Electronic Logging Device

[Rookie-31st]

Effective April 1st, all trucks in the United States must use ELD to track work hours (hours-of-service regulations)

I think implementing one in the ATS, even as just an option, would be huge step to enhance gameplay.

Frankly, since initial release of ATS there was NO gameplay evolution. Physical fifth wheel and trailer cables are nice, but what about other aspects of trucking?

ELD can even be implemented within World of Trucks, since it has contracts with much wider delivery window than in-game Freight Market.

It is time to enhance gameplay, not just maps and trucks with trailers

[AyMazingATS]

Wouldn't this fall under "fatigue simulation?"

There is no qualcomm or omnitracs unit that is in the trucks though. When doing external contracts(World of Trucks) that would be your logging device as you can see the loads that you have done.

[Reese]

I agree with the above post. I would put ELD(which is only true in post-2000 trucks) simulation under Fatigue Simulation.

[Rookie-31st]

Originally posted by AyMazingATS:

Wouldn't this fall under "fatigue simulation?"

It forces player to take a rest for 10 hours after 14 hours of activity, but it does not log anything. ELD actually produces daily hours-of-service log which can be checked by police officers at traffic stops or weight stations for compliance.

Also, fatique simulation does not account for other regulations, like 60/70-hour limit in 7/8 consecutive days - must take 34 hours off to restart the period.

I was talking about ELD in a sense of actually tracking hours-of-service, not forcing players to take a rest like 'fatique simulation' does.

It should work even without fatique simulation, you would get on-duty counter somewhere and a warning that you must rest to comply with regulations. Player could simply ignore it. And you could actually access daily/weekly/monthly log somewhere to check how hard you work.

[russellwoodsjr2004]

I agree they should add some type of elog into they game. They should add them to the company trucks when you first staart the game to give a more realistic experience.

[jcarder36]

could be interesting and exciting

[Sandhill]

not for me...I play for the fun of driving, not the book keeping and regulation compliance procedural trivia. Making you spend four real time hours a week filling out forms of one sort or another would give a more "realistic" experience, but not a more enjoyable experience. This would be WAY down on my wish list...

[Hylton Trucking]

One of the later 18 WOS games (maybe Hauling?) had a log book and you could get a fine if you went over your drive time. And much like IRL, that could be annoying

[wim1234]

if(when) its done and its optional, np , but not foced, no.

[MEAN MACHINE NJ]

Don't let the player be able to disable fatigue then you got the pull over and rest Maybe about 8 minutes for the 8hr rule and 10 minutes for 10 hr rule you can play for 14 hrs but drive 11hr then at the when you have to do a reset 34 hrs no playing for 3x4 hrs = 34 minutes

[Twelvefield]

I don't understand how you would implement this in the game. So there's a log. OK. But then what? If you are under hours... nothing would happen - that's exciting. But if you are over hours... then what? Every police would fine you? You'd have to pull over in the middle of nowhere? Or what?

One problem is that game time doesn't match real time, so it's a little hard to gauge the clock unless you have the GPS helper up. That, and if you're right on the edge of going overtime, what happens if you travel out of the city onto the highway? Time goes by much faster on the open road.

[Rookie-31st]

Originally posted by Twelvefield:

I don't understand how you would implement this in the game.

Similarly to fatique simulation. Get some kind of warning few in-game hours in advance to give enough time to find resting place. In case of violation, there are options. I wouldn't make police giving fines for this like they do for speeding or red light, because they would need to stop you to check log, so ticket would be given in case of other violation only, or if you enter weight station for a check

[ttower]

If im not mistaken, the Fatigue Simulation is based off of driving restrictions, not a realistic sleep schedule (for the most part). Isnt this similar already to what the ELD does, just implemented in a way everyone could understand? I might be missing something, so enlighten me if you would.

[Rookie-31st]

I see fatique simulation as based on universal human need for sleep, probably adjusted somewhat to give more or less realistic work/rest schedule. Hours-of-service regulations tracked by ELD are based on same human need for sleep to ensure drivers do not overwork and stay alert on the road.

ELD tracks work hours. It produces daily and weekly logs showing what hours you worked and what hours you rested each day. Fatique simulation only initiates rest requirement after about 12-14 hours of gameplay, that's all.

Technically, it seems feasible to just rename and slightly recode fatique simulation to make it hours-of-service regulation, and it would be fairly close to reality. Ideally, it would also need to track 60/70-hour limit in 7/8 consecutive days, requiring 34 hours of rest afterwards.

[Asigion]

This would improve the game, how?

[Hylton Trucking]

Originally posted by Willy.J.K:

This would improve the game, how?

Improve no. Be a pain in the butt like real life - yup. I would be fine with it if we had the option if disabling it like we already can do fatigue & traffic fines. If you're wanting as much realism as possible, there you go