Is Your ELD on Transport Canada's 'No Longer Certified' List?

A tractor-trailer crosses the Canada-USA border, Queenston-Lewiston Bridge into Canada. - Photo: Jim Park — A tractor-trailer crosses the Canada-USA border, Queenston-Lewiston Bridge into Canada.
*Photo: Jim Park*

Diligent carriers may be shocked to find their Canadian ELDs on a list of “No Longer Certified” devices.

The official list of certified electronic logging devices, maintained by Canada’s Transport Regulator, Transport Canada, currently displays a list ofeight “No Longer Certified” devices. The list appears near the bottom of the first page of listings of certified devices.

Since motor carriers operating in Canada are required to use only devices listed on the agency’s official list of certified ELDs, seeing a particular device on the no longer certified list might cause some concern

.According to a source with knowledge of the situation, the devices appearing on the “no longer certified” list reflect those currently in a transition from one certifying body to another.

“With the withdrawal of one of the certification bodies, the CSA Group, last summer the remaining two certification bodies will take on clients previously certified by that body,” he told HDT. “The transition from one certifying body to another results in the cancellation of the original certification. That is replaced, following a successful reevaluation, with a new certification.”

As of last year, Canada had a sample of in-service devices to ensure continued compliance with the requirements following software updates, etc.

The CSA Group confirmed they voluntarily withdrew from the certification process and are no longer engaged in that business.

“I can confirm that CSA has discontinued this program. All our customers have been notified and we have provided guidance on how they may wish to consider proceeding with their ELD products,” a spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

Following CSA Group’s withdrawal, vendors of products previously certified by CSA Group had to transfer their certification to another certifying body.The other certifiers had to review the certifications to ensure they were nottaking on unreliable products.

If various technical requirements were satisfied, the new certification body issued a new certification for each device involved. The previous certification was revoked, the source explained to HDT.

For example, in the case of one device on the decertified list, FleetComplete’s Big Road ELD, the certification number has changed from 3A28 (see list below) to 1F41 — a designation associated with the new certification body.

Cross-checking the lists, that device now also appears in the certified list, but with a new certification number. The only change is the certification number, that appears in the second column from the right and the software version number.

More Confusion than Concern

This issue was brought to our attention by Mike Millian, president of the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada. He periodically checks the list to see if any devices have been added or removed. He was surprised to see a list of decertified devices, so he issued an alert to his member companies advisingthen to check the status of their ELDs.

“I was surprised to see that list,” Millian told HDT. “It wasn’t there when I checked earlier this year. I hadn’t heard anything about the list or what it meant.”

Our source confirmed that no advance notice was given about the list.”I first noticed the deregistered list about a month ago,” he said. “At that time, the certification status column was blank. I’m not sure when that information was updated but think it is only recently.”

Our source also confirmed that appropriate notice was provided to clients byCSA Group prior to its withdrawal and processes were implemented to ensure a smooth transition for vendors from CSA to another certification body.

“We have had conversations with Transport Canada on how to manage the issue of devices in transition appearing on the decertified list, but they decided not to address it,” our source says. “In fact, you’ll see the devices in question also appear on the certified list, albeit with a new certification number. Still, I can see where it might cause some confusion among fleets seeing their device on the decertified list.”

He says the decertified list is likely to grow in the coming weeks as more devices, previously certified by CSA Group, are transferred over to new certifiers.He suggests carriers periodically review the list to ensure the ELDs they are using are still in good standing. Carriers operating in Canada are required to use only devices listed on the agency’s list of certified ELDs.

Fleets using the devices appearing on the decertified list should contact their ELD vendors for clarification.