Anyone in the trucking industry is no stranger to the ELD. These devices have been mandated for some time with very few exemptions. However, one company is a glaring exception: The delivery giant, UPS. So why do they get away with not using these mandatory devices? Let’s find out.

The Purpose of an ELD

For years, many truckers had to log their miles and hours manually on paper logs in order to stay compliant with HOS regulations. However, you can imagine the challenge this presented. These could easily be riddled with mistakes, misplaced, or fudged altogether. ELDs, now mandatory for some time, have been an effective solution to combat most of the common issues caused by using paper logs. ELDs are wired directly into the truck to log when the engine turns on and off and sync with other software to determine the miles driven within that period.

Do you see how that could present an issue for a UPS delivery driver? Let’s break it down.

Understanding the Root Issue

Many of us don’t have first-hand experience driving for UPS, but almost everyone has had a package delivered to their door by the company at least once or twice. When you see the giant brown truck pull up and park in the drive or on the curb, do they cut the engine? Typically not. Imagine turning your vehicle off and on that many times. It would be inefficient and just an overall hassle. The driver hops out, delivers the package, then hops back in to get going to the next stop, all the while leaving the engine running.

Does the ELD know that the driver just got in and out about 20 times in 10 minutes? Nope, because it only registers how long the vehicle has been on. It doesn’t care how many times Steve or Sally or Shannon has been hopping in and out of the driver’s seat - it only knows the distance it has been driven and how long their truck has been on.

Do you see how that could present a challenge? HOS regulations involve a lot more information than the data captured by an ELD, making it an inefficient solution for the style of operation practiced by UPS.

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Why UPS is Exempt

It boils down to this: the intended purpose of an ELD simply doesn’t match the needs of the company. It would be a waste of time and money for everyone involved as ELDs simply would not be helpful when complying with HOS under the specific circumstances of the UPS delivery methods currently in place. With this in mind, FMSCA allowed a 5-year exemption to the company starting in 2017. However, in 2022 when that exemption expired, UPS was granted another 5-year extension. This means that in 2027 this could change, but for the foreseeable future, UPS is exempt from the ELD mandate.

To clarify, UPS still uses an Electronic Logging Device, though it is a bit different than the mandated devices used by most companies. They utilize a portable, handheld device that helps to track their progress and time throughout the day rather than a device wired directly into the vehicle.

Summary

In short, to comply with the ELD mandate would be extremely costly and impractical due to the method of operation used by the company. UPS asked for an exemption and were granted their request.

Why haven’t more companies taken the same step? We can’t say, but we are certain that UPS appreciates the flexibility of the FMCSA in this matter. For those of you not fortunate enough to get around the ELD mandate, we do have some good news. Our ELD system can help streamline your efficiency and take your data insights to the next level. Talk to one of our team today to learn more!

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