Dallas—Nov. 4, 2015—Omnitracs, LLC, a global provider of fleet management solutions to transportation and logistics companies, announced that the dry truckload carrier, Davis Transfer Company, implemented Omnitracs’ Hours of Service (HOS) application well in advance of the pending electronic logging device (ELD) mandate and, as a result, realized significant benefits beyond basic compliance. Having first adopted Omnitracs’ onboard mobile information system nearly 25 years ago, Davis Transfer deployed the HOS application across its fleet of 250 trucks as a core component of its comprehensive safety program. Since adoption, the carrier is fully compliant with current Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Hours of Service regulations, and is experiencing increased efficiency, safer driving, more alert drivers and increased satisfaction from shippers.
An ELD is used to electronically record a driver’s record of duty status (RODS), and replaces antiquated and error-prone paper logbooks. The ELD mandate is expected to affect more than 3 million vehicles, and specifies exact use requirements for drivers, fleets and law enforcement. While wanting to ensure compliance with federal regulations, Davis Transfer recognized the many benefits of early adoption of ELDs, which extend well beyond adherence to the mandate. Omnitracs’ HOS not only captures hours driven automatically and accurately, but it also enables the fleet to capitalize on a number of other benefits in support of business objectives. It ensures drivers are well rested for improved safety, demonstrating a commitment to safe fleet operations, which is increasingly important to many shippers; it also enhances efficiency through a reduction in manual data entry and paperwork errors.
“From day one, the leadership team at Davis Transfer has recognized the strategic value of the ELD mandate, and has embraced the benefits this technology offers to our drivers, customers and fleet operations,” stated Todd Davis, president of Davis Transfer Company. “In addition to being the right thing to do, our adoption of Omnitracs’ Hours of Service application has enabled us to meet and exceed our compliance, safety, customer satisfaction and efficiency goals. Furthermore, our company is well positioned to maintain business as usual in light of a major industry transition.”
With an accurate record of hours driven, Davis Transfer can ensure that its drivers are well rested and alert. Additionally, Omnitracs’ HOS application allows fleet managers to more efficiently assign routes, making sure that drivers have sufficient driving hours remaining to complete the delivery. The carrier’s drivers embraced the value of the system: adequate rest that allows them to perform safely when on the job and the elimination of cumbersome paperwork enables them to focus on what they do best—driving—which ultimately contributes to improved fleet efficiency.
Choosing to be ELD-compliant also positively impacted Davis Transfers’ value proposition as a service- and safety-oriented company among its customers. As shippers are becoming more aware of their brand’s exposure and liability in relation to the freight transportation firms they partner with, it is not uncommon for them to research Department of Transportation information, and review compliance, safety, accountability (CSA) scores as a factor in carrier-hiring decisions. Based on its CSA scores—and thanks, in part, to its early adoption of the HOS application—Davis Transfer ranks among the top three carriers, which enables the company to stand out among competitors and increase business.
According to Davis, “Every aspect of the implementation—from installation and training to driver and back-office use—was so well supported by our management and Omnitracs, that the transition was easy and was met with very little resistance.”
Available on all of Omnitracs’ Mobile Computing Platforms (MCPs), as well as the Omnitracs XRS Platform, the HOS application provides near real-time tracking of drivers' hours, increased reporting accuracy and compliance with FMCSA regulations.
