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Who needs an ELD?

The ELD mandate applies to most motor carriers and drivers currently required to keep a record of duty status (RODS) according to Part 395, 49 CFR 395.8(a) of the Federal Motor Safety Carrier Regulations (FMSCR). 

Exemptions to the ELD rule as mandated by the FMCSA include:

  • Drivers who are operating under short-haul operations are exempt for CDL and non-CDL vehicles and aren’t required to keep records of duty status (RODS). Time cards can be used in place of ELD. 
  • Certain driveaway-towaway operations in which the vehicle being driven is part of the shipment being delivered or in which the vehicle being transported is a motorhome or a recreational vehicle trailer. 
  • Drivers who maintain RODS for eight days or fewer in 30-day rolling periods and short-haul drivers who occasionally take longer trips. But if you exceed the short-haul exemption more than eight times within 30 days, you’ll need an ELD for the rest of the cycle. 
  • Drivers of motor vehicles manufactured before the year 2000.