Michigan State Police Utilize ELDs for Electronic Messaging to Truckers

September 4, 2024

The Michigan State Police (MSP) Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division (CVED) has launched a new initiative that uses electronic messaging to truckers via their Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs). This safety campaign aims to directly communicate critical information to commercial drivers, helping improve road safety across Michigan.

Through a partnership with Drivewyze Inc., MSP officers can send safety alerts directly to the ELDs of truckers who have opted into the Smart Roadways System. This innovative system allows for electronic messaging to truckers, providing them with real-time alerts about roadway hazards, enforcement zones, and other important safety information. These alerts are brief—limited to 25 characters—and are displayed prominently on the truck’s ELD, ensuring they are easily visible.

“Safer commercial drivers make for safer roadways for all roadway users,” said Patrick Morris, a motor carrier inspector with MSP/CVED. “Coupled with continued education and enforcement, digital messaging direct to commercial drivers is another way our motor carrier officers are working to increase traffic safety and reduce traffic crashes and injuries on Michigan roads.”

The electronic messaging to truckers is geo-targeted, meaning the messages can be tailored to specific areas, allowing drivers to prepare for upcoming hazards or enforcement operations. However, not all commercial vehicles will receive these messages. Only those whose carriers have opted into the program will be part of this system.

Michigan joins a handful of other states—such as Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Texas—that have adopted similar systems. Morris noted that the success seen in these states encouraged Michigan to implement its own version of electronic messaging to truckers. By reaching drivers proactively, the system aims to prevent incidents before they occur.

The messages will include warnings for work zones, alerts about low-clearance bridges, and advice on safe driving behaviors. MSP also plans to use this system during high-traffic periods, such as holidays, when driving risks tend to increase.

In addition to enhancing communication, the electronic messaging to truckers also provides data that law enforcement can use to assess driver behavior. MSP will track metrics such as vehicle speed and hard braking events to determine the system’s effectiveness. Research by Drivewyze suggests that around 25% of drivers reduce their speed within 30 seconds of receiving an alert, highlighting the potential of this system to improve safety.

As part of this broader safety campaign, MSP will also increase its enforcement efforts, focusing on common causes of accidents, such as speeding, tailgating, improper lane changes, and distracted driving.

Looking ahead, the MSP plans to expand the use of this electronic messaging to truckers during peak travel periods and hazardous road conditions, further bolstering its efforts to keep Michigan’s roads safe for all.

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Electric Chicken

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Sometimes my company sends messages over the ELD and when I call they say it was for a different terminal. I've ignored everything they send ever since.

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Mike

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Your company sending messages to you is annoying, but understandable.

Law enforcement now being able to get into the system is a bit troubling. I think Michigan was one of the states that was shutting drivers down for being tired several years ago. They took it upon themselves to see how clean your truck was and crap like that to determine if you needed to be forced to shut down for a 10 hour break.

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Electric Chicken

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Clean inside or clean outside? I mean...🤔

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Mike

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I can't remember all the criteria, but I think they looked at both.

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Electric Chicken

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Duck

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28,935 messages 39,790 likes

I think it was Minnesota

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Mike

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Might have been. It’s been a while.

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Duck

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28,935 messages 39,790 likes

They were saying that white sheets were required in the bunk. They had to be white. No other color. I remember that part.

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389 Hood

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Connecticut had that rule back in the 80's and 90's. But then, they are a Fascist state.

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Duck

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When I started at Van Wyk inc (Sheldon, IA - not the imposters in Grinnell, IA) in 2005 they'd already set up their Qualcomms so they're useless if the truck is moving.

We ran paper logs back then, so the QC was simply a communication device.

Because we had to stop the truck to check a message, they learned that it could be hours before they'd get a response from me.

When they switched to ELDs (called "e-logs" back then) in 2009-ish, you were able to get it to speak the messages through the truck stereo.

But the text-to-speech software was primitive and it mispronounced a lot of words, especially dispatcher shorthand like "BT" for bobtail, TRL for trailer, P/U for pickup, APPT for appointment, etc

And then there's the load information with the Van Wyk trip number and the customer freight bill number, appointment times, addresses, phone numbers, etc

A trip number was typically 8 or 9 digits long, starting with the year, the number of the DAY out of 365, ignoring the months, then another 3 or 4 digits.

If it happened to be T# 2009264786 the robo-chick would say "tee pound two billion nine million two hundred sixty four thousand seven hundred eighty six".

It read ALL numbers that way, even phone numbers. And it took forever and it was distracting trying to listen for it to say the name of the shipper and the city/state, ya know, the relevant info I'd need when considering whether to accept the load or not.

But at the beginning of the load offer messages it said load offer, so I'd usually just grab the next exit ramp.

I wonder if Michigan DOT knows that most, if not all, carriers disable the device when the truck is in motion, making them almost useless for their purposes.

I'd imagine they'd send amber alerts, "accident ahead at mile marker xxx" type of stuff.

Yeah officer, I'll check that message next time I stop the truck. But I have an empty bladder and a full pack of smokes so it's gonna be a while.

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Electric Chicken

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My dad had one of those primitive Qualcomms at USF Glen Moore.

For the day it was high tech, but looking back compared to today it's like being dispatched on a Speak n Spell.

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