Compliance and Implementation Guide

May 2022

Overview

The purpose of this document is to provide all the information necessary for successfully deploying a customer’s Hours of Service. This document is split into several sections:

Step 1 — Background

Review this section for details on the ELD Mandates in both USA and Canada, Hours of Service, Rulesets, Frequently Asked Questions, and more.

Step 2 — Pre-Deployment Steps

Start at this step for Basic ELD Implementation (USA and Canada).

This section covers the steps you should take before purchasing mobile device hardware or deciding on a GO device for your needs. It also covers how to set up mobile devices, installing GO devices, and optional hardware.

Step 3 — Deployment

This section completes the setup and deployment process of the ELD, including the setup of Vehicles, Trailers, and Drivers within the MyGeotab system. This section also looks at Training, Administration, and initial supervision of the ELD.

The Basic ELD Implementation is complete after finishing Steps 2 and 3.

Step 4 — Ongoing Supervision

This optional section covers the recommended steps to take to ensure proper use of the ELD system and compliance with the ELD mandate.

Step 5 — Troubleshooting

Review this section if you run into any issues or have questions.

Appendix

This section contains useful tools and tips for ELD use. It is recommended to review and follow the instructions for anything that may be relevant to your use cases.

Step 1 — Background

The documents in the sections below will help you understand the basics behind Hours of Service, ELDs, and compliance. Some sections contain videos that provide additional information on the aforementioned topics. It is critical that you go through this material and understand the various features of the system before progressing with the pilot or rollout.

Understanding Hours of Service

The Driver’s Guide to Hours of Service provides an introduction to HOS, duty limits, and duty status logs.

The ABCs of Hours of Service

This video will help you understand what Hours of Service (HOS) are and why they’re required. It will walk you through the FMCSA’s 60-hour/7-day ruleset and how it works.

FMCSA Hours of Service Regulations

The regulations can be found here.

Canadian Hours of Service Regulations

The regulations can be found here.

Understanding the Mandates on ELDs

Understanding the USA ELD Mandate

This video will walk you through the ELD mandate in the United States of America, and will help you understand what an ELD is, why it is required, who is exempt from the ELD mandate, and what the required functionality of an ELD system must be.

Click here for the official FMCSA ELD website.

2020 changes: Click here to learn more about the changes to Hours of Service implemented in September 2020 in the USA.

Understanding the Canadian ELD Mandate

This video will walk through the similarities and differences between the USA and Canadian ELD mandates. There are far more similarities between the two Countries’ ELD mandates than differences.

Click here for the official ELD website from Transport Canada.

Supported Rulesets Explained

The Hours of Service Ruleset Matrix document explains each ruleset and exemption supported by the Geotab system.

FAQ

Read all about the most commonly asked questions surrounding Hours of Service, the ELD Mandate from the FMCSA, and the Geotab Drive ELD solution here.

Cloud ELD Defined

This document explains how Geotab Drive works, including how the various parts of the system come together; in addition, this presentation can be useful when presenting to customers.

Understanding Geotab Drive

For more information, refer to the Administrator's Guide to the Drive App to learn about the basics of Geotab Drive and its interaction with MyGeotab.

ELD Certificate

Although not required by the FMCSA, Geotab has prepared an ELD certificate explaining what the Geotab Drive Cloud ELD product is self-certified to be compliant with.

The official documentation/proof of Geotab’s self certification in the USA with the FMCSA can be found on the ELD list from the FMCSA here. Geotab’s third-party certification in Canada with Transport Canada can be found on the ELD list from Transport Canada here.

Step 2 — Pre-Deployment Steps

The following steps detail the setup requirements for compliance with the ELD mandates in the USA and Canada. Please reach out to your Reseller for details and limitations of using Geotab Drive for compliance in other jurisdictions.

Geotab Drive - Compliance and Implementation Checklist: To help with the deployment process, use this checklist to make sure nothing is missed and your company is fully compliant. For further details concerning the HOS Pilot and Onboarding Plan, review this presentation.

This is an important step before deploying Geotab Drive to the entire fleet. Use the Fleet Setup Project Sheet to assist. Please follow the steps below:

1. Review the cellular coverage maps to ensure the most reliable service possible for your customer's driving routes. Order devices (GO device and mobile device) with the most reliable service for those routes (not applicable to OEM devices).
2. Know the mobile device hardware being used (make, model, OS version, etc.) and ensure that the appropriate settings are enabled as listed in Android & iOS Setup in the Driver's Guide to the Drive App.
3. *Optional* Install a remote access application on the mobile device for troubleshooting purposes:
4. 1. Teamviewer QuickSupport is an app available on both Android and iOS platforms, which

   allows for remote access.

   2. SOTI offers an MDM (Mobile Device Management) solution that allows administrators to remotely connect to mobile devices. It also provides the added benefit of restricting the tablet to only use allowed applications.
4. If the customer has an MDM solution on their mobile devices, request the latest APK and push to all devices.
5. We do not recommend using NFC keys to assign vehicles for HOS purposes.
6. It is recommended that the IOX-USB be used in conjunction with the GO device and the mobile device to ensure that your mobile device is receiving consistent power. Additionally if the fleet will operate for a large duration of time (>30mins) without cellular coverage (offline), IOX-USB is recommended as a wired solution for ELD data to transfer between the GO device and mobile device — this feature is Android + GO device only at this time.
7. Use the Harness Assessment Cheat Sheet to determine which harness is needed based on the vehicle’s VIN/Make/Model/Year, and Install the GO device as per installation instructions (3-wire installations are not compliant with ELD regulations). OEM Devices that are pre-installed do not require installation; however, please refer to the setup process for your specific OEM device.
8. Ensure that a mount for the mobile device is available for use in the vehicle. A portable ELD must be mounted in a fixed position and be visible to the driver from a normal seated driving position when the vehicle is in motion. For more information on this, review the ELD Rule section 395.22(g) (USA) and SOR 313, 77(1) (Canada). Please note that the mobile device must still be able to be viewed from the mount (or detached) during a roadside inspection.
9. Ask the customer if they want to enable data purging. The FMCSA and Transport Canada require that six months of driver logs must be kept. The FMCSA requires that three months of DVIR data must be available for audit, while Transport Canada requires 6 months. If desired, enable the purge settings within System Settings of the customer’s database (How to Purge data in MyGeotab).

✱ NOTE: To learn more about data purging, please review the blog post How Long Does Geotab Keep My Data?

10. Follow the Device (Android or iOS) setup and installation instructions in the Driver's Guide to the Drive App.
11. Review the Driver Vehicle Inspection Report video.
12. *Optional* Inquire if the customer requires their drivers to create logs for the ON duty status without being assigned to a vehicle. Educate them about the “No Vehicle” option within Geotab Drive for scenarios like this.
13. *Optional* Ask the carrier if they have any existing time clock systems for their drivers to punch in and out. If so, ask if we can integrate with the system so that it creates an ON duty log when punching in and an OFF duty log when punching out. Check if a Geotab Marketplace solution already exists.
14. Ensure that the following documents below will be available to drivers for the next step of the process. These must be kept within the cab of all the vehicles in hard copy or electronic form. Note the documents below are the same for both USA and Canada:
15. 1. Driver's Guide to Diagnostic and Malfunction Events [Spanish, French] (Must be printed or kept electronically and available in the cab as per the law. Applies to both USA and Canada)
    2. Driver's Guide to the Drive App [Spanish, French] (Must be printed or kept electronically and available in the cab as per the law. Applies to both USA and Canada)
    3. Driver's Guide to Roadside Checks [Spanish, French] (Must be printed or kept electronically and available in the cab as per the law. Applies only to inspections in the USA and Canada)

Step 3 — Deployment Processes

1. Ensure that the following documents from Step 14 above are available to the driver. The following documents/hot sheets may also be of assistance, but are NOT required by law.
2. 1. Driver’s Guide to Hours of Service (Recommended)
   2. Driver’s Guide to Asset Inspection (Recommended)
2. Follow the Vehicle, Trailer, and User Setup instructions in the Administrator’s Guide to the Drive App (full version) or the Administrator’s Guide to HOS (short version).
3. Print either the Android Troubleshooting Guide or the iOS Troubleshooting Guide, depending on the hardware, and provide a copy to all the driver managers/supervisors. It is important for them to understand the common issues and how to resolve them.
4. *Optional* Deploy to 5–10 drivers for 1–2 weeks as a pilot to understand the process steps before the full rollout. If the company decides to run Geotab Drive along with a paper logbook (where the logbook is the primary source of logs), ask the customer to have a letter for the DOT officer explaining this. Here is a template they can use.
5. Bring all the drivers in to view the video playlist: Geotab Drive Overview.
6. *Optional* Print copies of the Geotab Drive Driver’s Quiz and provide them to your drivers to ensure they are properly equipped to use the Geotab Drive app.
7. Select your Carrier Admin users and review the relevant sections in the Administrator’s Guide to the Drive App. These users would usually be responsible for editing logs, managing unassigned logs, and other important administrative tasks.
8. *Optional* If the customer would like to equip their vehicles with decals noting their drivers are using the Geotab Drive ELD solution, Resellers can use their co-marketing budget to purchase decals from Geotab. See the Co-Marketing details here. Decals are optional and are not required under any current ELD mandate.



9. For the first 4–8 weeks, schedule weekly review meetings to keep all supervisors informed and to discuss any questions about the app. It is also recommended that administrators visit the Compliance Support Site for the latest documentation and guides.
10. *Optional* If the customer has Trailers, create a group called “Historic Trailers.” If a trailer needs to be removed from the system, all data associated with it (DVIR and Trailer attachment info) will be removed. If the customer wants to keep the historical information, they must move the trailer to this group before they deprecate it.

Step 4 — Ongoing Supervision

With the use of reports, your customer can monitor and review how their drivers are using the system. For additional reports, see the Reports section below.

Daily Supervision

Driver supervisors need to review the reports below to ensure the system is being used properly:

1. ELD: Number of Drivers Placed ON Duty (Dashboard)
2. DVIR: Defects Alert (Email)
3. ELD: HOS Driver Violation Alert (Email)
4. ELD: Notify Dispatch If Driver Is Approaching Limit (Email)

Weekly Supervision

1. Organize a weekly touch-base call with the customer.
2. Document any issues identified during the pilot.
3. Driver supervisors need to review the reports below to ensure drivers are verifying their logs routinely:
4. 1. ELD: Unverified Logs (Email & Dashboard)
   2. ELD: Total HOS Violations by Reasons (Email or Dashboard)
   3. ELD: HOS Violations Cost (Email & Dashboard)
   4. ELD: Excessive Personal Conveyance (Email or Dashboard)
   5. ELD: OFF Duty to Drive Instances (Dashboard or Email)
   6. Small Fleet Driver Payroll Report (Bi-Weekly)

Monthly Supervision

Go through the monthly What’s New blog post and let your customers know about any new features added to the system.

Step 5 — Troubleshooting

If any issues arise during the pilot, please read through the following guides. If you’re still unable to find a solution, escalate the issue to Geotab Support.

Android Troubleshooting Guide

The Geotab Drive Android Troubleshooting Guide is designed to assist drivers who are experiencing issues with Geotab Drive on Android devices.

iOS Troubleshooting Guide

The Geotab Drive iOS Troubleshooting Guide is designed to assist drivers who are experiencing issues with Geotab Drive on iOS devices.

Troubleshooting & Useful Info

The Geotab Drive Troubleshooting & Useful Information Guide is designed to help Resellers troubleshoot Geotab Drive-related issues before escalating them to Geotab.

Appendix

Driver Guides

Using the Drive App

The Driver's Guide to the Drive App is a comprehensive, step-by-step guide on how to use the Drive App for maintaining Hours of Service compliance.

HOS & Roadside Inspections

The Driver’s Guide to Roadside Checks is a short guide for drivers if a roadside inspection is required.

The Driver’s Guide to Hours of Service is a short HOS instruction guide for drivers to learn how to use the Hours of Service features in the Geotab Drive app.

Asset Inspection (DVIR) Workflow

The Driver's Guide to Asset Inspection is a short introduction for drivers to the Asset Inspection (DVIR) workflow within the Geotab Drive App.

Administrator Guides

Setting up the Drive App

The Administrator's Guide to the Drive App is a comprehensive, step-by-step guide on how to set up the Drive App in the Fleet Management Application.

Administrator’s Guide to Hours of Service (HOS)

Before using Geotab Drive as an HOS solution, please ensure that you have followed the steps outlined in the Administrator's Guide to Hours of Service.

Reports

These reports are intended for dispatchers and Administrators to better understand their fleet and to use the system to its full capability.

Hours of Service

Add-Ins

Useful Tools

Bulk Import Drivers

The Import Driver tool allows you to import your drivers in bulk into the Geotab system.

Kiosk Mode (Clock In & Out) Tool

This Geotab Kiosk tool allows drivers to log themselves as ON duty or OFF duty at a kiosk. When the driver logs in to Geotab Drive, later in their day, this log will be present. This kiosk tool allows for more accurate logging and provides the company with a simple punch-in-punch-out system.

Short Haul

1. Use the following 150 Airmile Radius Zone Upload Template and use the Import Zones tool on MyGeotab to create a 150-air-mile-radius zone around the main office location.
2. Create a rule to flag instances when the driver goes outside the 150-air-mile radius.
3. Add driver feedback to send a text message to the administrator whenever the vehicle goes outside of the 150-air-mile radius.

Unassigned Logs

Many carriers move their vehicles within their own yards overnight, whether for maintenance, cleaning, or loading. These moves are usually done by drivers who are ELD exempt, and won’t log into the ELD for short moves. However, the ELD will create unassigned logs for these movements (this is an ELD requirement). In order to help identify these moves and annotate them correctly, Geotab offers a feature, described in this blog.

Geotab Drive How-to Videos

For more helpful how-to videos, visit the Geotab YouTube Channel.

Document Change Log