Difference Between Canadian and American ELD Mandate

The Canadian ELD mandate has been modeled after the American ELD Mandate. However, there are some important differences between the two rules.  The American ELD mandate has been in effect since January 2018 and has provided great information to the Canadian regulators in modeling the Canadian ELD mandate.

Although for the most part, the Canadian ELD mandate is similar to the American one, there are some major differences you should be aware of when choosing an ELD provider. They are as follows:

Third-Party Certification for Devices:

Transport Canada requires that the ELD devices be certified by a third party to be compliant with the ELD mandate. The American mandate allows ELD providers to self certify their systems. This means in the USA, the governing body FMCSA does not certify the ELD. The ELD is certified by the manufacturers themselves as long as they meet the FMCSA’s requirements under the American ELD mandate. This means that even if a manufacturer shows up in the FMCSA’s certified ELD list, they might not be fully compliant with the ELD regulations. 

Under the Canadian ELD regulations, the governing body will establish accredited third-party organizations to perform the ELD certification. The details of these certifying bodies are not yet known and could take up to 12 months for them to be established. This type of certification will mean that the ELD systems would more accurate and make sure they conform to all the rules and regulations outlined in the mandate. 

No Central E-Log transfer system:

The Canadian ELD mandate does not require the ELD system to send ELD logs to a central system like ERODS in the USA. To transfer logs to an inspector, the ELD would require the ability to email the officer the logs directly from the device. The Canadian authorities still have not clearly outlined the process, but we will be sure to update you as soon as we have a better picture. 

As the ELD compliance date comes closer, we will be getting more information for Transport Canada regarding the various ELD requirements. However, you should be aware of these differences before choosing an ELD provider to be compliant with the Canadian ELD regulations.