FMCSA ELD Mandate: Final Ruling on Electronic Logging Devices

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently released the final ruling on mandating electronic logbooks for commercial vehicle drivers working in the U.S. It also applies to truck and bus drivers from Mexico and Canada who cross into the U.S. and operate a commercial vehicle.

The ruling was implemented to improve highway safety by strengthening driver compliance with Hours of Service regulations that prevent fatigue. The rule not only addresses the requirement for electronic logging devices, but describes the type of supporting documents required for managing driver Hours of Service (HOS) reporting.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) estimates that, on an annual basis, 26 lives will be saved and 562 injuries prevented by reducing roadway crashes that involve commercial motor vehicles. They are also estimating that this could cost the trucking industry around $1 billion but with the reduction in paperwork, the industry could save $2.4 billion, which results in an overall savings of $1.4 billion.

Electronic Logging Device (ELD) Mandate – Knowing and Understanding the Facts

For additional resources on the ELD Mandate, please see the links below:

• Transport Topics article: "Trucks Without ELDs Won’t Be Placed Out of Service Until April 1, CVSA Says"
• DC Velocity article: "Supreme Court declines to hear challenge to ELD mandate"
• FMCSA Final Rule for Electronic Logging Devices and Hours of Service Supporting Documents
• Electronic Driver Logs are on the Way
• Desire to Improve Safety and Hours of Service Compliance (HOS Compliance) is Driving Increased Adoption of Electronic On-Board Recorders (EOBR)