ELD---Which One

Well I know when I was using omnitracs, it would list all my edits in the printed log. When I go through on the bigroad website and look at the logs that were edited, I see a button that says show original but when I print the logs to PDF it doesn't show any of the edits at all. Well when I went through my new entrant audit a couple months ago, they didn't look through the program, just wanted the PDF printout which doesn't seem to show edits at all


EDIT: I lied, I found one day where I made the edit on the website side because the app was messing up and it shows in the remarks the log was edited It just say or show what was edited.

 

We've been running Big Road ELD Bluetooth connected to a datalink module that plugs into the data port. We're running this on a Samsung tablet mounted in a cradle on the dash. Been running it for about 3 months, almost 2 months with the dashlink connection. Works great, very few complaints, takes some getting used to. What sucks is on days when I run local, it screws up my drive time. When you go into On-Duty time, you can then select a submenu to go to on-duty "yard move", this allows you 5 miles of local driving, no speed restriction. At the end of 5 miles, it will automatically switch you to driving.

Originally, we were using Fleet Complete for their elogs, but they had too many problems, too many bugs and glitches. What makes it worse, 2 weeks after we switched to Big Road, they were bought out by Fleet Complete, but, from my boss talking to them, our understanding is that they will be doing separate things, Big Road will concentrate on the elogs, and fleet complete will concentrate on the vehicle tracking.

 

I'm using BR, but not connected yet. How's the editing features on the connected version?

 

when you guys are saying "edit" features, do you mean "falsifying" features ?

 

I'd like to know what all you can edit. I'm not just talking about jacking around with line 3, I mean all the lines if you make a mistake or forget to jump on line 2 or something. Are all the edits flagged?

 

I hope for an ELD which would not log what I log.,, I mean what I edit. LOL

 

Once connected, it becomes an "automatic onboard recording device". Once the truck hits 5 mph or 20 sec., it switches to driving. Today, I tapped the "status" bar at 5:20 am, went on duty, then tapped it again and hit "Begin Yard Move", then added my driver info. I then did my pre-trip, my paperwork and let the truck warm up for 5 or 6 minutes. I then pulled around back and hooked to my trailer, the "Yard move" box showed 5.0 miles to start, by the time I hit the trailer, it had dropped to 4.9 miles remaining. Finished my pre-trip on the trailer, went into the inspection box and did my inspection report. I then pulled up to the front gate, hit the code to close it. When I got back in the truck, I tapped "Yard Move Complete" on the dialog box, it had dropped to 4.7 miles remaining. Released my brakes, put it in gear and took off. At 5 mph it automatically switched to driving, and stayed there until I stopped 90 minutes later for coffee.

Now, as for editing, you cannot edit any drive time, as it automatically records based on the trucks ECM. There is one glaring downside to being connected, from the time you come to a full and complete stop, and want to switch from Line 3 to Line 4, it can take up to 1 minute, even though my speedo will show Zero MPH long before that. Big Road says it's a connectivity/lag glitch, they are working on it. You can still edit line 1, 2 and 4 time, as long as you don't go over those times as compared to Line 3 time. Example: today, I arrived at my customer at 9:50 am for a 10 am appt.. As soon as it let me, I switched to On-Duty, and then On-Duty Yard move. By 10 am, I was checked in and backed into the dock. I forgot to go to line 1 while I'm loading, as I was on the phone. At 10:40 I realized I forgot to go to Line 1, I immediately switched to line 1, and then hit Edit and backed it up (it moves in 15 minute increments) 10 am. The customer finished loading about 11: 15 am, I went On Duty, and then On Duty Yard move. The log showed I had completed my 30 minute break and then some. I pulled out, closed the doors, pulled on the scale, did my paperwork and made my U-turn to leave. After I called in my load info, I tapped "Yard move Complete", as soon as I accelerated the log put me in drive mode.

Now, it will automatically switch you to On Duty, if you come to a full stop, set the brakes, and stay stopped for longer than 3 minutes, it's supposed to back up the time to when the brakes were set, but doesn't always do it.

Also, like Sunday I drove from Denver to Albuquerque, spent the night in the truck. When I got there at 9:20, I went to line 4, did a quick walk around, and then went to line 1 while I did my paperwork and got my shizzle together. 90 minutes later, after a bite and a shower, I crawled in the sleeper. The next morning, I realized I had been on Line 1 all night, and I forgot to sign my logs. It was 6:15 am, I immediately went to Line 2, then backed it up to 10 pm the previous night. At that point, I then went back to Line 1, went inside and ate breakfast. At 7:30, I came back out, went to line 4, did my pre-trip, then took off. The log switched to Line 3. I could have put it in "Yard Move" until I hit the stop sign leaving the TA, but decided not to.

With the connected, there are three things we have found, and they are working on it. One is mentioned above, the others are, you don't want to take your 30 minutes too early or you will have to take it later in the day as well. The regs say you can take it any time within your first 8 hrs, and you don't have to take a second one if you go beyond 8 hrs after the first break, but still within your 14. The elog will sometimes want you to take two breaks. Big Road is aware and are working to fix this. The other, if you do an 8/2 split, sometimes it will not calculate your available hours correctly. This is at random.

One thing we have noticed, the 5 miles for "Yard move" is not accurate, it's closer to 5.7 to 6.1 miles, this seems to vary by truck. On mine, it gives me about 5.2 miles, one of our day cabs, he gets about 5.9 miles, another truck gets 6.1. It's all based on GPS and Odometer connectivity.

Edits on my end, or if in inspection mode are not flagged. HOWEVER, on my bosses end, the edits are flagged, but not always, it apparently depends on what is edited. As near as we can tell, as an AOBRD, there is no way to Edit Line 3, as it's all based on the trucks computer.

 

Excellent review, thanks..

 

To answer the original OP. We are using the JJ Keller system. 250 truck fleet. After solving some initial glitches it is operating smoothly. The only editing can be done by "authorized persons" and certainly not at the driver level. The law requires anyone making edits to sign on to the system with a specific identifier so the process can be tracked. If you own the truck and are the chief cook and bottle washer I guess you could be the "authorized person".
According to the JJ Keller reps that trained us last January there are some interesting points. About 10 states( with more everyday) do not allow the officer to touch the device. The driver must be able to manipulate the device to satisfy the officers questions. There is an instruction sheet for that purpose. It has a "Road Inspection Mode" which essentially puts it in a read only situation. If there are any edits they are not shown at this level. The officer who inspected me in Georgia treated the ELD like it was a rattlesnake.
If you use your own bluetooth device(phone or Tablet) I think the initial cost is something like $300 plus a $30 per month per truck fee.