Home The Best ELD Devices in 2022
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An ELD or an electronic logging device is an important piece of electronic hardware that’s usually attached to commercial motor vehicle engines. It helps record driving hours but it does come with a lot of features that make it easier for fleet owners to keep track of their vehicles. If you’re a fleet owner, this might just be one of the best investments you can make right now.
There are lots of ELDs to choose from. You might not be familiar with it, but it’s essential for most commercial vehicle operators. If you want to invest in an ELD soon, you’ve come to the right place. We’re going to list down some of the best devices you can choose from and we’re giving the reason why it’s important to choose these 6 ELDs.
Sitting right at the very top of this list is a tried and tested name when it comes to ELDs. It’s no other than the Garmin eLog. As one of the top choices for best ELDs, the Garmin eLog packs in a lot of amazing features in a well-built package for your fleet. Let’s talk about one problem we have with this ELD just to get it out of the way. The Garmin eLog can be hard to use and even harder to set up. If you’re new to ELDs, it might confuse you as to how you can use this device for your fleet. While it does come with a manual, don’t expect a quick setup guide for this ELD. The good news is that you can easily get around this problem by contacting their customer support, which is available 24/7. One of the upsides of the Garmin eLog is that you don’t have to worry about ongoing costs. This is actually a rare feature among ELD providers, which makes Garmin a clear standout. Once you factor in that there are no ongoing costs, you’ll see that it’s actually the more practical option for you and your fleet. When it comes to features, the Garmin eLog has everything, to say the least. Data backup on mobile devices, a free mobile app, and so much more. Better yet, it also has fuel tracking, which is one of the most sought after features in an ELD. It’s a great device to have because it’s a complete package. The Garmin eLog also offers compliant logs which are essential for fleet services. These can be accessed via USB and Bluetooth when needed for those quick roadside inspections. The Garmin eLog is currently the best ELD your money can buy right now. It’s a complete package that comes with all of what you’re looking for in an ELD. Thanks to the fact that there’s no ongoing cost for it, it’s also a cheap way to manage your fleet. If you want a true bang for your buck ELD, this is definitely it.
No ongoing costsFuel tracking featureGreat customer support
Difficult set-up
Another trusted name in the line of ELDs is none other than KeepTruckin ELD. As one of the top brands, KeepTruckin is an innovator that continues to come up with amazing features that fleets and their managers can use for both tracking and safety. One of the strong suits of KeepTruckin ELD is that it comes with a great suite of features for your fleet and for you as a manager. While the Garmin eLog is hard to use for beginners, KeepTruckin ELD does things a little differently. It has an easy-to-use interface that even those new truckers and those that are not techy can easily understand. With this and its fair pricepoint, the Keep Truckin ELD has easily become one of the best ELD options that you can get right now. Even if your truckers aren’t familiar with the device, you shouldn’t worry about it too much. The ELD comes with 24/7 customer support which is a common and loved feature among the top ELDs. The KeepTruckin ELD is suitable for fleets of all sizes, so it’s something that you can invest in easily whether you’re looking to equip it to a small or a large group of truckers for your business. Fair price points make the ELD even more attractive. Some of its amazing features include ELD compliant logs, GPS location tracking, two-way messaging, customizable vehicle inspection features, as well as automated alerts for you and your truckers. To put it simply, the KeepTruckin ELD features everything you might want from an ELD, which is of course one of the main reasons it’s a top contender on this list. The only true downside to this ELD is that it comes with ongoing costs which start at $30 per month. The KeepTruckin ELD is a good choice if you’re looking for an ELD that’s real value for your money. Not many other ELDs offer this extensive selection of features.
Easy to useComes with free hardware unitsServes all fleet sizes
Free version comes with limited features
One of the ELDs that allow you access to a complete suite of fleet management services is the Samsara ELD. Like the KeepTruckin ELD, the Samsara ELD is a good option for truckers that don’t have the time to run through complex systems. Simple and intuitive, the interface of the Samsara ELD is more than enough to help even the least tech-savvy trucker understand how to use the system. Of course, that’s not just what this amazing ELD offers. It also comes with an extensive suite of features that will impress you as a fleet manager as well. The Samsara is compatible with a full FMS or field management system as well. If you want to, you can upgrade your package to include the ELD-compliance hardware/software package as well. Better yet, it’s actually very easy to upgrade to the package just in case you need to. It’s worth the investment because Samsara offers one of the most comprehensive and feature-filled FMS services available right now. This is actually a rare feature to have among ELDs. Samsara’s ELD solution can directly plug into a vehicle thanks to its OBD port. It’s easy to install so you won’t have any troubles setting it up. Additionally, it can be paired with a mobile app that your drivers can use to track and log vehicle data in real-time. The suite of features that the Samsara ELD has is hard to beat. The full fleet management service integrates greatly with the software’s dashboard and app infrastructure which makes it the perfect ELD for those struggling with tech. It’s clear that the best asset of the Samsara ELD isn’t the ELD itself but it’s the access to an amazing FMS service that’s possibly the best in the industry right now. For that reason, it’s easy to see why a lot of fleet managers choose this over anything else.
Easy to installIntuitive interfaceEasy to upgrade
Frequent software updates
While the Omnitracs ELD does come with a lot of features, it’s not why you’re going to love this ELD. Instead, you might love the Omnitracs ELD for its’ cost-efficiency thanks to the manufacturer’s flexible service plans for fleet managers as well. Let’s get down to the three pillars of any ELD first. The interface of the Omnitracs ELD is easy to understand and easy to use. It can be used by any driver, but for the full run-down of the features, you might have to teach them about the device. Features are plentiful as it involves everything you need to make your fleet compliant with regulations. Additionally, there are lots of features that make it easier for you to manage your fleet as well. All-in-all, the Omnitracs ELD doesn’t lag behind the competition if features are concerned. Like most of the top ELDs on this list, the Omnitracs ELD does come with 24/7 support. There are highly skilled and patient operators available round the clock to help your truckers. Better yet, those operators are easily accessible via a wide selection of devices, so it’s very rare for a trucker to not have access to the customer service that he or she needs. This is always one of the features that you need to look for when investing in an ELD. Feature-wise, the Omnitracs ELD does come with a suite of amazing features for better fleet management. These include safety reporting, fuel tracking, driver monitoring, and many others. All of these combined allow you to keep track of your truckers very easily. It can be difficult to manage a fleet, but with the Omnitracs ELD, you’ll have no problem with this. It comes in an easy-to-use package which is another great feature to consider. The Omnitracs ELD is packed as a simple but very effective ELD. A lot of people enjoy this ELD because of its efficiency and the control it provides to fleet managers worldwide. While simple, you are definitely going to get more than what you bargained for with the Omnitracs ELD.
Comes with a variety of featuresBluetooth supportFuel tracking
Heavy initial price
Last but definitely not least, we have the Rand McNally ELD 50. As one of the top options out there, the Rand McNally ELD 50 expectedly delivers many aspects necessary to be a good ELD. Just how good is this ELD and why is it worth getting? For starters, the Rand McNally ELD 50 is easy to install. Better yet, it comes at a very low monthly cost, which is perfect for people who are on a budget but want to take more control over their fleet. Some of the amazing features that this ELD include what you’d expect from one of the top ELDs in the market. All of which cater towards making your fleet more manageable and accessible regardless of where they are in the world. The Rand McNally ELD 50 is a good choice for large fleets thanks to its extensive selection of features and more than welcomed amazing FMS. The FMS isn’t free, but investing in it is highly recommended. As a fleet manager, having a good FMS is one of the best things to look for in a fleet as it helps you remotely manage your fleet better. It also helps you get the most out of your ELDs, which is easily one of the best reasons to get the Rand McNally ELD 50 right now. The Rand McNally ELD 50 is very easy to install. Many call it a plug-and-play unit, but there are some drivers that say that the interface is rather hard to navigate. However, this problem can be solved with proper training. There are lots of other extra purchases you can make to get the most out of your Rand McNally ELD 50. If you’re willing to pay the extra buck, you can get a complete package in an ELD along with an amazing FMS and other compliance features. Though last on this list, the Rand McNally ELD 50 is easily one of the best ELDs you can buy on the market right now. It’s an amazing option that will help you get the most out of your money.
Easy to installTwo-way messaging
Limited features
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