Training session with Arizona’s DPS troopers to help simplify roadside inspections.

As part of Motive’s commitment to safety, we recently took part in a training for Arizona DPS troopers. We were invited by the Arizona Department of Public Safety Commercial Vehicle Enforcement (DPS) to educate and train the DPS troopers on how to use the Motive App when conducting a roadside inspection.

This training came in handy for the DPS troopers specifically for the 2019 CVSA Roadside Inspection.

75 DPS troopers attended the training session. The session was led by Chelsea Kendrick, Customer Education manager, and Breanna Culleney, Product Manager (Compliance), at Motive.

Apart from promoting safety and compliance, these types of training exercises help speed up and simplify roadside inspections in Arizona, benefitting DPS troopers as well as commercial drivers.

What did the DPS troopers learn?

The two-hour presentation focused on many different aspects of officer training.

Since DPS officers told us they see Motive most often on the road, we started with an introduction to Motive and how it works.

Here’s what Anthony Gerard, Captain of Arizona State Troopers, said about the training session:

“The Arizona State Trooper Commercial Vehicle Enforcement district invited Motive to provide training on their electronic logging device (ELD) prior to Operation Roadcheck. Troopers found the training to be beneficial in determining the differences in the Motive system between electronic log, ELD, and AOBRD modes.

“Motive instructors provided handouts to navigate their system, answered questions, and brought a simulator for hands-on training. They were receptive to [the] feedback we provided, and overall, the interaction was beneficial to both parties.”

We also discussed how to perform the Hours of Service inspection, how the DOT inspection mode in Motive works, how to view the logs in the Motive App, and the different options a driver has (print, email, or fax) to share the logs.

Watch how easy it is to stay compliant with Motive. 

Another important part of the training included the law enforcement guide for understanding the different modes drivers may be operating in.

Travis Baskin, Head of Regulatory Affairs at Motive, says the following about the training program:

“It was a very valuable experience for the DPS troopers, and we strive to have a great relationship with the law enforcement and to make sure that we are addressing the pain-points with our products and services. [Our aim is] to ease the adoption of the ELD services across all stakeholders in the space.”

Breanna Culleney, Motive’s Product Manager (Compliance), also highlighted the importance of this training session in ensuring compliance, “Coming from our product development side at Motive, we strive to make the easiest to use solution for drivers and fleet managers, but they are not the only people we are building for. Officers are just as important and should not be forgotten when it comes to building a compliance solution. They are interacting with ELDs day in and day out and making important decisions on the information they get, which impact drivers and carriers operations. If they have a hard time understanding the product, it can lead to a negative experience for the driver operating it.”

She also focused on how a collaborative effort like this can help us improve our product, which would be beneficial for all stakeholders in the trucking industry. She said:

“To build a great experience for all, we need to go and put boots on the ground, observe weigh stations, ride along in the cab, and understand what problems they face so we can help solve for them. We were honored to have been given the opportunity to not only train, but learn in person from Arizona DPS and have plans to improve the product based on their feedback already.”

The DPS troopers also shared valuable feedback on the training session and the Motive App that would help us improve even more. The general consensus was that Motive is an easier electronic logging device to operate for commercial drivers and safety inspectors.

One DPS trooper said, “Motive is the very best device for the industry and enforcement. I always mention Motive to drivers who have issues or don’t have an ELD.”

Another official from the Arizona DPS said, “For the most part, Motive is easier to use than other ELDs.”

Transitioning from AOBRDs to ELDs

For AOBRD users, Dec. 16, 2019, is the final deadline for installing FMCSA-registered electronic logging devices. According to a survey by FreightWaves, 40 percent of drivers are still using AOBRDs, and approximately 52 percent of them are planning to wait until the last quarter before switching to ELDs.

Transitioning from AOBRDs to ELDs at the last moment may create problems for fleets. Because there are several differences between AOBRDs and ELD, extensive driver training is required to make sure drivers completely understand how to operate ELDs.

Safety officers may also face problems if they’re not familiar with the differences between AOBRDs and ELDs. Our training session with Arizona’s DPS troopers specifically focused on the AOBRD mode.

Drivers and motor carriers who are waiting until the last moment to switch from AOBRDs to ELDs are expected to face compliance issues.

It is, therefore, highly recommended to transition now and give your drivers and back-office staff enough time for training and getting familiar with how the two devices/modes operate.

What’s next?

Motive is committed to making compliance easier for all stakeholders across the industry. We were amazed by the enthusiasm and eagerness of the DPS troopers present in the training session, and we’re looking forward to making it an annual training meeting as our relationship with Arizona DPS continues to grow.

If you want to do your own on-site training, reach out to us at education@gomotive.com.