mercer transportation

I called it Mercer making e-logs required for owner-operators.
Mercer Transportation announced this week it will be the latest fleet to make a move toward making electronic onboard recorders (aka electronic logging devices) required for its roughly 2,200 owner-operators.




Len Dunman, safety director for the fleet, said the company will be phasing in EOBR use during the next two years, and 100 percent of its owner-operator fleet will be equipped with the devices by the middle of 2015.


Because its competitors are moving in the same direction — and because of tightening federal regulations, like hours of service and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Compliance, Safety, Accountability program — Dunman said the fleet had to begin requiring EOBRs to ensure both compliance and competitiveness in the market.


The carrier will provide the necessary hardware — the device itself — in the early part of its phase-in program for owner-operators who volunteer as early adopters. Dunman didn’t have an exact timeline, but he did say that portion of the phase-in program will end, though, and afterward owner-operators with the fleet will be required to provide their own EOBR device.


There also will be monthly fees associated with the devices that owner-operators must pay, too.


Dunman said the fleet did not want to wait until federal regulations required the use of e-logs to switch, because of the time it will take for a large fleet like Mercer to train its drivers and to deal with the learning curve.


Dunman said because negotiations with the hardware provider is ongoing, he could not talk about pricing for either the devices themselves or the monthly fees.


According to an announcement this week, though, Mercer did select J.J. Keller’s Keller Mobile platform for its device and software provider. Keller Mobile allows drivers to use smartphone and tablet apps to upload data and it lets fleet staff monitor “real-time compliance and driver performance,” according to the announcement.
http://www.overdriveonline.com/mercer-making-e-logs-required-for-owner-operators/

 

I didn't think it was going to be much longer before Mercer bent over and backed up to the whole EOBR thing.

 

THE END IS NEAR !!

EOBRs ARE HERE !!

 

All 2200 should volunteer for this as quickly as possible to get the hardware for free. Lol

 

What makes u think it's free if u volunteer?

 

The carrier will provide the necessary hardware — the device itself — in the early part of its phase-in program for owner-operators who volunteer as early adopters.

 

Going to have to mix that Koolaid extra strong for awhile...lol
I ran them for my last year at Miller Transporters and they really aren't that bad on long haul work.
The regional guys are really going to feel it though with this and the new reset rule.
Should be an interesting day on the Mercer Facebook page today...lol

 

I promise that this article does not represent our actual stance with eobr's. The article will be pulled, because it is inaccurate. We have NOT set any dates when we will have full enforcement with EOBRS's within the fleet. Like I have told EVERYONE I have talked to. We will not decide what date we will "force" our contractors to use EOBR's until the FMCSA determines a mandate date for the entire industry.
From mercer fb page.

 

I see nothing on Mercer's FB page about EOBRs

https://www.facebook.com/mercertown

 

It was a reply made by contractor relations on a comment by a driver.