ELDs record date, time, location, engine hours, and vehicle miles. They also record the required information for identifying a specific driver, user, or motor carrier.

The data surrounding location is recorded each hour when the vehicle is in motion, as well as when the engine is turned on and off. It may also be recorded when a driver changes duty status and uses the vehicle for personal use or yard moves.

No. The technology is not accurate enough to identify a specific street address. When a change in duty status occurs, the electronic logging device captures latitude and longitude coordinates and turns them into a geo-location that gives a rough idea of the distance or direction to a specific location. It usually corresponds to the name of a city or town with a state abbreviation. It is accurate within a one-mile radius.

No. An ELD does not collect any information about vehicle speed, braking, or steering. They only collect information to determine whether a driver is compliant with hours of service (HOS) regulations.

ELDs do not control the vehicle. It is simply a recording device that notes the parameters of the vehicle through synchronization with the engine and creates a log of a driver’s RODS.

The accuracy of an ELD’s location information is roughly within a one-mile radius when it is being used during on-duty driving periods. If the vehicle is being used for personal errands, the reporting accuracy will be within a 10-mile radius.

All ELDs must be synchronized with the engine of the vehicle in order to monitor engine operation, capture power status, monitor motion status, record miles driven, and document engine hours.

ELDs are required to switch automatically to driving mode once the vehicle reaches a speed of five miles per hour. If the speed of the vehicle drops to zero miles per hour and remains there for a minimum of three seconds, the vehicle will register as stopped.

The device will ask the driver to continue into a driving status when it is put into driving mode but has not been in motion for five minutes. If the driver does not correct or respond to the prompt within sixty seconds, the ELD automatically changes to on-duty not driving.

The location of the vehicle will not be as accurate when used for personal conveyance. Instead of being recorded within a one-mile radius, it will be recorded as a ten-mile radius. This time will also be documented by the ELD using a different line style such a dashed or dotted line.

ELDs are required to display data for co-drivers who are logged into the system.

Yes. A driver who is not driving a vehicle is allowed to make edits and entries over his or her records while the vehicle is being driven. However, drivers will not be able to switch roles while the vehicle is currently being driven.

No. The ELD captures all duty statuses. The old methods of handwritten records often relied on intervals of fifteen minutes when keeping records of duty status (RODS). However, an ELD is designed to more accurately reflect a driver’s real time spent behind the wheel. ELDs have no minimum amount of time that statuses can or should be engaged.

This is not designed to say that activities that require less than fifteen minutes are suspect. It is only designed to say that the real-time requirements to complete the task are significantly less than what may have been recorded long ago on paper RODS.