One essential part of being a fleet owner or manager is remaining compliant with ever-changing fleet regulations. Fleet compliance is crucial to avoiding fines, keeping fleet vehicles on the road, and upholding a positive reputation in the community. Maintaining compliance is one of the most important parts of a fleet manager’s job, but why is it so important? How does staying in compliance benefit fleets overall? This article will break down the benefits of fleet compliance.
What is the Price of Noncompliance?
Noncompliance with the ELD mandate can be catastrophic, ranging anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 depending on the severity. Here is a chart that breaks down the types of violations that the DOT might find for a fleet:
The price of these violations gets quite steep as well.
The average payout for an ELD violation is $2,867. With dozens or hundreds of vehicles in a fleet, this number can add up quickly. If a vehicle is placed out of service, the business loses revenue and suffers even further costs. Therefore, maintaining compliance is extremely important for fleets to be successful.
When are Drivers Placed Out of Service?
Being placed out of service is one of the worst results of a DOT inspection, as it is usually coupled with fines and causes even further loss to a business’s revenue. Drivers are usually placed out of service for up to ten hours, but it can be longer if violations continue. Every day that a vehicle is out of service costs businesses $264. If the vehicle needs to be towed, that can add to the fines and lost revenue.
Vehicles are usually placed out of service if they are not correctly using an authorized ELD, or if they falsify records. This is why it is important that fleets ensure their technology is up to date by staying updated on regulations and checking all vehicles to make sure they are compliant.
How Compliance Affects CSA Scores
Most people in the fleet business are familiar with CSA scores: Compliance, Safety, Accountability scores. This is a 100-point scale that ranks how risky a motor carrier is. Having a high CSA score can lead to a negative reputation in the community, hurting a business’s relationship with customers and other companies. The FMCSA also keeps a closer eye on companies with a higher CSA score, so these fleets are more likely to be hit with fines. To keep CSA scores low, it is crucial to remain compliant with FMCSA guidelines and promote safety within the fleet.
Conclusion
Maintaining compliance is essential for any fleet business, but it doesn’t have to be a challenge. Azuga offers technologies that help fleets keep track of all the information they need with plug and play devices that are easy to use. Stay up to date with the latest FMCSA guidelines on Azuga’s blog. To get started with Azuga’s technology, reach out to an expert today!
