On December 10, 2015, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) issued a final ruling on the Electronic Logging Device Mandate (ELD). The final ruling was effective starting February 16, 2016 with a two-year period set for awareness and transition. During this period, carriers and drivers subject to the rule should prepare for compliance and begin looking into implementing ELDs if necessary. December 2017 to December 2019 is a two-year grace period given to carriers and drivers to phase in compliance to the new regulations. After December 16, 2016, all drivers and carriers subject to the rule must use certified, registered ELDs that comply with the requirements outlined in the final ruling.
While the ELD mandate affects a majority of drivers, there are several exemptions to the rule. The four exemptions to the ELD mandate are outlined below.
- FMCSA will use truck model year, not the manufacture date, to determine whether an ELD is required. Only trucks with a model year of 2000 or later will be required to use an ELD.
- Drivers who fall into the 100/150 air mile radius log exemption. Still need to keep time records.
- Drivers who keep logs for no more than 8 days during any 30-day period.
- Driveaway-towaway operators transporting empty vehicles.
You can find more information regarding the ELD mandate by clicking here. This will lead you to an ELD mandate fact sheet that outlines general information and compliance standards. You can also access the final ruling directly from the FMCSA website here. The FMCSA website is full of useful information including a FAQ page.
No comments yet.