Mandatory ELD certification program to be launched shortly

FPInnovations is in the final stages of the accreditation process to become a Certification Body of Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) in Canada. According to Transport Canada’s recently amended Commercial Vehicle Hours of Service Regulation, ELDs for use in Canada must be verified and certified by an accredited third-party Certification Body as compliant with the Technical Standard for Electronic Logging Devices. To qualify as an accredited Certification Body, FPInnovations has demonstrated compliance with the International Organization for Standardization standard ISO/ICE 17065, its expertise in testing ELDs and the validity of the results of that methodology. FPInnovations is expected to receive accreditation from Transport Canada to launch its ELD certification program this fall.

ELD Providers: Prepare for certification

Below are the steps to be followed by ELD providers to get their devices certified once FPInnovations launches its ELD certification program. ELD certification will be prioritized based on the date of execution of the certification agreement and readiness of the ELD for certification.

Step 1: Application

Ensure that your ELD is ready for certification*. Upon availability of a dedicated link for ELD Certification activities, you must send a request to the FPInnovations’ Certification Team for an application package. The team will review the completed application and pre-verification assessment prior to providing you with a certification agreement.

*IMPORTANT: the ELD certification process is not meant to debug your product.

Step 2: Evaluation and Review

Once the agreement has been signed and FPInnovations receives the devices for testing, the Certification Team will proceed to evaluating your ELD according to the Canadian ELD Test Procedures. The results will be reviewed internally, and a recommendation will be made to FPInnovations’ Certification Authority based on the test results.

Step 3: Certification Decision and Documentation

FPInnovations’ Certification Authority will make the certification decision based on the test report and recommendation. FPInnovations will certify the ELD if it meets all requirements outlined in the Technical Standard by passing each step of the Test Procedures. FPInnovations will also provide you with the test report and give you an opportunity to appeal the decision. Once an ELD model has met all requirements, we will issue a unique identifier to the ELD model and forward this information to Transport Canada.

Step 4: Publication of Certification Decision

FPInnovations will include the ELD model on the list of certified ELDs, displayed on our website and issue a certificate of compliance. We will provide you with our certification mark to be used on the certified product and guidelines for using our certification mark.

Step 5: Post-Certification Activities

FPInnovations will inform you of any changes that affect the certification scheme and review changes to your activities that affect your certification. FPInnovations will also advise you of surveillance activities and guide you through the process and requirements.

Fleets: Make sure your equipment is compliant

Effective June 12, 2021, Transport Canada’s Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Regulations will require that federally-regulation motor carriers and their drivers use an ELD that has been certified as compliant. The list of certified ELDs will be available for fleets to make sure their suppliers have their systems certified for use in Canada.

Thinking about an implementation plan takes time. It is not too early to begin assessing the impact the plan will have on fleets, such as the cost of labour and training. Fleets with existing electronic recording devices should ask whether their suppliers intend to have their systems certified for use in Canada and when they expect to do so.