With the new driver Hours-of-Service (HOS) regulations final rule now in effect, and a pending compliance date for selected provisions set for next July, carriers are increasingly interested in technologies that automate driver logs and streamline data management for HOS compliance.
Blue Tree Systems, for example, says its R:COM fleet management system makes it easy to seamlessly comply with the latest driver hours rules. The R:COM solution displays an HOS compliance report that details all duty status changes. In addition, R:COM alerts the driver if a violation is imminent and provides reports to monitor driver working hours and check for noncompliance, information fleet managers can use to intervene when necessary.
R:COM ensures that drivers input their current duty status and displays remaining drive time/on-duty time. Connected to the vehicle’s electronic systems, the system automatically changes duty status to “driving” when the vehicle is moving. The solution also allows the driver to show up-to-date logbook information to law enforcement officers from inside or outside the cab.
PeopleNet eDriver Logs also are available to compliance officers on an in-cab device. The system automates HOS by calculating driving hours through a combination of GPS location and engine information. This real-time access to driving hours information gives fleet managers the ability to more easily manage compliance with regulations.
With eDriver Logs, PeopleNet says its customers perform 58.4% better than the national average across three major safety indices and experience 66.7% fewer driver out of service events, in part because the system indicates on-duty/off-duty/sleeper berth/driving status on an up-to-date basis.
Drivers of vehicles equipped with Blue Tree Systems’ R:COM Fleet Management System can also take advantage of the supplier’s HOS Advisor offering to make the best possible decisions to optimize available driving hours. The HOS Advisor tool keeps drivers informed of “Drive Time Remaining” and scenarios that help decide how to best use available hours without performing complex HOS calculations.
“Drivers can use the HOS Advisor tool at any time and it will advise them on ‘Drive Time Remaining’ and the options available to maximize their driving hours,” said Charlie Cahill, CEO of Blue Tree. “Being able to instantly see a list of scenarios advising, ‘If you select duty state ‘X’ for duration ‘Y,’ then this will happen,’ really helps drivers decide how to best use their hours. It’s like having an HOS expert riding in the passenger seat helping make the appropriate decisions to best optimize your working day.”
HOS Advisor is available to drivers at all times. As soon as a driver logs onto the system, the previous seven days of logs are automatically downloaded to the truck and a summary of the current driver status and the remaining time available is presented. The system displays a driver’s hours as a graph or a table. In graph format, the data presentation is similar to that of the paper logbook.
The ability to more easily manage HOS regulation compliance also can mean more efficient route planning. Resource Manager from Paragon Software Systems helps fleets manage driver availability by linking driver shifts, historical hours information and legal requirements to routing and scheduling solutions. Using Resource Manager, fleet managers can determine future availability of drivers, set up driver shift patterns and calculate delivery schedules that match that availability.
Paragon Territory Optimizer also can be used to manage distribution operations based on driver availability and other factors. In looking for a comprehensive planning and scheduling software solution for more than 900 distribution points and one million customers across the U.S., packaged gas distribution company Airgas Inc. purchased Paragon Territory Optimizer to help maximize resource utilization by establishing balanced territories that take into account daily workloads. Initial reports from Airgas indicate that the solution is proving highly effective, Paragon said.
Other carriers also report that automated Hours-of-Service data management capabilities are not only receiving high marks from drivers, but also are paying dividends in administrative labor savings, improvements to productivity and vehicle utilization, and enhancements to driver retention efforts.