For a few years now, the FMCSA has made some much-needed changes to hours of service regulations, in an attempt to give trucking businesses more flexibility.

The FMCSA made a myriad of changes to breaks and the sleeper berth rule. Additionally, the FMCSA has also clarified the Adverse Conditions exemption, making it more widely accessible for trucking businesses to use.

With so much flexibility now available within HOS rules, ELD providers have had to adjust their software in order to keep up with the latest updates and still abide by legal HOS standards.

As the premier provider of a flexible ELD, we at GPSTab would like to lend some insight concerning the most flexible ELDs on the market.

GPSTab

GPSTab offers its customers access to the two most important flexibility options available—the Adverse Conditions exemption and split-sleeper berth.

GPSTab makes both the exemption and SSB features especially easy to use on the app. The Adverse Conditions feature can be accessed with ease on the home screen, as explained here. The exemption is applied in just 3 steps—-by clicking the Adverse Conditions button, providing a reason, and then confirming the process.

In order to use the split-sleeper berth rule effectively, drivers must be aware of how much driving time they have left or how much time they can save. GPSTab makes it easy by calculating a driver’s remaining hours of service and visually representing that in a special SSB (Split-Sleeper Berth) clock located in the app’s home screen.

By using these clocks, users can see their remaining hours, so that if they were to use the split-sleeper berth provision, they could maximize their hours of service.

KeepTruckin

KeepTruckin’s flexibility options include the Adverse Conditions exemption and split-sleeper function.

However, there’s no tutorial on the Adverse Condition exemption. It’s not clear for the trucker using the app where the exemption is located and how to use it.

In the case of KeepTruckin’s split-sleeper function, they make it simple to use. Once a driver has taken a qualifying break, they’ll have access to their remaining hours of service on the app. 

Verizon Connect

Verizon Connect allows drivers to utilize the Adverse Conditions exemption and the split-sleeper rule.

The Adverse Conditions exemption can be applied with ease on the Verizon Connect ELD app. By just clicking on the 3 dots in the app header, you can select Adverse Conditions, and then finish the process by selecting “Yes.”

While Verizon Connect does have the ability to apply a split-sleeper berth, details on how it works on their app are sparse. They do explain the general use of the rule but do not explain how to put it to use on their application, which can make it difficult to apply.

Samsara

Samsara, like the others on this list, also offer their users access to the Adverse Conditions exemption and the split-sleeper berth provision. 

One of the issues Samsara tends to have is that their solutions require a steep learning curve. Because of this, much of the useful data they provide can be difficult to access, and this is also the case with applying the Adverse Conditions exemption on their app. 

While others on this list have the exemption ready to go in a couple of simple steps, Samsara users have to first get access to the exemption by their administrators. Upon getting access to the exemption, drivers can now apply it by entering the Exemptions section and claiming it.

In contrast to the Adverse Conditions exemption, Samsara’s split-sleeper capabilities are simple to use. Their software calculates the split and recalculates hours automatically when the conditions are met.

ELD Recap

  • GPSTab is not only flexible, but the easiest to use. Accessing their flexibility options can be done quickly and simply, without a hassle.
  • KeepTruckin has flexible options available but makes it difficult to use the Adverse Conditions exemption
  • Verizon Connect makes Adverse Conditions easy to use, but maximizing a split-sleeper berth can be difficult because they lack information on how to use it on their app.
  • Samsara’s learning curve and required approval can make using Adverse Conditions a hassle, but their split-sleeper function is intuitive. 

In summary, for ease of use of both adverse conditions and split-sleeper berth, GPSTab outranks the others, both in flexibility and ease of driver use. For more information on GPSTab, contact sales@gpstab.com or call us at 888-228-4460.