Mandatory ELD For Mercer...AGAIN!

I think you've missed my point all around, Skateboardman. I wasn't trying to rile you or anyone else up. I am of the humble opinion that the government is too involved in private business. And not just in our industry. I also do not believe they will just be satisfied with elogs as they are. The approved device list will be shortened. There is a reason they are exempting old trucks. They want approved elog devices connected to the truck, so it can tell what the truck is doing. And after that, prices will go up. They also have other methods of control in their sights. That is a fact. It is something we as an industry have to start looking at. Are we gonna roll over and accept it. From reading the replies on here, not just this tread elsewhere in TTR, I think most guys will just accept the new stuff. Like it or not. I do NOT have anything against elogs. I use them, as I said earlier. I ha e used them for almost 5 years. But I do not believe the government has any right to mandate them. They should be a business decision made by the company owner. Whether that is a board of directors or a single truck owner operator. It should be a business decision. Pure and simple. And the amount of time youve been out here isnt really relevant to the argument. I've been driving 23 years myself. These issues we are working through with these emerging technologies and regulations were not even a thought in 1981 or 1993. Have a good day. Sorry my opinion seems to have struck a nerve with you.

 

You're right about it should be our choice, no doubt about it. As someone said the mega companies are the ones behind it because they were forced into out because of their safety ratings. And I don't necessarily mean just from accidents. There's even small companies, as few as 70 trucks that were forced to elogs or shut down the business. Every company that is running today was built on creative logging with paper logs. I've seen companies go out of business because they were forced on elogs & could no longer provide the same service to the customer, so the customer found someone else. That's what these mega carriers are afraid of. This is why they want the playing field level & everyone on ELDs. We're not really up against the government as much as we are up against the ATA. if the mega carriers don't stand up to the government, we don't stand a chance.

 

ELD is the sole reason I sold out when I did. I am surprised and disappointed that more of Mercer's old hands didn't leave June 30. That being said, every man had to do what was best for himself.

I rather enjoy having a stress level of 0.0

 

you struck no nerve, i am just wondered how you stated what an owner should do, i own my truck and trailer. i am leased to mercer. i have been and owner op for the last 27 years of my 36 years driving. 14 with my authority. mercer did just as you described , they made a company decision to go to elogs, we had 2 years notice, i had a choice install an elog, which i did the install completely by myself, by june 30, 2016 or i could go elsewhere an avoid the mandate til dec 17, 2017. i had a choice and i made it. this guy jimmy hasnt owned one and is mad about it, one thing tells me he is giving a bogus version of events, is him saying the folks on the phone at mercer weren't professional, that just doesnt happen. they simply told him something he didnt want to hear. mercer in fact did everything you stated in your post a company should be able to do, they exactly that. if jimmy had actually called he would have been told this, it has been beaten to death on a 1800 page mercer thread. frankly, and i mean this honestly, with just the attitude he has expressed on this thread, he wouldnt be a good fit here, thats an honest assessment. and as far as having a bad attitude toward those who have died or served protecting our freedoms, i have earned my right to voice my opinion. i had three uncles who served in vietnam, one didnt come back alive, i served 4 years guarding the east west german borde with the 2d armored cav. , two of my kids have served, airborne son and a 18 years of service marine daughter. you guys are confusing different issues, and liberty , rights and all that. this is simply a case of guy who didnt hear what he wished and is whooping over it. no more and no less

 

mercer chose not to go with the exemption of 99or newer, their decision and theirs alone, just move on, heck you aint even got a truck yet

 

why exactly are you disappointed in that?? they made decision just as you did, it actually isnt the end of the world, after a break in period of minor adjustment its working out very well, you might have been surprised. most of us just chose to adapt and keep on making things work like we always have. honestly i am surprised at how easy the transition has been, it was much ado about nothing

 

mtoo, if ya went and looked at the fmcsa site and see the list of tag numbers attached to violation, some of them tag numbers were quite old, it wasnt just new guys that led to this decision. it was surprising at violations for the log simply not being current, if ya perused that list it might be more understandable

 

The cosy of the elogs systems that are pin the approved list isn't as bad as many of you think. Jjkeller has one that is tablet based with a Bluetooth plug that goes on the odb outlet. Same with the keep Trucking app on smart phones. The app is free, but the Bluetooth adapter works the same way, and costs around $100. Big roads is another. The older qualcomm systems are dirt cheap compared to what they were brand new. I agree that you shouldn't be forced, but you either adapt or get out of the way.

 

@skateboardman
Disappointed is the wrong word because I don't care what others do, and wish no ill toward Mercer. I was surprised. Ive said it many times Mercer is still a very good company. I wish that the old trucks that they had no problems with: they would have left us alone. The day I got a log violation, I would have been more than willing to go to Louisville, then I may have gotten the ELD, don' know

Mercer chose to do it the way they did and I chose to leave because of it. I left the industry because after all those years with a great company like Mercer, I saw no point going anywhere else.

The industry is changing, Mercer has to change. I know Mercer cannot be the company it was 20 years ago and I know I can't truck like I did 20 years ago.

I signed on Jan 1989 left May 2016 Mercer at Louisville has NEVER lied to me and they have NEVER cheated me out of money owed me. That is why I chose to leave the industry and not go to another company.

 

All I said was it should be your choice. Your choice as a business owner. It should be your choice, not the governments. You chose. That's cool. Mercer chose. That's cool. FMCSA chose....not cool. You and Mercer are businesses. You decided what was right for your business at the time. And you know what....you should be allowed to change your mind if you change your business model. But the government is deciding for you.