PeopleNet ELD Review

PeopleNet ELD Review

If you’ve been a commercial driver for any number of years, then the chances are high that you would have heard of, or probably even used PeopleNet ELD device in the past. Having been around since 1994, PeopleNet was one of the first to introduce electronic logging devices to the public, and have continually spent the past decade and a half improving their product offerings.

Not surprisingly, they are loved by many drivers and dispatchers alike, possessing an absolutely staggering number of functions that differentiate it from many other devices on the market. PeopleNet provides all the bells and whistles you would expect a premium ELD to offer.

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Benefits

  • Manufactured by a company boasting several years’ experience in the industry – far more than many competing device manufacturers
  • The product is familiar to many drivers, especially if you’ve been tracking for a couple of years.
  • Backed by an advanced network
  • Customizable enough to meet the needs of various enterprise types
  • An impressive number of advanced features included
  • The device is very reliable and has a great support team behind it

Features

PeopleNet ELD device has so many features that it can feel like rocket science. If you’ve never used it before, it can definitely feel overwhelming – almost like being at the controls of an airplane cockpit and not knowing which button to hit.

But what this means is that you’re almost certainly to be pleased with its offerings, since they scarcely missed any features. Some of the awesome features include:

  • Tracking of mileage and fuel usage
  • Tire management, including air pressure monitoring
  • Vehicle maintenance and management reporting
  • GPS tracking system
  • Real-time vehicle diagnostics
  • Navigation and routing assistance optimizes the time and fuel savings
  • Incident and accident management reporting
  • Dispatch and employee monitoring
  • Engine status monitoring to minimize unnecessary idling
  • Fault monitoring alert system with built-in code display
  • Driver monitoring to track errant habits such as speeding and hard braking/acceleration
  • HOS and DVIR report generation
  • Built-in 4G LTE network support, considered one of its biggest draws allows for advanced navigation and seamless messaging.
  • Hot key functionality to assign shortcuts for frequently used functions. This can include ETA updating, confirmation of load, and more of your specific frequently used functions.

Pros

  • Extremely high quality
  • Fully customizable to suit your needs; it also includes hotkey support
  • Built-in data connection with a reliable network
  • Cloud backup of data ensures no accidental loss

Cons

  • Very expensive initial cost- a major deterrent to small companies
  • An array of functions sometimes makes it difficult for the technically inclined
  • Signal loss seems to occur fairly often

PeopleNet ELD Platform

PeopleNet E driver logs work on android devices, which offer the greatest flexibility in terms of functionality and ability to scale rapidly. Data accrued is also stored in the cloud, and can connect to any android device for seamless mobility and connectivity.

Part of the physical PeopleNet ELD includes an onboard computer that is Wi-Fi enabled to support consistent data transfer between drivers and fleet managers with coverage throughout the entire contiguous United States.

The actual app is also available on iOS devices as well, though the architecture is built on the android framework.

How To Install PeopleNet

Amateurs cannot attempt installation of PeopleNet. This is in stark contrast to many other devices that are user-friendly and take only a few minutes to be operational. Many people that go the DIY route end up giving up on this task out of sheer frustration.

The technical installation required is to be done by one of their trained professionals and explains in part the associated high cost for set up. If you are a small fleet just starting out, this may be the deal-breaker, but for medium, to large fleets, it is time well spent getting your truck up to speed for improved efficiency down the road.

How Much Does The PeopleNet ELD Cost?

There is an initial fee of $1200 per vehicle, in conjunction with the monthly subscription fee of $43. This price tag is definitely amongst the highest in the industry, especially when it comes to cost per vehicle, but what you are likely getting is a highly durable and efficient device.

Bear in mind that the device can fully be customized to meet your needs, making this cost well worth it for companies with their eye on future growth and savings.

Reporting Options

It is easy to generate several report types using PeopleNet ELD device. These include:

  • Six months to one-year driver reports – these are viewable by dispatchers/fleet managers. It helps to overview driver performance quickly and to institute necessary steps as appropriate
  • Daily log reporting – allows at a glance mileage tracking, the number of hours worked, hours available, and off-duty totals. This report is important to ensure HOS compliance and ELD mandate
  • Violation reporting - Similar to the driver reports, these focus explicitly on violations within the past six months to one year
  • Payroll - generates a weekly report that helps to determine how much to pay drivers
  • Driver viewable logs – this is a driver-specific report that allows profile viewing, including violations or hours worked. It is also printable if desired
  • Comparative KPI reporting – highly valued by fleet managers, helps compare comprehensive performance reports of all vehicles across the fleet. It also includes historical trends if deciding to scale/cut losses.

End Of Day Logs

At the end of each working day, you need to create and certify your log. This can be done via the following:

  • Click on inspections
  • Click new
  • Next, click post
  • Fill out the necessary details such as the date, your employee ID, as well as truck and trailer number if applicable
  • In next field select off-duty
  • In the mechanical defects field, enter no unless you’ve had a mechanical breakdown.
  • Finally, go back to the HOS screen and ensured that the log looks Correct before certifying it since you cannot edit after confirming the “certify logs” dialogue.

That’s it; you officially ended your working day.

My Recommendation

PeopleNet lives up to its reputation as one of the best ELD devices on the market, owing to its high degree of customization and functionality. However, that’s not to say that it is without its downside.

For instance, the cost is one of the biggest barriers to more people implementing this ELD. $1200 per vehicle is a steep upfront cost, and unfortunately, cannot be afforded by many small enterprises.

Its 4G LTE network is praised as being one of the best in the country, although drivers occasionally complain of signal loss on their device, which may affect the real-time GPS feature.

All in all, it is a very good device. The cost is likely to pay for itself very quickly and help your fleet’s efficiency for years down the line.