Only A Few Diehards Continue To Run AOBRDs

Only about 2% of carriers are still running automatic onboard recording devices (AOBRDs) ahead of the December electronic logging device (ELD) compliance deadline. This number has stayed the same the past several weeks, signaling that most of the holdouts will wait until the last minute to make the switch.

FreightWaves, in partnership with CarrierLists and EROAD, surveys a new group of carriers about their devices each week to take the pulse of the trucking industry ahead of the Dec. 16 compliance deadline. At that time, the AOBRD grandfather clause will run out, and all nonexempt carriers will be required to install ELDs.

Fleets of all sizes running various routes take the survey, allowing for a comprehensive view of what is happening in the industry. This week, 127 carriers responded. Almost 98%, or 124 carriers, reported running ELDs.

When this week's results are combined with results from the past two weeks to form a three-week moving average, about 2% of carriers report still running AOBRDs. This number has remained basically the same the past three weeks.

Nationwide carriers have always reported the highest compliance rates, sitting at 99% for the past several months. Super-regional carriers closed in on nationwide carriers last week, reporting 99% compliance themselves. This week, however, super-regional carriers dropped back down to 98% compliance.

Regional carriers have lagged behind carriers running longer routes throughout the course of the survey, and these fleets make up the majority of the longtime holdouts. This week, these carriers reported 96% compliance, down from 97% last week but up from 93% two weeks ago.

Small carriers and owner-operators have long reported their intention to wait until the fourth quarter to make the switch to ELDs. Most of these holdouts made the switch in October or early November, but a small minority will likely wait until December. The lingering 2% seems to represent primarily that contingent.

For the purpose of the survey, regional carriers are defined as fleets that run in a 150- to 1,000-mile radius. Super-regional carriers run routes over 1,000 miles but not nationwide.

While missing the deadline may result in fines for individual carriers, the small number of carriers waiting to make the switch will not impact the overall state of the market.

The majority of carriers waiting to switch seem to be those that would be impacted the hardest by financial consequences like fines, such as small fleets running short routes. These carriers should plan to start using their devices in ELD mode at least a few days before the hard deadline to iron out any technical or training issues.

EROAD's guide "Planning your move from AOBRD to ELD" gives eight key considerations and six critical questions to help select the right solution to achieve the easiest transition possible.

Visit the AOBRD to ELD resource center to download the guide.

Image Sourced from Pixabay