ERoad’s new Smart Short Haul feature assists fleets by automatically switching rulesets when drivers breach either the on-duty or air-mile limits of the short haul exemption. For fleets with drivers that may periodically exceed short haul exemption limits, the new addition to ERoad’s ELD enables drivers to maintain and produce logs for roadside inspections, as well as provide accurate reporting for audits.

“Our goal is to put compliance on cruise control, helping drivers maintain accurate logs when they’re needed without worrying about it,” said Norm Ellis, president of ERoad. “For operations, it takes the stress out of making sure drivers have logs when required.”

Smart Short Haul new features include:

• Built-in prompts and accurate HOS counters enable drivers to monitor duty-hour limits

• Automatic identification of each driver’s starting location

• Visual and audible alerts

• Produces RODS for the days that short haul limits are breached

• Automatically switches to the default inter- or intrastate ruleset

• Coaches drivers to take appropriate breaks

• Provides reports that detail which criteria was exceeded by each driver

The FMCSA HOS Final Rule expands short haul exemption criteria to 150 air-mile radius and 14-hour on-duty limit. While it is anticipated that more fleets will not require ELDs because of this new rule, an ERoad survey of motor carriers from October 2019 indicates that fleets will continue use of ELDs to support short haul operations and compliance with the short haul exemption, as well as other business needs beyond compliance such as IFTA, IRP, dispatch, fleet management and driver safety coaching.