ZED Connect brings mobile-based ELD to improve safety and service

One of the most-pressing topics for the trucking industry this year has been the new Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) rule requiring the use of electronic logging devices (ELD) in commercial vehicles involved in interstate commerce. Drivers currently using paper logs or logging software have until December 18, 2017, to comply, while drivers using automatic onboard recording devices (AOBRD) get an extended deadline to December 2019. Recognizing this new reality, Cummins created a separate company called ZED Connect that would provide an open data platform for customers across the industry to utilize.

The driving factor for the FMCSA to mandate the use of ELDs is safety. The new rule could help reduce 26 fatalities and 562 injuries from crashes for an annual safety benefit of almost $400 million. The mandate also hopes to improve the quality of hours-of-service (HOS) records, with more efficient data reporting improving driver uptime.