As a new federal mandate comes into effect in 2021 making the use of electronic logging devices (ELDs) mandatory for federally-regulated motor carriers and their drivers, PIT Group is poised to leverage its extensive experience as a third-party verifier of ELDs in the U.S. to become a leader in certifying ELDs in Canada.
Transport Canada included the mandate in the recently amended Commercial Vehicle Hours of Service Regulation and it comes into effect on June 12, 2021. All provinces and territories are expected to adopt the rules as well.
ELDs will be verified and certified by an accredited third-party certification body as compliant with the Technical Standard for Electronic Logging Devices. Transport Canada is collaborating with the Standards Council of Canada to establish the ELD certification plan and develop the accreditation process for certification bodies.
To qualify as an accredited certification body, an organization must demonstrate compliance with the International Organization for Standardization standard ISO/ICE 17065. A certification body must also demonstrate their expertise in certifying ELDs and the validity of their certification methodology and results.
Based on PIT Group’s extensive experience conducting third-party verifications of several ELD systems for the U.S. market, FPInnovations’ PIT Group is positioning itself to become a principal player in testing and certifying ELDs in Canada. To this end, PIT Group is in the process of applying for ISO/ICE 17065 accreditation.
The certification process is expected to be in place by June 2020, which will allow twelve months for testing and implementing ELDs in Canadian fleet operations. The PIT Group encourages fleets with existing electronic on-board recorders to take these measures: determine whether their suppliers will have their systems certified for use in Canada, develop a process to upgrade their systems and train their drivers on the new requirements.
The PIT Group remains engaged with Transport Canada and continues to provide information to support the development of the Canadian ELD certification plan. Several ELD suppliers have already contacted PIT Group to have their systems certified for the Canadian market.
Fleets that don’t have electronic on-board recorders are encouraged to develop a plan to select, acquire and implement ELDs. The PIT Group is available to support fleets throughout the process.