Fleet Telematics / ELD Implementation Checklist

Rank the outcomes the safety director and ops manager actually care about: Part 395 ELD mandate compliance, HOS exception review, IFTA mileage capture by jurisdiction, hard-brake / speeding / idling coaching, driver scorecards, geofencing for detention billing. Carriers that try to solve all of them on day one usually underuse the platform.

List every power unit with VIN, year/make/model, engine ECM type (J1939, J1708, OBD-II), and current ELD status. Pre-2000 engines are exempt from the ELD mandate but may still need AOBRD or paper logs documented. Trailers needing reefer telemetry, door sensors, or TPMS go on a separate list.

Capture the count below so vendor quotes can be apples-to-apples.

Motive, Samsara, Geotab, Omnitracs, EROAD, and Verizon Connect dominate the small-to-mid carrier market. Verify each candidate appears on the FMCSA registered ELD list — self-certified devices that get revoked leave carriers with 8 days to switch.

Get pricing in writing including early-termination fees, hardware return policy on cancellation, data export format on contract end, and API access cost for TMS integration. Three-year contracts with no out-clause are common gotchas.

Have a working dispatcher run an actual HOS edit / annotation flow and a driver use the in-cab app to certify a log. Demos run by the sales team alone hide UX problems that surface on day 1.

Map the data flow: ELD → TMS (McLeod, Tailwind, AscendTMS, Truckbase) for dispatch / HOS visibility; ELD → IFTA tool for quarterly fuel-tax mileage; ELD → payroll / settlements for hourly drivers or detention pay. Confirm whether the vendor uses native connector, API, or flat-file export.

If the off-the-shelf connector doesn't exist, get a written scope and fixed bid from the ELD vendor or a TMS integrator. Common fields: HOS clock, current location, idle status, fault codes. Sandbox testing in TMS before go-live is non-negotiable.

Stack installs onto existing A-service / B-service appointments so trucks are already in the shop. Avoid pulling a tractor out of revenue service mid-week; weekend or home-time installs reduce downtime.

Mount the device, run the diagnostic cable, secure with proper strain relief, and confirm cellular / GPS signal from inside the cab. Document install with photos in case of warranty claim or roadside dispute about tampering.

Set the correct Part 395 rule set per driver — property-carrying 60/7 vs 70/8, short-haul exemption, agricultural, oilfield. Wrong rule set is a leading cause of false HOS violations on the first week of logs.

Pick a mix — one OTR, one regional, one local P&D — and run new ELDs alongside existing logging for one week. Validate HOS clock accuracy, GPS breadcrumbs, IFTA mileage by jurisdiction, and any malfunction codes before fleet-wide cutover.

Cover duty-status changes, sleeper berth, personal conveyance, yard moves, log certification, edit-with-annotation, malfunction transfer to roadside (email + USB + Bluetooth), and pre-trip / post-trip DVIR. Drivers must be able to produce 8 days of logs to a DOT officer without help.

Daily dispatcher routine: review prior day's HOS exceptions, unassigned driving time, missing certifications, and form-and-manner errors. Edits to driver logs require the driver's annotation and re-certification — a dispatcher can't silently fix a violation.

Standard fleet KPIs: HOS violations per 100 driver-days, hard-brake events per 1,000 mi, idle %, MPG by driver, on-time pickup/delivery %, detention hours billed. Set baselines from the first 30 days of clean data before setting bonus thresholds.

Safety director, ops manager, and IT review platform adoption: % of logs certified daily, dispatcher exception-review completion, open vendor tickets, and any CSA roadside results since cutover.