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Unity Groups for BigRoad

Sharon Dhesi
  • Updated

Unity Groups

If you have multiple authorities (USDOT, CVOR, NSC, etc.) within the same account, Unity Groups (not BigRoad groups) will need to be set up for each authority.

The Carrier Info toggle will need to be enabled for the Group and the Carrier Name, Carrier Address, and USDOT (if you have one) will need to be populated.

Add the correct drivers and assets to each group and make sure the correct users have access to that group. Drivers and assets can belong to multiple groups.

Let’s take a closer look at step-by-step instructions for setting up Groups for BigRoad ELD Authorities.

Using Unity Groups / Hierarchies Within BigRoad ELD

Unity supports adding users and assets to groups or hierarchies that can be set up in a nested structure. Groups can be used for many purposes in an organization.

For BigRoad ELD they allow for grouping users (support personnel and drivers) and assets into multiple branches, locations, or carriers belonging to different divisions under the corporate umbrella. This can be used to allow a driver to select the carrier name within the organization that they are working for at any given time and have that show correctly on their daily log header, keeping their logs in compliance without manual overrides.

Explaining the setup of hierarchies is outside the scope of the information found here, however detailed information can be reviewed on this website from with in the Unity section.

There is an option to add ‘Carrier info’ to a Group. This allows users to designate a Group to be a registered ‘Authority’ within the organization that has a separate motor carrier registration number (USDOT # or NSC in Canada).

This allows users to add all drivers who drive under that authority and all assets that are driven/registered under that authority to that Unity Group. When configured correctly, this feature will allow the BigRoad ELD drivers to seamlessly select the authority they are driving under at any given time, eliminating the need for users to add Carrier Overrides for drivers in the BigRoad ELD web application and/or the need for drivers to manually enter the information each time they change which authority they are driving for.

How to Enable Carrier info for a Group

Be sure to populate the Carrier Name, Carrier Address, and USDOT fields with what should show up on the drivers’ Daily Log Header if they belong to the desired Group.

Follow the steps below to add carrier data per group:

  1. Log in to Unity

  2. From the Navigation Panel on the left-hand side, click Settings module

  3. Select the Groups tab from the top

  4. From the list of Groups, select the desired Group name

  5. From the Carrier info section, click the toggle button to enable Carrier info, and add the Carrier name, address and USDOT number

  6. Click the Save button

Setting Up A Group to Support BigRoad ELD Driver Daily Logs

  • A driver’s daily log for a driver operating in the U.S. requires the carrier name, carrier address, and USDOT number for the carrier the driver is working for that day, to be included.

  • A driver’s daily log for a driver operating in Canada requires the carrier name and carrier address for the carrier the driver is working for that day, to be included. No registration numbers are required in Canada.

  • Your organization can be comprised of multiple carriers, each one with a different location, and different registration numbers.

Follow the steps below to access Groups:

  1. Log in to Unity  

  2. In the Navigation panel, click Settings  

  3. Select the Groups tab  

  4. View the Groups Structure list area

  5. View the corresponding Group Details area

Setting Up A Group to Support BigRoad ELD Driver Daily Logs

When Groups are enabled, the existing override fields will no longer be necessary or available on a driver’s profile within BigRoad ELD. The group setup replaces the overrides for how to set a carrier name and address different than the default.

Selecting the correct carrier information for a driver can now be handled much more seamlessly with Unity Groups. You can enter each of the separate carriers as a Group within Unity. In the below example, the top level organization is called APP Trucking. App Trucking is set up with a division in the USA that has the Carrier info toggle enabled and the Carrier info entered.

If you are Unity Fleet, integrated with BigRoad ELD, as soon as you enable the ‘Carrier Info’ toggle for one of the Groups, support for those Carriers will be enabled in BigRoad ELD. It’s important to add all users, drivers, and assets to the groups and be ready to go, before enabling the Carrier Info toggle.

Add Users and Assets to Groups

Drivers, as well as non-driver users, should be added to all of the groups they work for.

Assets are added to groups in the same way. Users and Assets can also belong to multiple groups.

Follow the steps below to add Users to Groups:

Follow the steps below to assign a node to a Person:

  1. Log in to Unity

  2. From the Navigation Panel on the left-hand side, click the Settings module

  3. Select the Groups tab from the top

  4. Click on the desired Node

  5. From the Details Area, click the People tab

  6. Locate the desired Person(s), and click the corresponding toggle button to assign

  7. Click the Save button

To learn more about Groups, here is a link to an eBook that goes over Groups in detail: Unity – Groups

Unity Groups in the BigRoad ELD Mobile App

When a driver logs in to the mobile app when Groups are enabled (at least one Unity Group has the Carrier Info toggle enabled), if the driver belongs to any groups in Unity they will be asked to “Pick an Authority” which represents choosing the Carrier Name they are currently working for.

The driver will be able to select from any group they belong to or a group above or below them in the same chain in the hierarchy.

unity_groups_for_bigroad_image5

Example: the driver belongs to CA Carrier 1 and U.S. Carrier 1. They can therefore select from either of these groups, the group directly above in the hierarchy (USA or Canada) and the top level node or headquarters (Fleet Complete).

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Unity Groups in the BigRoad ELD Mobile App

  • After selecting an Authority, in this case CA Carrier 1, the driver’s daily log header will reflect the carrier name, address, and USDOT# from the group setup, rather than the default name and address of the ‘Headquarters’.

BigRoad ELD default name & address of the Headquarters.

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Unity Group setup: carrier name, address and USDOT#.

Drivers Daily Log Header with the information from the Unity Group Setup.

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Unity Groups in the BigRoad ELD Mobile App

Drivers can switch to working for a different carrier within the organization.

Follow the steps below to switch working for a different carrier in the BigRoad ELD mobile app:

  1. Log in to BigRoad ELD mobile app

  2. Tap the More button

  3. Tap Switch Authority... and select a carrier

Note: When a driver is selecting a truck within the mobile app or if they are selecting a co-driver, they can choose from assets or other drivers from anywhere within their chain in the hierarchy.

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Example: After selecting US Carrier 1 as the new authority, the daily log header will be updated to match.

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