Electronic Recorders

let us know how that compatibility issue works itself out.

Few software companies are willing to give up proprietary information to allow others to interface with their stuff.

 

The feds MAY eventually force every owner to install some sort of EOBR. If Landstar or any other carrier wants to force any owner operator who wants to lease to them to purchase an EOBR, then there is no reason why the owner operator should not be able to buy the recorder of his choice, print out the logs and send them to the carrier in their trip envelope or fax it to them along with their bills. It may be a convenience to the carrier, but not necessarily to the owner operator. If an owner operator is forced to purchase an EOBR from a specific carrier and then go to a different carrier, he may not need or be able to use the same EOBR at the new carrier. At this point the ruling states that an EOBR must be installed. It does not state that the owner of the equipment must have an EOBR that is compatible with equipment of the carrier. So, I don't see how any carrier can force an owner operator to buy an EOBR of the "carriers" choice. If the owner operator wants to purchase the EOBR from Rand McNally, he should be able to do so. I have had a qualcomm in my truck. I don't care for them and don't plan on installing another. I figure that if a carrier wants an owner operator to install an EOBR of the carrier's choice, then the carrier should be willing to pay for the unit and monthly charges, since the charges may also vary from one supplier to another. This may prove to be very interesting should it be challenged in court. And, I have no doubt that this will make it to the courts at some point.

 

I can see this as being no problem. A company can require certain things on the trucks when leased. They can also mandate that you use their logs. So, there is no real issue that precludes the use of them wanting a certain unit to be used in order to meet requirements they implement.

 

Printing out logs will not be compliant with the new EOBR mandate. The device must be hardwired to the truck and GPS data is a part of that. The way you describe the process will no longer be legal with the new standards.

 

At this point most carriers supply logs, usually pre printed, for any drivers and owner operators who lease to them. I have also supplied my own logs at times and written all the company information and never had a problem with them accepting the logs. If carriers don't force owner operators to purchase log books then I don't see how that they could force them to buy their EOBR.

 

If I owned a company and was putting in a EOBR system, it would be something that all trucks would have to use if they wanted to be part of the company.

In 1999, the company I was leased used qualcomms. If I wanted it in my truck, it would cost me per month. It would have to had been their unit to communicate.

 

You're obviously failing to grasp the fact that each EOBR supplier has it's own proprietary software. There is absolutely ZERO compatibility from one brand to another and so far no regs or proposed regs to solve that issue.

 

Like I said, the only way we'll see a standardized output is through the Feds making it so.

 

Companies can set whatever requirements they want to set for you to lease to them. And you have the choice to stay or not.

 

I think most big companies will install their unit and charge a monthly fee, just like most do with qcomm now. I agree they can't force you to buy it from them , but many require that you have their eobr in the trucks leased to them. I was leased to a big carrier and was required to have the companys' qcomm in my truck to be leased to them. And I payed a monthly fee of $40. It wasn't optional.