How to Choose Commercial Truck Tracking Devices for Operational Excellence

Understanding DOT Electronic Logs Requirements

DOT electronic logs, mandated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, are digital systems that automatically record driving time and hours of service records. This is a federal law and violations can lead to serious fines and even being placed out of service.

What Your ELD Must Do

Your electronic logging device connects to your truck’s engine. It automatically records driving time, engine hours, vehicle miles, and location information. These four data points form the foundation of your hours of service records.

The device tracks your duty status throughout the day. It knows when you’re driving, on-duty but not driving, off-duty, or in the sleeper berth. You don’t manually enter this information — the ELD captures it automatically when your truck moves.

Technical Standards Every ELD Must Meet

First, every compliant ELD must appear on the FMCSA’s Registered Electronic Logging Devices list — a crucial requirement that ensures your device meets federal standards and will pass inspection. The FMCSA also lists specific requirements in 49 CFR Part 395, Subpart B. Here are the main ones:

• Data transfer. Your logbook must send logs to inspectors two ways — through wireless transfer or USB 2.0. When an officer asks for your logs, you need to provide them electronically.
• Tamper protection. The system flags any attempts to change or delete data. If someone tries to alter records, the ELD creates a permanent record of that attempt.
• Display requirements. Your daily log must show as a graph grid, just like paper logs used to look. Officers know this format and expect to see it during inspections.
• Data storage. The ELD keeps your current day’s log plus your previous seven days. All eight days must be available during any inspection.
• Alert system. The device warns you before you violate HOS rules. These alerts give you time to find parking before you run out of hours.

Important Connectivity Considerations

With major cellular carriers shutting down 3G networks between 2022 and 2024, older ELDs have lost connectivity. If your device relied on 3G for data transmission, it may no longer meet FMCSA requirements for electronic data transfer. Your ELD must maintain reliable connectivity through 4G, 5G, WiFi, or satellite networks to remain compliant.

This isn’t technically a new regulation, but rather an infrastructure change that affects compliance. An ELD that cannot transmit data electronically due to discontinued 3G service fails to meet the original mandate requirements.

Key Compliance Areas to Monitor

Staying informed about FMCSA rules can mean the difference between a smooth roadside inspection and costly downtime. Here are the compliance areas where drivers most often run into trouble.

Malfunction Reporting

When your ELD malfunctions, you must note it in your records and inform your carrier within 24 hours. You need to reconstruct your logs for the current day and keep paper logs until the device is fixed. The FMCSA has always required this, but enforcement has become more consistent.

Special Driving Categories

There are two special categories that must be approved by a fleet manager: 

• Yard moves. Moving trucks within private property can be logged as yard moves. This time counts as on-duty not driving, preserving your available driving hours. The entire movement must occur on private property with no public road access.
• Personal conveyance. You can use your commercial vehicle for personal reasons while off-duty. This might include driving to a restaurant, hotel, or home terminal when no load is attached. Personal conveyance cannot advance a load or be used to extend your available hours. The movement must be personal in nature and you must be relieved from work.

Both categories are closely monitored during inspections, and misuse can result in violations. Enforcement officers look for signs that these statuses are being used to bypass HOS limits.

The Cost of Non-Compliance

ELD violations aren’t cheap. Fines range from $1,000 to $10,000 per violation. But money isn’t the only issue. Violations can put you out of service immediately, costing you loads and damaging your CSA score.

Multiple violations can threaten your CDL. Shippers and brokers check these records. Too many violations mean fewer load opportunities and lower rates.

Beyond Basic Compliance

Meeting minimum requirements keeps you legal. But the right ELD does more than that. Good systems handle all these technical details automatically. They stay updated with regulatory guidance and maintain reliable connectivity.

The best electronic logbooks turn compliance from a daily struggle into something that happens in the background while you drive. They provide clear alerts, simple interfaces, and reliable performance that makes inspections faster and easier.

Who Must Use Electronic DOT Logs?

Not every commercial driver needs elogs, but most do. The requirements depend on your type of operation, your vehicle, and how often you drive. Understanding where you fit helps you stay compliant and avoid purchasing equipment you don’t actually need.

Interstate Commercial Drivers

If you drive across state lines and your vehicle requires a CDL, you need an ELD. This applies to both company drivers and owner-operators. The rule covers trucks with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of 10,001 pounds or more, vehicles transporting hazardous materials that require placards, and vehicles designed to transport 9 or more passengers for compensation or 16 or more passengers not for compensation.

You must use an electronic logbook if you’re required to keep records of duty status (RODS) for more than 8 days in any 30-day period. This means if you fill out paper logs or use an ELD for 9 or more days per month, you fall under the mandate. The 8-day threshold is rolling — it doesn’t reset at the beginning of each month.

Intrastate Drivers

Intrastate requirements vary by state. Many states have adopted the federal elog rules for drivers who stay within state borders. Others have different thresholds or exemptions. Check with your state’s Department of Transportation for specific requirements, as these rules change and enforcement varies significantly.

Some states mirror federal rules exactly. Others only require ELDs for certain vehicle weights or types of cargo. A few states have longer grace periods or different hour limits that affect when you need electronic logs.

Commercial Bus Drivers

Passenger carriers face the same ELD requirements as freight haulers. If you drive a commercial bus across state lines and keep logs for more than 8 days per month, you need an electronic logging device. This includes motor coaches, charter buses, and some larger shuttle operations.

School bus drivers operating entirely within their state typically follow state-specific rules. Many are exempt due to short-haul provisions, but this depends on route length and crossing state borders.

ELD Exemptions: Are You Required to Use One?

Several exemptions exist within the ELD mandate. If you qualify for one of these exemptions, you can continue using paper logs or timecards, potentially saving money on equipment and monthly fees. However, you must be certain you qualify — claiming an exemption incorrectly leads to violations.

Short-Haul Exemption (150 Air-Mile Radius)

The most common exemption covers short-haul drivers who operate within 150 air-miles of their work reporting location. To qualify, you must start and end your day at the same location, stay within the 150 air-mile radius (approximately 172 road miles), and return to your starting point within 14 hours.

You cannot use this exemption more than 8 days in any 30-day period if you venture outside the radius or exceed the time limit. On those days, you need either paper logs or an ELD. Your employer must keep accurate time records showing your start time, end time, and total hours for each day you use this exemption.

This exemption works well for local delivery drivers, construction haulers, and regional operators with predictable routes. It doesn’t work if you occasionally take longer runs or experience regular delays that push you past 14 hours.

Pre-2000 Vehicle Exemption

Vehicles with engines manufactured in model year 1999 or older don’t need to keep elogs.. These older engines lack the electronic control modules (ECMs) that ELDs need to function properly. The model year refers to the engine, not the vehicle itself — a 2005 truck with a rebuilt 1999 engine would qualify for this exemption.

You must document your engine’s model year to claim this exemption. Keep registration papers, engine specifications, or manufacturer documentation readily available. During inspections, officers will verify your engine year, and you’ll need paper logs for these vehicles.

Driveaway-Towaway Operations

Driveaway-towaway drivers have a permanent exemption from ELD requirements. This covers operations where the vehicle being driven is the commodity being delivered, or where a vehicle is being towed by another vehicle as the commodity.

This exemption applies to dealers moving new trucks, companies repositioning rental vehicles, and towers moving damaged vehicles. The vehicle must be part of the shipment — hauling cars on a car carrier doesn’t qualify. You still need to maintain paper logs showing your hours of service.

Agricultural Exemptions

Agricultural commodities have special provisions that affect ELD requirements. Drivers transporting agricultural commodities within 150 air-miles of the source during planting and harvest seasons don’t need to log those hours. The hours don’t count against your HOS limits, though you still need logs once you exit that radius.

Each state defines its planting and harvest seasons differently. These periods typically run 3-4 months in spring and fall but vary by location and crop type. The exemption covers the transportation of crops, livestock, and farming supplies directly supporting planting or harvesting operations.

Rental Vehicle 8-Day Exemption

If you’re using a rental vehicle for 8 days or fewer in any 30-day period, you don’t need to install an ELD in that rental. This helps drivers whose regular vehicles are being repaired or who need temporary additional capacity. You can use paper logs during these rental periods.

This exemption only applies to true rentals, not lease-purchase agreements or long-term leases. The rental agreement must show the rental period, and you need to track your total rental days carefully. Once you exceed 8 days of rental use in 30 days, you need an ELD-equipped rental or a portable ELD device.

Documenting Your Exemption Status

Claiming an exemption requires proper documentation. Keep all supporting paperwork in your vehicle, including time records for short-haul operations, engine manufacturing dates for pre-2000 vehicles, bills of lading for agricultural loads showing origins and commodities, and rental agreements with clear date ranges.

During roadside inspections, you must prove you qualify for the exemption you’re claiming. Officers won’t accept verbal explanations without documentation. Missing paperwork means you’ll likely receive a violation, even if you actually qualify for the exemption.

Many carriers use ELDs even when exempt because electronic logs can be easier than managing paper and exemption documentation. The choice depends on your operation’s complexity and how often you might exceed exemption parameters.