| UP FRONT COST | MONTHLY COST | 2-YEAR TOTAL COST |
| $175 | $24 | $751 |
PROS:
Easy to Install
Integrated Fleet Safety Features
Low Monthly Cost
CONS:
No Messaging
No Engine Diagnostics
Editing Driver Logs is Confusing
| Cost | Hardware | Elog App | Fleet App | Features | Total |
| 4 / 5 | 3.5 / 5 | 3.5 / 5 | 3.5 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 | 3.8 / 5 |
Intro
Gorilla Safety is a relatively new player in the ELD and Fleet Management fields. Gorilla was founded in November of 2013 as a fleet safety and risk management focused business. The founders started the business with overall safety in mind with modules designed to help fleets with CSA scores, accident investigations, repair and maintenance programs, and driver training. As the requirements for ELD were published, Gorilla was one of the first companies to begin full development in this space and one of the first companies to integrate the ELD with full fleet management solutions.
Cost – 4 / 5
Gorilla Safety’s ELD cost $175 upfront for the hardware. Customers must enter a minimum 3-year service agreement with a cost of $24 to $30 per month depending on premium features like IFTA reporting. The upfront cost and the monthly cost are both at the low end of the range for ELD offerings. However, there are other options that offer more user friendly driver logs and more advanced fleet management features.
For Fleets that are looking for a way to also organize their safety records and compliance processes, Gorilla Safety offers features including Accident Scene Management tools and a patented Closed-Loop Inspection Process including the mechanic, document management system, remote write-up program and more, which we will discuss in more detail below.
Device / Installation / Connectivity – 3.5 / 5
The Gorilla ELD is a small black box that connects to a truck’s diagnostic port using a 6-pin or 9-pin adapter. The plug n’ play device is easy to install, taking less than 5 minutes. Mysteriously, Gorilla’s ELD does not support a few basic features that you see in almost every other device on the market. For example, the device does not capture engine diagnostic info such as fault code. Gorilla has not state whether updates will be coming in the form of new ELD hardware or via software update.
ELog Mobile App For Drivers – 3.5 / 5
Gorilla’s Prime8 mobile app is a basic Elog App that runs on both iOS or Android. The App has a nice aesthetic but functionality and UI/UX leaves much to be desired. Some reviewers found it confusing to edit driver logs in the mobile app and Gorilla Safety is the only Elog we have reviewed that didn’t allow for 2-way messaging; or even one-way messaging. Drivers also do not get an easy view of all their recap hours for each day of the upcoming week, only today and tomorrow.
Some of these missing features might disqualify the app, but Gorilla also includes a very unique set of safety and fleet management tools that we discuss in the features section that are not found in other ELDs. The mobile app also includes an accident coaching feature that walks the driver through everything they need to do in the event of an accident. It will prompt a driver to take pictures of damage, record witness contact info, note police report details, and even capture audio statements from witnesses, all of which might prove useful in the future, especially for accident prone drivers.
Website For Fleet Managers – 3.5 / 5
Gorilla’s Web Dashboard has the ability to store Driver Qualification documents, maintenance inspection dates, and other clerical items required for safety and compliance. The system provides alerts when documents are expiring, when inspections need to be performed, and when other compliance events occur. Policy and training documents can also be sent to the driver’s ELD for review and signature, which provides an electronic record of acceptance.
The big weakness of Gorilla Safety is that, there is not currently an easy way to allocate un-logged driving to specific drivers. It is a very slow, manual process to make those kind of log corrections or additions, making it less likely for Fleets to maintain accurate records.
Additional Features / Comparison to Market – 4.5 / 5
Gorilla’s Prime8 offering includes a few safety and fleet management tools to look at defects and track time spent on inspection. The Prime8 DVIR feature uses GPS to record how long a driver spends on his inspection, and purportedly to ensure he physically visited all important inspection points on the truck. Defects found during an inspection automatically create a maintenance work-order for back office staff to view and address. The Gorilla system tracks and manages the process from inspection, to defect report, to repair, to sign off.
Conclusion – 3 / 5
Gorilla is not the best ELD currently available, nor is it even the best ELD in its price range. As stated above, there are other offerings that have no upfront cost and a lower monthly price that offer better HOS and Fleet Management features. However, Gorilla Safety might be of interest because of some expanded safety and compliance features that most other ELDs cannot boast, but these features will not be needed by all Fleets.
Specifications
Display Device Type: BYOD (Bring your own device)
OS: Android and iOS
Features
Patented DVIR
IFTA
Enhanced Compliance and Safety Features
Drivers can make log corrections, but it is not easy
Price per unit
Up-front cost: $175
Monthly cost: $24-$30
2-year Total Cost: $751