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When implementing electronic logging devices (ELD) to comply with the Canadian mandate set to take effect in June, focus not only on what they can do for hours-of-service compliance, but also how they can improve your fleet performance. That was the message from Marc Moncion, vice-president of safety and regulatory compliance with Fleet Complete, who on Jan. 21 delivered a webinar on making a smooth transition to ELDs. He urged fleets to develop a vision statement, which outlines how they would like to improve their fleet over the next five, 10 years or more. If your company already has a vision statement, Moncion said the implementation of ELDs offers a good opportunity to dust it off and refresh it. “If you don’t have a vision, here is the time to put pen to paper and draft a vision that shapes the direction of your company for years to come,” Moncion said. If properly implemented, Moncion said, ELDs can go far beyond an hours-of-service tool and can produce data that can then be used to improve fleet operations. Examining that data can allow fleets to adjust their operations to improve profitability. “Imagine a future world where your ELD investments give you a competitive advantage in the marketplace,” he said. Revelations coming from the analysis of ELD data could lead a fleet to change its routing, service different clientele, expand to or pull out of a specific region, modify their lengths of haul, or change the equipment they run. A vision statement that encapsulates these goals should be shared throughout the company and championed by people within the organization. “Creating a vision statement and letting it collect dust on the shelf won’t cut it,” Moncion said, adding it should be a living document. When transitioning to ELDs, Moncion said it’s important to communicate changes to customers who will have to understand the implications on load planning.