SAN ANTONIO – With the deadline fast approaching for motorcoach operators to adopt electronic logging devices and lingering confusion over the mandate, the United Motorcoach Association is responding by offering an ELD pavilion at Expo 2018.
The pavilion will include companies that offer ELDs, panel discussions and loads of information to help operators deal with the federal ELD mandate that takes effect December 18.
Although the mandate will be in place by the time UMA Motorcoach Expo 2018 convenes on January 6, information offered at the pavilion will help operators that have already converted to ELDs but that might not understand how to use all of the features on the units.
There also are a number of operators purchasing automatic onboard recording devices, or AOBRDs, so they can have more time to implement ELDs. Companies that are using AOBRDs as of the Dec. 18 deadline will be given two more years to convert to ELDS.
The Expo pavilion will offer those operators valuable information about choosing the best ELDs and the features that will work best for their needs.
UMA also will be offering an education session on ELDs during Expo that will focus on the upside of ELDs and their benefits, from reduced human error to overall efficiency.
Operators seeking more information on ELDs should check out UMA’s podcast featuring LaTonya Mimms of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. To listen to the podcast, go to http://www.busandmotorcoachnews.com and click on “Motorcoach Minute.”
The UMA board’s technology committee also has compiled a brochure with questions operators should ask when looking at purchasing ELDs. The brochure is available at http://www.uma.org/elds.
In addition, this year’s UMA Safety Management Seminar will have a strong focus on ELDs, with representatives from FMCSA on hand to answer participants’ questions and offer guidance to help operators comply with the new regulations. Seminar participants will learn what’s next in terms of enforcement of the ELD mandate and what might happen during compliance reviews. In addition, they will get important insight into what their drivers can expect at destination and roadside inspections.
Mimms of FMCSA is a scheduled speaker.
The seminar will be held December 6-7 at the NTSB Training Center in Ashburn, Va. For information, go to www.uma.org/safety.
