FQ Wireless is pleased to announce that Switchboard ELD, one of the top selling ELD applications in the US market, has now received Canadian ELD Certification from Transport Canada. With this certification in place, we are now pleased to accept orders for all 3 versions of Switchboard ELD:
- Switchboard ELD
- Switchboard ELD + GPS
- Switchboard ELD + GPS + Dash Cam
Customers may start with the base Switchboard ELD package, to become fully ELD compliant in Canada, Mexico and the USA. At any time, Switchboard ELD can be upgraded to the mid-teir package, which adds real-time, always on GPS tracking or to the top tier package, which adds both real-time GPS tracking and a commercial grade dual DashCam. The philosophy of FQ Wireless is to maximize flexibility and value for our clients. To that end, Switchboard is the premium value solution available today, with best-in-class features and reliability, packaged with simple terms and maximum flexibility.
Powerful Functionality
- Full Canadian, USA & Mexico compliance
- Automatic ELD jurisdiction switching & notifications
- Full cloud-based supervisor dashboard
- Drivers can sign-into a driver cloud dash board for log editing, log-certs, reports
- Two-way integration of log edits between app & portal
- Grid-view log editing -friendly interface
- Full DVIR inspections
- Configurable DVIR checklists
- Signature capture for DVIR sign-off
- Automatic ECM connectivity diagnostics
- ECM disconnect warning
- Automatic unidentified driving events
- Audible & visible not logged-on warning upon driving
- Over-the-air updating
- Slip-seat & team drivers
- Automatic driving status changes
- Multiple logon warnings -when driver logged multiple vehicles
- Pre-configurable Yards for automatic yard move status change
- Configurable yard move radius sizes
- Configurable terminals -drivers can be assigned to terminal(s)
- Night mode theme
- Multi-language driver support
- IFTA mileage reports
Responsive Support
All 3 versions of Switchboard include 24 hour, 7 days per week direct driver toll-free support in English, French and Punjabi. This means that your drivers can call for support from the middle of the road, late on Sunday night to get the help they need. In addition, the plug & play ELD device (ECMLink™) included in all 3 packages includes a lifetime hardware warranty.
Simple Terms
For over 23 years, FQ Wireless has provided telematics solutions without the need for any minimum contract terms. We believe that happy customers tend to stick around and our focus should be on earning their business each month. If we’re not doing the job or our products aren’t fulfilling your needs, we wouldn’t want to hold you back.
Product Overview
All certified ELD offerings on the market today include a device that plugs into the vehicle’s ECM connector. This device, regardless of the ELD provider, interprets the engine data coming from the vehicle’s engine and passes that information to a driver ELD app that is running on a smartphone, tablet or proprietary mobile data terminal. Most ECM devices pass the info to the driver’s ELD app via BlueTooth. All of these ECM devices include a GPS receiver, which passes the vehicle’s location to the ELD app under certain conditions as required for certification, such as at driver log on, log-off and duty status changes such as On Duty, Driving, etc. In all cases, the device that the driver app is installed on has 4G cellular data capability in order to send and receive this status information to the ELD provider’s cloud application and the ELD certification body.
It is important to draw a distinction between these ECM devices, which is simply this: Does the ECM device contain its own 4G cellular data modem? It’s a simple yes or no question. It’s a fact that many of the low-cost ELD solutions out there do not have any cellular connectivity in the ECM device that is connected to the truck. If the device containing the ELD driver app itself has cellular connectivity, then why does it matter if the ECM black box also has 4G connectivity?
- If the ECM device does not have its own cellular data capability with its own SIM card, then the solution does not have always-on, hardware-based GPS tracking capability. Many low cost ELD solutions imply that GPS tracking is included, but if there is no 4G modem in the ECM device, then this means they are depending on the driver’s ELD device (tablet or smartphone) to pass on the GPS info to the providers tracking system. Simply put, if that driver device is turned off, there goes your GPS tracking. This is basically app-based tracking instead of hardware-based tracking and its not as accurate or reliable. It means that if the driver turns off the ELD tablet or smartphone, the vehicle tracking ceases functioning.
- If the ECM device does not have its own connectivity, then over-the-air ECM troubleshooting, configuration changes and firmware updating becomes a much more manual process.
Many ELD vendors require the purchase of an optional, more expensive black box, often called a Vehicle Gateway, to add connectivity to the ECM device.
All 3 versions of Switchboard ELD include an ECMLink module that has an on-board LTE 4G modem with its own, on-board SIM card. The basic Switchboard ELD package’s SIM card is simply not activated. The base Switchboard ELD package provides full ELD compliance, but does not include real-time, always-on GPS tracking capability. However, the customer may upgrade it to either of the other 2 packages at any time, in which case, we simply activate its on-board SIM card.
Innovative Dash Cam
The 3rd available package with Canadian ELD Certification, is called Switchboard + GPS + Dash Cam and as noted above, the other 2 packages can be upgraded at any time to this solution, simply by paying the difference in price. The included Scout HDC-25 Ai SHD dash cam provided is an innovative product that comes with a host of standard features:
- Forward 1080p wide angle camera with starlight lens for clear night vision
- Interior 1080p wide angle camera with infrared night vision
- Third camera slot for any 720p HD camera of your choosing
- Integrated audio microphone for in-cab recording
- Included momentary switch for driver SOS or Push-to-Talk to dispatch
- Integrated GPS with 10 second GPS tracking
- Integrated WiFi & 4G LTE connectivity
- Accelerometer for harsh driving evidence uploads & alerts
- H.265 video encoding for twice the cellular efficiency & storage history
- Real-time video streaming from the cloud or mobile app
- Camera HD snapshots can be taken from the cloud or mobile app
- Up to 512 GB on-board storage via SD card for extensive history
Upgrade-In-Place to AI Powered ADAS and DSM Capabilities
The Scout HDC-25 dash cam provided with the top tier ELD package is designed to allow in-field expansion capability, such that fleets can add on Ai powered (artificial intelligence) based features or a third camera at any time. Four expansion packages are offered:
- Package B – Adds a Rear Weatherproof Camera to the 3rd Camera Slot
- Package C – Adds ADAS Capabilities to the Front Facing Camera
- Package D – Adds ADAS to the Front Camera and a Weatherproof Rear Camera
- Package E – Adds ADAS to the Front Camera and a DSM Camera to the 3rd Camera Slot
With these optional upgrades, the HDC-25 provides fleet managers the ability to design the solution that best fits their needs and budget. These packages are available at anytime during or after the initial purchase, with an upgrade-in-place concept.
Choosing to upgrade the existing forward-facing camera to an ADAS camera (Advanced Driver Assistance) in package C, D or E adds Ai intelligence processing, which adds these features:
- Lane Adherence
- Follow Too Close
- Pedestrian Detection
- Crash Detection
Choosing package E adds ADAS as described above, as well as an additional DSM camera (Driver Safety Monitor) that plugs into the 3rd camera slot. The DSM camera is a monochrome camera designed to focus more tightly on the driver’s face. It uses the oon-board Ai processing to add these additional features:
- Driver Fatigue
- Driver Distraction
- Smartphone Use While Driving
- Smoking
- Seatbelt Use
- Driver Face Recognition
The beauty of the Scout dash cam system is that the base version can be purchased initially to keep costs low and implementation simple. Then, at any time, the Ai powered ADAS and/or DSM functions can be activated over-the-air remotely. Any additional cameras such as the DSM cameras or weatherproof rear camera can simply be shipped out at time of upgrade.
Switchboard Awarded Canadian ELD Certification -Why Pay More?
Its interesting that every single solution listed on the Transport Canada Certified ELD’s website went through the identical rigorous testing procedures by a certified third-party labratory. In fact, with only a handful of certified testing labs, many competitive solutions were certified by the very same labs.
Its well known that it was much more difficult and expensive to become certified in Canada than it is or was to be certified in the USA or Mexico, where solutions are “self-certified”. In Canada, all vendors were treated equally, paying the same appplication fees and undergoing the same regulations and stringent testing. Therefore, every single solution approved meets 100% of the criteria. There was no grading involved. There are no bronze, silver and gold ELD categories. The solution is either certified or its not.
So, this begs the question, is it worth signing an onerous, vendor-favoring legal contract and paying more, sometimes much, much more for a solution that meets the identical ELD requirements? With deep functionality, lifetime warranty and 24 x7 driver-direct support in 3 languages, we don’t think so. In fact, we’re confident that Switchboard ELD is the premium value Transport Canada Certified ELD solution on the market. Check us out by booking a 20 minute meeting below.
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