When did eld become mandatory?
How Was the ELD Mandate Implemented? The FMCSA released the ELD Mandate proposal in 2014, two years after the MAP-21 law was signed. The FMCSA published the ELD final rule on December 16, 2015.
12/15/2015 - ELD Final Rule Published
12/18/2017 - ELD Final Rule Compliance Date
12/16/2019 - ELD Mandatory Use of ELDs
About ELDs
The ELD rule applies to motor carriers and drivers who are required to keep records of duty service (RODS). An ELD is technology that automatically records a driver’s driving time and other aspects of the hours-of-service (HOS) records. This allows easier, more accurate HOS recordkeeping. An ELD monitors a vehicle’s engine to capture data on whether the engine is running, whether the vehicle is moving, miles driven, and duration of engine operation (engine hours). With an ELD, Law enforcement can review a drivers hours of service by viewing the ELD’s display screen, by a printout from the ELD, and in the near future by retrieving data electronically from the ELD. Manufacturers must self-certify that ELDs meet technical standards in the ELD rule and register with the FMCSA. Motor carriers and drivers must choose only ELDs that are certified and registered on FMCSA’s website, as other devices may not be compliant.
Top Frequently Asked Questions About the ELD Rule
Q: Who must comply with the electronic logging device (ELD) rule?
A: The ELD rule applies to motor carriers and drivers who are currently required to keep records of duty service (RODS) under the hours-of-service (HOS) regulations. Drivers who use the time card exception, and don’t keep paper RODs, will not be required to use ELDs. The following drivers may keep paper RODS: • Drivers who keep RODS no more than 8 days during any 30-day period. • Driveaway-towaway drivers (transporting a vehicle for sale, lease, or repair), provided the vehicle driven is part of the shipment or the vehicle being transported is a motor home or recreational vehicle trailer. • Drivers of vehicles manufactured before model year 2000. However, a carrier can choose to use an ELD, even if it is not required.
Q: How soon can electronic logging devices (ELDs) be installed and used – and when must they be used in commercial motor vehicles (CMVs)?
A: Manufacturers can begin certifying and registering ELDs beginning February 16, 2016. Carriers or drivers can use registered ELDs as soon as they are available. All motor carriers and drivers subject to the ELD rule must use either an ELD or an AOBRD (automatic onboard recording device) by the “compliance date” (December 18, 2017). However, AOBRDs may be used after the compliance date if the devices were put into use before that date. Starting December 16, 2019, all carriers and drivers subject to the ELD rule must use ELDs.
Q: How many supporting documents must be retained by motor carriers, and when must drivers submit them to the motor carrier?
A: Motor carriers must retain up to eight supporting documents for each 24-hour period that a driver is on duty. Drivers must submit RODS and all their supporting documents to the motor carrier no later than 13 days after receiving them.
Q: Does the ELD rule require real-time tracking of commercial motor vehicle (CMVs) with ELDs?
A: No, real-time tracking of CMVs is not required in the ELD rule. Yet, a motor carrier may use technology to track its CMVs in real-time for business purposes. A motor carrier is free to use this data as long as it does not engage in harassment or violate the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs). However, in transmitting data to safety officials, ELDs must limit location information to protect driver privacy.
Q: Will the vehicle location information identify street addresses?
A: No, ELDs are not required to record street addresses. For enforcement purposes, they record vehicle location only at a general proximity and in relation to the distance and direction to the nearest city, town, or village. If a carrier uses technology to provide more detailed information, that information will not be transferred to a safety official.
Q: Who can edit an electronic logging device (ELD) record?
The ELD mandate is one of the biggest changes to have come out of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21), which was signed into law in 2012. It specifies that every commercial driver in America must now record their hours of service through electronic logging devices, as of December 16, 2019.
The ELD mandate comes straight from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Since it is relatively new, the approximately 3.5 million professional vehicle drivers in the United States are still learning what the rules mean in practice.
State to state, trucking is the most common job in the U.S. After all, it hasn’t been automated (yet) and will never be outsourced. As a result, the ELD mandate has a massive, nation-wide impact unlike any regulation in the past. Here’s a look at how the law works and what it means for vehicle drivers everywhere.
An Electronic Logging Device, or ELDs, is a tool to track a professional driver's Hours of Service in real time. Drivers won't have the option to forget or misplace their paperwork – instead, it will be automatically collected straight from their vehicle's engine.
An ELD device automatically records certain data elements at a set interval. These elements include date, location, time, engine hours, and vehicle miles, as well as identification information for the driver, vehicle, authenticated user, and motor carrier.
An electronic logging device is a tablet computer carried in the truck cab. It records data regarding the operation of the vehicle, as well as driver activity including driver hours of service (HOS) and record of duty status (RODS). The United States Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) specifies that ELD use is mandatory for most commercial vehicles beginning Dec. 18, 2017 and for all vehicles covered under this legislation by Dec. 16, 2019. Read more about the the FMCSA ELD rule.
An ELD is an electronic logging device that is used within commercial trucking to provide an accurate and simple means of keeping HOS records that drivers and fleet operators are required by law to maintain.
It’s important to recognize that ELDs do not impose an additional layer of regulation on the trucking industry. Instead, these devices are designed to make an already-required daily task easier to perform.
An ELD connects to the vehicle’s engine and automatically records driving activity and updates driver logs, giving dispatchers and drivers real time visibility into available hours and violation risks. The HOS information is automatically recorded in the fleet management software where managers and office personnel can review HOS statuses, run reports and create compliant routes. HOS data is also displayed on the tablet in the cab, so that the driver can refer to it at any time or present it at a roadside inspection.
ELD Devices capture and transmit a wide range of data points to make sure that businesses are accurately recording hours of service and maximizing available driver hours. These include:
The ELD records these data point automatically, but some entries can be manually edited or annotated by the driver or support staff. Edits are tracked and have to be approved by the driver.
Drivers and fleet managers have used different methods to record vehicle and driver hours of service information. At first this was a paper logbook with handwritten entries that evolved into an Automatic On Board Recording Device, or AOBRD. These are automated systems but do not perform all the functions of an ELD as specified in the technical requirements of the ELD mandate. Some drivers record their hours of service using a personal device - generally a mobile phone or laptop - together with an app that stores and sends this information, these processes also don’t meet the technical requirements of an ELD.
Key functions of an ELD device are summarized in the table below.
The ELD mandate, or ELD Final Rule, is a U.S. federal government regulation specifying that operators of commercial motor vehicles covered by this law will be required to use electronic logging devices, or ELDs.
These devices are designed to record data related to operation of the vehicle and to driver activity. The driver information mainly concerns hours of service, or HOS. Commercial truckers are restricted to a maximum number of hours they are allowed to drive between rest periods. HOS is a permanent record of driving hours, on-duty hours (when drivers are working but not driving) and rest time, over the course of a trip.
The first federal law that required commercial drivers in the U.S. to keep these service records was passed in 1937. Paper log books were originally used, with the information entered by writing.
The ELD mandate requires replacing paper logs and an earlier type of recorder called an Automatic On-Board Recording Device (AOBRD) with automated ELD technology.
Driver privacy concerns were raised by some groups, who asked if ELDs, as automated systems that record driver activity, are intrusive.
To ensure that the rights of drivers are protected, the ELD mandate includes restrictions on what the device can and cannot do. The personal conveyance status selection limits geographical tracking and other measures allow the driver to maintain a separation between duty hours and off-duty time. Against several legal challenges on this privacy question, the ELD mandate has been upheld in court.
Drivers were also interested in knowing if the electronic record produced by an ELD would allow them the ability to modify or expand the information. The ELD mandate has provisions for drivers and selected support personnel to make notes or edits. These are tracked and must be approved by the driver.
The ELD mandate covers commercial driving operations that are required to keep hours of service records - that is, drivers or operators who were using paper log books before this rule was passed.
For the most up to date information about who is required to have an ELD please refer to the FMCSA website. WHY THIS LAW WAS PASSED
It’s well known that long-distance or extended periods of commercial driving — sitting behind the wheel for several hours at a stretch — can be physically tiring. Several studies over many decades have established that fatigue is a major factor in increased street and highway accident rates.
When a commercial vehicle with a tired or sleepy driver is the cause of a major accident, this issue comes to the attention of regulators, news media and the public. Awareness of the problem led to the restriction on driver hours of service and the requirement to keep a log documenting that driving hours are not exceeded.
Paper logbooks are not always accurate, because there is the possibility of error or miscalculation by drivers, and coercion pressures from employers to manipulate hours. The ELD mandate requires the replacement of paper logs with electronic recording, performed automatically to ensure accuracy.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration maintains a list of ELD products from various manufacturers. These products are registered — their names were submitted by these companies with a statement that the device meets the minimum operational requirements specified by the agency.
The products have not been formally evaluated or tested by FMCSA and registration is not a rating or a measure of product quality. An ELD product that is not on the list may already meet the FMCSA registration requirements. The opposite may also be true — that agency is still developing the hardware and software interface, which means that some products currently listed could be disqualified after all details are worked out.
Fleets and drivers who have made the conversion to electronic logging devices see benefits beyond mandate compliance. The top 5 benefits of ELD devices are:
Maintaining a record of driver hours for each driver (where required via and ELD) is part of DOT compliance but there are a number of other factors that need to be taken into consideration to ensure that fleets and drivers adhere to DOT standards.
Require supervisors to receive drug and alcohol training as required by DOT regulations.
Businesses that use ELDs have a clear advantage over their competitors, with improved federal compliance records and greater insight into vehicle statuses. The best ELDs go beyond federal compliance to give managers a comprehensive view of what happens on the road.
ELDs provide drivers with an efficient way to enter hours of service (HOS) information. With paper logs, drivers have to fill in their logs by hand and fax them once they reach a fuel stop – a time-consuming, pricey, and outdated process that companies don’t need. With ELDs, drivers can instantly send digital reports from their in-cab device, saving time and staying compliant.
Sidelining a vehicle due to unforeseen maintenance or repairs is a costly decision. Driver vehicle inspection reports for pre- and post-trip inspections mitigate this risk. It is wise to track vehicle inefficiencies and needs so that they can be quickly attended to, keeping the fleet strong and on the road year-round.
ELDs are paperless, helping companies reduce their reliance on physical resources. Companies can save a great deal as a result of their reduction in paperwork. On top of saving money, companies can reduce the risk of a costly federal audit with reliable HOS data.
Advanced ELDs include a slew of driver apps, including two-way communication, as well as federally compliant electronic log books and driver vehicle inspection reports. These devices can issue break-time alerts, send arrival and departure times, and allow drivers to ask for help without using a mobile phone or leaving their vehicle.
An ELD that integrates with a cloud-based fleet management system goes beyond tracking HOS status changes. These fleet management systems include GPS fleet tracking features, such as real-time access to vehicle locations on a live, interactive map, ensuring managers can always remain in touch with their drivers. In addition, businesses can use dashboards, reports and business intelligence data to see what matters most to the company.
The ELD mandate gives companies an opportunity to dive deeply into their fleets’ operations and retrieve data that can reveal previously unknown inefficiencies. The right ELD system can provide the framework for a stronger, better business.
Businesses everywhere are looking to keep operational costs low. But for smaller trucking companies, fluctuating costs of fuel, driver shortage, and regulatory compliance makes it difficult to even stay in business. The Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) reports more and more small carriers, averaging 30 trucks or less, are going bankrupt.
One culprit, they claim, is the enforcement of Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) by federal authorities that make recording hours of service (HOS) easier and more reliable.
With ELDs, drivers enter their daily hours from an in-cab display, eliminating paper logs of the past. A clear record of all hours for each driver is stored in the electronic logbook, ensuring drivers and carriers are compliant and safe.
However, since HOS rules regulate the number of hours a driver can operate a vehicle, many of these small carriers saw their vehicle operations drop. Drivers were earning less miles and less money, and many decided to quit. Operational costs were further raised for carriers when they had to hire and train new drivers, often at higher salaries. This financial strain took a toll on a reported 390 small trucking companies, according to Rosalyn Wilson, author of the CSCMP’s report.
It is a rocky time for the trucking industry. But not all carriers are subject to HOS compliance. There are certain HOS requirements that apply to drivers who operate a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) that weighs 10,001 pounds or more, transports hazardous materials in a load that requires placards, is used to transport nine or more passengers, and other requirements. To view a full list, check out the FMCSA’s website.
But ELD’s and HOS compliance were put in place to make driver health and safety a priority, and to ensure carriers are not overworking their employees.
The trucking industry, regardless of operation size, cannot ignore safety. Too many stories of driver fatigue and deathly accidents brought about regulations, like HOS. And adapting to government regulations that protect the health and safety of its employees and the general public on the road is of utmost importance in any business.
By incorporating an ELD solution, accurate and fast data entry is at the touch of a driver’s fingertips. The data is automatically recorded and transmitted to a fleet manager’s tablet or desktop for easy-to-use information gathering. An ELD solution can also make it easy to identify the most talented, safety conscious drivers, rating their performance and giving incentives for improved driving. Additionally, identifying drivers who do not comply with company and federal regulations is clearly recorded. For example, drivers who do not complete signatures on their HOS log, or fail to take a lunch break, is all automatically documented.
The bill, also popularly known as MAP-21, mandated the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to implement a rule requiring carriers to use an electronic logging device (ELD), thus resulting in the creation of the ELD Mandate. Here's everything you need to know about the ELD rule.
The ELD Mandate, as its name suggests, requires carriers to use an ELD to record each driver's Record of Duty Status (RODS) electronically. The electronic driver logs, using ELDs, eliminate the manual paper logbooks used to record the compliance of drivers with the Hours of Service (HOS) rules set by FMCSA.
The FMCSA defined the four primary requirements for compliance with the final ELD Mandate rules. These requirements include:
The FMCSA released the ELD Mandate proposal in 2014, two years after the MAP-21 law was signed. The FMCSA published the ELD final rule on December 16, 2015.
The ELD Mandate was implemented in three stages.
The first stage was “Awareness and Transition,” which happened between February 16, 2016 and December 18, 2017. This phase encouraged motor carriers to install ELDs voluntarily.
The second stage was the“Phased-in-Compliance” that took place between December 18, 2017 and December 16, 2019. This stage required drivers covered by the rule to install compliant ELDs. There was also an option for drivers to remain compliant even if they’re using an automatic onboard recording device (AOBRD), as long as the AOBRD was already installed and in use prior to December 18, 2017.
The third stage was full compliance, which started on December 19, 2016. This phase required all commercial drivers who are not exempted from the rule to use compliant ELDs. This means those with AOBRDs are no longer considered compliant with the mandate.
The ELD is the tool used to track the HOS of drivers in real-time, as it automatically records several sources of data at specified intervals. The data includes location, date, vehicle miles, engine hours, and drivers’ identification information.
The device must be standardized or compliant with the FMCSA’s specifications.
The ELD should have software, which ideally should be compatible with the fleet’s deliveryor route planning software so these solutions can work together after the ELDs are installed.
The ELD must meet the following requirements:
As per the ELD Mandate, electronic logs for truckers are required if they must keep track of their RODS. Roughly 3.4 million drivers and three to four million vehicles fall under this rule.
Drivers must comply with the HOS regulations if they are driving commercial motor vehicles. Carrier and drivers handling interstate commerce are required to follow the HOS rule if they meet the following criteria:
Compliance is one benefit of keeping ELD logs for those who are required to follow the mandate.
But others not covered by the ELD rule will still reap many benefits if they invest in ELDs for their drivers. Here are some of them.
The Regulatory Impact Analysis for ELDs of FMCSA estimates that shifting from paper logs for drivers to electronic ones can result in the following annual cost savings per driver.
Add them together, and the savings per driver per year is $705. These are conservative estimates, which means there's a possibility that cost savings per year are higher.
The reduction of paperwork for drivers also can result in more hours spent on the road, which means more money for both the company and drivers.
The electronic logging device (ELD) mandate is going live for most trucking companies on December 18. This mandate will require that all trucks be outfitted with an ELD, which will log truck driver hours automatically.
Surprisingly, this small mandate comes in a time where “driverless trucks” are becoming a reality. For outsiders of the trucking world, an ELD seems like an invention of the 90s rather than a hotly debated device in 2017. The truth is that ELDs have been around for a while, but these simple devices have faced opposition from the start. Let’s take a look at the history of ELDs and their journey from a 1985 invention to the spotlight of a 2017 mandate.
ELDs were first used in the mid-1980s. While the concept was solid, the equipment wasn’t reliable. The lack of wireless technology made the devices struggle to transmit data from a cab to its “homebase.” These difficulties stunted the introduction of the invention and its reception by the public.
In 1986, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) lobbied against the Department of Transportation (DOT) in hopes that all trucks would be mandated to use ELDs. This would end up becoming a two-year battle.
A compromise between IIHS and the trucking companies became enacted when, in 1988, it was decided that trucks would have to carry Automatic On-Board Recording Devices (AOBRDs). AOBRDs carry a few differences from ELDs, but the important thing to note is that AOBRDs were not as intrusive to trucking companies (compromise for IIHS) but they did increase regulation (compromise for DOT). After these regulations were put in place, conversations surrounding ELDs would be shelved for the next 12 years.
ELDs made a legislative comeback in the year 2000 when the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) tried to reform the hours of service (HOS) regulations by mandating the use of ELDs. FMCSA’s goal was to create a safer driving environment for truckers. Truck drivers were pressured by supervisors to drive over HOS rules, and tired truck drivers would end up breaking HOS rules to meet deadlines and quotas. The FMCSA knew that truck drivers were logging hours incorrectly and that the only way to stop them was to regulate ELDs. However, the attempt was shot down in 2004.
The legislation came back in 2010, and this time it would not be shut down.
On July 6, 2012, the United States Congress passed the MAP-21 Act (Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century) which required the implementation of ELDs. On December 16, 2015, the final ELD mandate was created and published, meaning the laws were ready to be put into effect.
