I have used the Motive ELD system – formerly KeepTrucken – since 2017 in a few of my trucks. When we first signed up, it was $20 a month and your equipment is free if you paid for a year in advance. They gradually went up but had three choices of level, not including their Dashcam model which is way overpriced for what is available out there. You can run a stand alone Dashcam for cheaper, which we did.
Over the years, they used the same MO, raise their prices every contract and sign a two year contract. Pay in full. When you needed services such as the ability to add fuel documents, and IFTA, it was an added $20 a month. They have you over a barrel because you are already locked in with a contract and they have your credit card number.
So, 2025 rolls around and we know we are close to our contract expiration date. I get a call from Stewart Green, Motive Sale Team, speaking with an (I think) Indian accent he tells me his name is Stewart Green. This alone insults my intelligence. I know his name is not Stewart and that they are only doing this to appease our American sensibilities but to think we are ignorant to believe this.
“I hate hearing that Motive used some of their heavy handed tactics to force obedience to their long term contact. This kind of thing is happening to owner-operators all across the country and talking about it is the best way to help others build up confidence to stand up to it the same way that you have.”
He tells me that my contract is set to expire and that I need to sign a new contract. He details that they no longer have any of the less expensive levels of service. I ask what about my grandfathered account? He tells me that they no longer honor, and they now only have one level of service called Enterprise that features everything in one, except Dashcam.
Well I ask, what exactly does it have that I need to run my business, like a small carrier, Hotshot Truck, and owner operator? He names off about five features including enhanced integration, Integrated fleet management platform, Customizable documents, Safety analytics and training videos, advanced AI-powered safety features with improved positive behavior detection. In other words, they would be up my ass more, monitoring my driving with those meaningless safety alerts. All these features are for huge Trucking fleets, your hundred truck plus logistics fleets. Not us, Mom and Pop, less than 10 trucks.
I am an old school driver and owner operator, I use an ELD to be compliant, and ONLY to be compliant, not something that I want to do or use as tool to run my business. They are asking us to pay for their improvements, research & Development, and forcing us to use it? Hell no, this isn’t what I signed up for.
Then he explained that I needed to pay $1360 for the next year on two units immediately or risk termination of my service.
So, I told Mr. Green (lol) that I didn’t need all that but exactly how long do I need before my contract expires and they cut me off? This is where I saw red. He told me that If I did not sign today, that my service would expire in 12 hrs by the next morning. I said WHAT? You call me on the day I need to extend my contract, while my trucks are out on the road, with no way to switch out ELD?
Thank God my Logistics Mgr./Dispatcher Alex gave me the right advice. He said NO, we can run paper logs, Screw them. So, I instructed our drivers to switch to paper for a few days,
Luckily, I have a great relationship with Blue Ink Tech and like their easy to use, simple to install ELD. It’s MUCH cheaper with Dashcam added, full featured system. I just was stuck out till I could get them in our trucks. I almost caved, just not needing more on my plate, and to avoid the hassle.
I called Blue Ink Tech and they added two units to our account. If you have read my previous service reviews, I wanted to switch anyway but the logistics of getting everything into one place at once is a hurdle.
“I hate hearing that Motive used some of their heavy handed tactics to force obedience to their long term contact. This kind of thing is happening to owner-operators all across the country and talking about it is the best way to help others build up confidence to stand up to it the same way that you have.”
Now I know I am just upset on how I was treated. Maybe you like Motive or you like the dependability and accessibility to customer support. As I outlined in my service review, out of the two that we had in our other trucks, we have only ever needed customer support once until my driver figured out he could edit his logs himself. Not all that driver must sign logs before the administrator can make any changes, etc.
At the end of the day, it is your business and I am just giving you options. Some like the Progressive insurance discount. I was offered it several times before. I always turned it down. I do not believe in added intrusion into my business, me or my driver’s driving patterns. We are 100% safe and compliant but my experience is that unnecessary intrusion can be a two-edged sword they could use against you to deny a claim, raise your rates. Whatever they want. I used to lease on to a Hazmat flatbed operator and their Samsara was always breathing down my throat, you couldn’t even drive in the Lot without it telling me to buckle up. Us old school OG Drivers do not take well to AI criticism lol.
