- Unidentified driving records data diagnostic events.
A quality elog device and Android logbook app will keep these setbacks to a minimum. If anything were to happen, efficient customer service is key to resolving the issue efficiently and in a timely manner so drivers can avoid fines and get back on the road. HOS247 offers a dependable device that supports all applicable rules and regulations to help customers stay compliant and productive.
I’ve co-founded, built and managed several transportation-related businesses. Now, I’m a founder and CEO of HOS247 – an AI Transportation Platform for trucking companies, freight brokers and other logistics operations. We are transitioning old-style operations to technology-advanced logistics entities and help them to grow their businesses. ELDs (electronic logging devices), fleet tracking and management 2.0 combined with AI-powered dispatch tools.
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