Transflo ELD Review

Transflo ELD Review

What Is Transflo ELD Device?

Transflo ELD, developed by Pegasus Trans Tech, a company involved in the electronic log tracking industry since 1998, is regarded as one of the best bang for the buck solutions on the market, being easy to install and getting fully operational in a matter of minutes.

Currently serving over 350,000 drivers and more than half of the top 30 freight brokers in the United States, there Transflo ELD T7 solution is FMCSA certified to meet the ELD mandate, providing an effective link between drivers and fleet managers for the smooth running of anyone’s transportation business.

Benefits

While it is essential for drivers to keep logs that help ensure HOS management, not all ELD devices are created equal. In fact, many pricier options don’t offer as many benefits for your business, making Transflo a great choice.

It’s most notable benefits for your business include:

  • Enhanced driver safety – HOS logging is one of the most basic, yet important functions of an ELD solution. Accurate monitoring helps ensure that drivers and not working in excess of normal hours, and as a result risking accidents due to fatigue. Statistics have shown that many truck-related accidents occur because drivers fell asleep at the wheel or were otherwise tired.
  • Saves you lost work hours and money – you may be surprised to know the amount of time drivers spend (or waste) preparing paper logs, which over the course of the year is estimated to be over $700 per driver! Transflo ELD solution obliterates the need for paper logging.
  • Improves profitability – many minor issues can hurt the company’s bottom line, including errant drivers, reduced fuel efficiency, and more. Transflo ELD helps keep you on top of paperwork and inspections, reducing downtime and keeping drivers more productive.
  • Enhances efficiency – efficiency is a measure of several factors, including downtime owing to maintenance, usage of specific routes, and operating during certain service hours. Transflo ELD can help to support business efficiency by optimizing these factors, such as by reducing the need for significant maintenance by keeping you on top of service dates, for instance. Another benefit related to efficiency could be by transporting during off-peak hours when traffic is light and temperatures are cooler to improve fuel economy.
  • Betters your business reputation - operating at high efficiency over a long period of time will definitely bolster the reputation of your business, as clients will be more inclined to depend on you for reliability. Proper vehicular compliance, safe drivers, low violation rate and high on-time delivery status, will definitely give your business a good name, and open the doors to more lucrative jobs.

Transflo ELD’s Useful Features

  • Accident recording and reconstruction feature, helpful to prove if a driver was at fault during a collision or not
  • Real-time GPS tracking
  • Fuel efficiency optimization via route comparison
  • Violation alert notifications
  • In-built document scanner
  • Accelerometer built into the ELD
  • Vehicle diagnostics
  • Integrates with the most popular in-cab and TMS technology
  • Companion mobile app (both android and iOS supported) to enable access to logs anywhere with an Internet connection. You can also communicate with fleet managers/dispatchers from within the app.

Pros

  • Easy installation process
  • Comes with its own data plan
  • Variety of useful features
  • Very affordable for small fleet

Cons

  • Not all features are available on the basic plan
  • Occasional status function causing on duty status
  • Relatively long contract required (3-year span) and reports of sync issues if the connected mobile device is switched off

How To Install Transflo ELD

Transflo is extremely easy to install, compatible with 6, 9 or 16 pin diagnostic ports. You can get the necessary connection adapters at no extra cost as long as you know what you need.

Simply connect the ELD with your smart device and the companion app and you are ready to start tracking.

How Much Does The Transflo ELD Cost?

The Transflo ELD solution requires an upfront payment of $99, after which you can choose from one of two subscription plans. The standard plan, which costs $25, is best suited for one-man operations or small fleets, allowing for monitoring of HOS, driver vehicle inspection reports (DVIRs), and IFTA reporting.

There is also a plan for $31, which covers full functionality of $25 plan, with additional features such as engine diagnostics, GPS tracking, accident reconstruction, and the full works. A subscription plan covers the continental United States and all Canadian provinces.

My Recommendation

Overall, Transflo seems like an excellent ELD product, especially at the initial price point. It has a fairly large number of functions that can benefit fleets of all sizes, but it is important also to read the fine print. For instance, not many truckers realize upfront that the company requires a three-year contract.

Thus, if you are looking for a cheap entry-level product that you can get up and running or just try out for a couple of months, this might not be the best choice. It is also essential for drivers to know that devices need to be kept on at all times, or risk losing real-time sync to dispatchers/fleet managers.

Nevertheless, in general, the company is well regarded, and considering the fact that it comes up just shy of $1000 for a three-year contract, it is priced very competitively. Widespread coverage area is also a major selling point of the company and explains why such a large number of drivers/fleets trust them with their business.