GeoSpace Labs recently highlighted the growing popularity of its Owner-Operator Electronic Logging Device (ELD) in the Google Play store, and increased the availability of its FMCSA-registered Florida Intrastate ELD.
The telematics provider says its Owner-Operator ELD passed KeepTruckin's ELD in Google Play customer satisfaction by achieving a 4.4 rating as of Jan 1. GeoSpace introduced the Geowiz ELD in 2014, and the system, available at geowiz.myshopify.com, now boasts more than 30,000 users across its core and specialized systems.
“We have worked so hard to make our ELD system something that is easy to use and also functional, and have used every piece of business acumen we have to find a way to provide it with no monthly fee to individual owner operators, as a one-time purchase,” said David Lady, Geospace Labs CEO. “We were told it couldn’t be done. We were told we wouldn’t last. We were told we couldn’t provide a product as good as the big corporate players who charge so much money.
“Yet here we are five years later with 30,000 users and the highest rating in the industry.”
The company released a new version in August that incorporates the usability and reliability gleaned from five years of field usage, and benefits from a driver feedback project conducted last year in which “hundreds” of drivers provided direct feedback with new feature requests, tweaks, rule interpretations and usability.
Improved features in Version 4.5 include:
- Use the allowed 15 minutes or less of unassigned driving (49 CFR Appendix A to Subpart B of Part 395 4.6.1.6(d)) to move a truck without tripping 1 minute of driving and messing up a break or shift and cycle reset calculations
- Arizona Time zone
- Ability to pair ELD units, trucks and drivers for automated truck assignments and automated correction if wrong truck is selected
- Six months of data stored on device, including ELD, DVIR, FUEL and IFTA data, and backup to cloud, meaning once logged in the ELD can run without a data subscription, which saves money. Three years of data available in the cloud as an option.
- Complete official Canadian location database, and ability to reconcile US and Canadian rule sets, switch at the border automatically, and only process rules based upon correct geography
- IFTA miles calculated and fuel receipts tracked with no additional fees
- Truck maintenance scheduled by date, miles and with unlimited maintenance items tracked over time
- Audit Guard—An internal audit tool to analyze logs against possible CSA points, in real time and for all stored logs, so any items can be corrected quickly before an audit
- Ability to edit any past day logs for the past six months
Visit geospacelabs.com for more information.
GeoSpace Labs also made its official Florida ELD generally available. The tool provides an easy-to-use, low-cost means for drivers and companies to comply with the Florida FS 316.302 regulation, and the Jan 1 requirement, GeoSpace said.
“Florida recently adopted the FCMSA’s regulations for using electronic logging devices to report on a truck’s compliance with the intrastate hours-of-service (HOS) rules,” Lady said. “If this sounds new, it is. Florida is only the second state after Texas to require commercial truck drivers to comply with reporting requirements for travel solely within the state’s boundaries.”
What are these rules? There are four, GeoSpace said:
- Driver may drive 12 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty.
What this means: A driver can drive for 12 straight hours (i.e Miami to Pensacola) after they have had 10 hours of rest.
- Driver may not drive after 16th hour after coming on duty following 10 consecutive hours off duty.
What this means: A person cannot work more than 16 straight hours, even if they have not driven the maximum 12 hours allowed. The 16 hours includes all drive time and any stops for lunch or bathroom breaks.
- Driver may not drive after 70/80 hours on duty in seven/eight consecutive days. Thirty-four consecutive hours off constitutes end of seven-/eight-day period.
What this means: A driver is allowed to work for 70 hours over a seven-day period or 80 hours over an eight-day period if they also comply with the other HOS rules regarding drive time. After the 70- or 80-hour mark, a driver must have 34 hours off-duty to reset the 70- or 80-hour work window.
- Drivers who do not exceed a 150-air-mile radius and no placarded hazardous materials are exempt from maintaining a log book. Drivers not released from duty within 12 hours must document driving time.
What this means: Drivers who travel within 150 air miles (about 172 statute), do not carry hazardous materials, and operate less than 12 straight hours are not required to maintain a log book.
The Florida ELD is especially designed to manage the intrastate rules, and has special tools for Florida. It is priced at roughly half the cost of traditional ELD systems at $10 per month because of the specific limited Florida scope.
More information about Florida Intrastate rules and the Florida ELD product are available at flaeld.com.