What the Canadian ELD mandate means for carriers crossing the US/Canada border

The Canadian ELD mandate announced by Transport Canada states that all drivers operating in Canada who are currently required to keep a record of duty status will have to use an Electronic Logging Device (ELD) starting from the 12th of June, 2021. This includes drivers that are driving into Canada from the US, who will need to abide to the Canadian rules once they cross the border.

The requirements of the Canadian ELD mandate are largely the same as that in the USA, where they have been compulsory since 2017. A major difference in the Canadian regulations is that ELD providers need to be certified by an accredited third-party entity. These entities will test ELD software to ensure that it meets all the standards and requirements outlined by Transport Canada. While the June deadline is fast approaching, Transport Canada have said there will be a 12 month progressive enforcement period which will consist largely of education and awareness as opposed to fines.

As well as the third party accreditation, there are a few other noteworthy differences between the US and Canadian mandates that organizations and drivers should familiarize themselves with –

Personal Conveyance

In Canada there is a strict 75km daily limit for personal conveyance. ELDs will automatically work this out for a driver. If they go further than the 75km in a day, the ELD will switch into driving status automatically.

Drivers crossing the border into the US should be informed on US personal conveyance laws and the differences that may occur there – some laws that may be legal in the US will not be the same in Canada.

Roadside inspections

In the event of a roadside inspection, the inspector needs to check that a driver is following Canadian HOS regulations. To do this a driver can show them their ELD screen, which will display their work details from the last 24-hours, as well as the last 14-day period as required (in the US only the last 7 days plus the current trip is required). Inspectors can also request that records are transferred to them electronically (via email), so drivers should be aware and trained on how to do this. The major difference between Canada and the US here is covered in the section below.

Data transfer

At a roadside inspection, an inspector may ask for logs to be emailed to them. In Canada the inspector will provide an email address for the logs to be sent to, while in the USA the email address is already programmed into the ELD. Local transfer options such as Bluetooth or USB are available on some ELD solutions so drivers should be aware of how to use this where applicable. 

Yard moves

In Canada drivers can only select Yard Move when the ELD is connected to the ECM. Yard Move will end when the vehicle speed exceeds 32kph or after an ignition power cycle unless the driver indicates continued use of Yard Move. Organizations should be very clear with their staff about their policies around yard moves and when it is appropriate to use this status. 

HOS regulations

The main difference to be aware of in HOS regulations between the US and Canada is as follows - 

• In the US drivers must have the past 7 days of eROD logs (including their current trip) available for inspection, where in Canada drivers must have the past 14 days (including their current trip) available.
• Restricting when a driver can change rule set and the reporting requirements around rule sets and cycle

It is worth noting that when operating in the US, a driver must abide to the US rules, and when driving in Canada, a driver must abide to the Canadian rules.

Want to know more? Contact us today to see how Coretex can deliver the Canadian ELD solution that you need.