Better Understanding EDLs & Enforcement

Electronic Driver Logbooks (EDLs) are designed to do away with written logbooks and manual paper-based processes to make life easier for everyone in the transport chain. With any big shift or cultural change, drivers are sure to have questions and concerns about what this means for them, and how the technology will make life on the road easier for them. To help, we’ve explored a few FAQs below around EDLs and enforcement.

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How Do EDLs Work?

With traditional written logbooks, drivers have to manually record their working and resting hours throughout their day, along with location and other details as required. Times have changed, and the need for a digital work diary is both important for the future of the industry, and progression in your business.

With EDLs, all a driver needs to do is touch the screen of their in-cabin device to record their work and rest times. All the information is captured in real-time and instantly calculated against fatigue rulesets so they don’t have to keep track themselves. An EDL records drivers’ work and rest hours down to the minute, allowing for accurate fatigue status information. It tells you exactly when a rest break is required and breakdown driver fatigue across the individual rules.

To find out more about how an EDL works, check out our infographic.

How Are EWDs Enforced?

Like conventional paper logbooks, EDL compliance is enforced at roadside during an impromptu roadside inspection or stop. Enforcement officers will request the EDL from the driver. The enforcement officer can view the driver's summarised work and rest history that have occurred over the past 28 days. Enforcement officers are most concerned with reoffending drivers and high-level breaches that put you and others on the road at risk.

What Can Enforcement View?

The NZTA approved EDL has the same view for driver's and enforcement, meaning driver's can understand their fatigue work and rest hours and offer the same information to enforcement when requested. This view and data within is all based on the information on the written logbook which is quite simple - dates and times and locations (as automatically received from the device) and the work and rest hours (inputted from the driver). This information displayed on the device to the driver is also available to the back-office team to help keep compliant with Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA). 

It gives a great understanding of hours available to work and when rest breaks are required. This is broken down into two views: one that displays their current day's work status updates by event with date and time information, and a second that displays their work status based on the fatigue rules. 

Any information not viewed or seen on the device is not accessible to enforcement officers and will need to be lawfully requested from the business.

How Do EDLs Benefit Drivers?

At their core, EDLs are designed to streamline and simplify tedious manual processes and remove the need for manual data entry, while better protecting drivers from unreasonable work schedules and the dangers of driver fatigue.

For drivers, not having to manually write down your work and rest hours, odometer readings and location allows you to focus on your work by eliminating the need to manage paperwork. By recording accurate data as it comes in, EDLs take away the guesswork from staying compliant. They also give drivers warnings for impending breaches to help you effectively manage your fatigue.

With all vital info instantly accessible and ready to view, EDLs speed up roadside inspections for both parties. Drivers can get back to work swiftly, and enforcement don’t have to waste time cross-checking various paper documents to ensure compliance.

When considering fatigue and electronic work diaries, it’s also important to consider the fleet management solution and vehicle tracking technologies it is paired with AI-enabled telematics technology is designed to simplify your business.