Hutch Systems becomes first certified Canada ELD under new HOS regs

More than six weeks after new hours-of-service regulations went into effect in Canada, the country has its first certified compliant electronic logging device.

The Hutch Connect ELD is from Hutch Systems Inc., an Abbotsford, British Columbia-based firm specializing in fleet management technologies.

“We are proudly the first and only Canadian company to be certified,” the company said in a statement.

Unlike the U.S., Canadian regulations require third-party testing and certification of all ELDs to ensure they are in compliance with federal rules regarding the use of the devices.

As of June 12, all federally regulated commercial trucks, buses, and other fleet vehicles operating in Canada must be equipped with a certified ELD to monitor a driver’s hours instead of drivers logging their hours manually. The devices must meet the Technical Standard for Electronic Logging Devices published by the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators.

Weeks before Canada’s electronic logging device mandate took effect, it was announced that no penalties would be enforced until 2022.

The announcement came as more and more stakeholder groups voiced concerns that truckers won’t be able to comply with Canada’s mandate because of a lack of devices that have met the criteria established by the federal mandate and have been certified by a third-party.

In March, Canada’s top transportation official promised no hard enforcement in the beginning of the mandate. Minister of Transport Omar Alghabra said the impact of COVID-19 on commercial vehicle operations “has been unprecedented and must be acknowledged” and that a “progressive enforcement period” would be imposed.

In June, Transport Canada announced CSA Group of Mississauga, Ontario, has received accreditation from the Standards Council of Canada and Transport Canada to test and certify ELD compliance with the country’s regulations.

With the addition of CSA Group, Canada now has two third-party, accredited bodies that can certify electronic logging devices. FPInnovations – Canada’s first third-party accredited group – was announced in fall 2020. LL