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Everything you need to know about ELD
According to a study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, a driver who sleeps two to three hours less than usual faces three times the risk of a crash.
The FMCSA-mandated electronic logging device (ELD) rule is intended to keep drivers safer by recording hours of service (HOS) more accurately, making sure they get the right amount of rest. ELDs are like electronic log books, with the function of an electronic mileage log device to ensure that drivers don't exceed driving limits.
In this ELD guide, you can learn more about:
- Complying with the ELD mandate
- ELD requirements
- ELD solutions
- ELD apps
ELD requirements
This section describes the requirements of the ELD mandate, how hours of service are tracked, and the requirements that ELD providers must meet.
ELD Mandate
The electronic logging device mandate (ELD mandate or ELD HOS mandate), a section in the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Enhancement Act was enacted as part of the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21) Act. This rule mandates ELD use by any commercial drivers who are normally required to keep hours of service (HOS) records or records of duty status (RODS).
The rule generally applies to both trucks and commercial buses, with a few exceptions, such as drivers who remain within a certain distance of their home base.
HOS tracking
The main metric that ELDs track is hours of service. Before the ELD mandate, HOS records consisted of paper logs. With modern HOS ELD systems, logs are kept in electronic form and updated automatically, resulting in far greater precision and accuracy. The logs are visible to drivers and inspectors in an ELD HOS app. Fleet managers can see ELD HOS information as well as driver vehicle inspection reports (DVIR) on a dashboard, creating reports by driver, location, fleet, and more.
ELD DOT requirements
Since the ELD law went into effect near the end of 2017, drivers who record HOS and RODS have been required to meet electronic log or “elog” requirements for Department of Transportation (DOT) compliance, including the ability to share logs with a DOT officer in the field. ELD systems must meet specific logging capabilities, and support state by state regulations as well as HOS exemptions related to short haul driving, adverse conditions, emergency situations, and others.
DOT elog requirements allow the logs to be displayed on mobile devices such as phones or tablets. DOT requirements also specify that the logging device is mounted in a fixed position in the vehicle during operation, where the driver can see it.
ELD solutions
Fleets that employ ELDs for compliance often recognize additional benefits such as reduction of wasted labor and fewer unassigned drivers (see the Lytx ELD Case Study). Fleet managers can save time with Lytx ELD because they don’t have to hunt down HOS information. Avoid warnings, fines, and penalties with an ELD app that reports on all your drivers’ HOS compliance, DVIR, and more.
Using the DriveCam® video event recorder, Lytx® ELD Service helps drivers stay compliant with accurate electronic driver logs while improving safety and productivity. The convenient Lytx Driver App makes maintaining commercial driver electronic logs easy while giving the drivers themselves access to video clips and other information to help them optimize and improve their own performance, a feature not found in many other ELD apps.
Learn more about DOT compliance here.
ELD app
The best ELD solutions do more than simplify compliance. Lytx’s ELD app lets drivers easily record ELD HOS status and perform driver vehicle inspections from their tablets or smartphones. The Lytx Driver App also has DVIR, so fleet managers can see driver vehicle inspection reports.
The dashboard and driving log make it easy for drivers to see when they are on or off duty, and when they're due for a break. Fleet managers use a corresponding ELD fleet app in their Lytx account to stay up to date on their drivers' HOS compliance.
Lytx driver app
All DOT-approved ELD apps help drivers avoid HOS violations by keeping more accurate logs and staying within driving time limits. These hours of service ELD apps must also record the vehicle's location automatically when duty status changes.
The Lytx Driver App is more than just an ELD logbook app. In addition to meeting DOT logging requirements, the Lytx ELD solution makes it easy for drivers to see the time remaining in their current duty status, helping them plan their work more effectively and making it easier to stay in compliance. Using the Lytx DriveCam event recorder, the app updates status automatically, reducing unlogged time.
ELD for your business
For many fleets, ELD compliance is mandatory, but can also be complex. The Lytx ELD Service is a streamlined digital management solution that makes it easy for drivers and managers alike to stay FMCSA compliant with up-to-date ELD logs. The driver app is easy to use, providing accurate, timely logs. With the Lytx fleet management dashboard, fleet managers can monitor driver status and manage their time while maintaining compliance across the whole fleet.