The Complete ELD Compliance Guide for Small Fleets

The ELD mandate has been in force for years, but compliance questions still trip up small fleets every day—and the fines for getting it wrong are steep. This guide covers what small carriers need to know to stay on the right side of the regulations.

Who Needs an ELD

Most drivers required to keep records of duty status (RODS) must use a registered ELD. The key exemptions:

• Drivers operating under the short-haul exception (within a 150 air-mile radius)
• Driveaway-towaway operations where the vehicle is the commodity
• Vehicles manufactured before model year 2000
• Drivers who keep RODS for no more than 8 days in any 30-day period

If you're unsure whether an exemption applies, assume it doesn't—roadside enforcement will.

Choosing a Registered Device

Only devices on the FMCSA's registered ELD list are compliant. Self-certification means some registered devices have later been revoked, so check the revocation list periodically. If your device is revoked, you typically have 60 days to replace it.

Hours of Service Basics

Your ELD enforces the HOS rules, but dispatchers and drivers still need to know them:

• 11-hour driving limit within a 14-hour on-duty window
• 30-minute break required after 8 cumulative hours of driving
• 60/70-hour limit over 7/8 consecutive days
• 10 consecutive hours off duty to reset the daily clocks

Common Violations to Avoid

The most frequent ELD violations at roadside are surprisingly basic:

• No instruction sheet or user manual in the cab
• Missing blank paper logs (you need at least 8 days' worth as backup)
• Unidentified driving time that was never assigned or annotated
• Drivers who can't transfer logs to an inspector via web services or email

Train your drivers on the transfer process before they need it at a scale house.

Personal Conveyance and Yard Moves

These special driving categories are where many fleets get into trouble. Personal conveyance must be genuinely off-duty, personal movement—not repositioning for the next load. Document your fleet's policy in writing and audit usage monthly.

Handling Malfunctions

When an ELD malfunctions, the driver must note it, reconstruct the current day's log on paper, and keep paper logs until the device is repaired—you have 8 days to repair or replace it. Keep a malfunction packet in every truck.

Make Compliance Part of Dispatch

The best fleets don't treat HOS as the driver's problem. When dispatch can see remaining drive time in real time, you stop booking loads that force violations. CargIQ's Samsara integration brings live HOS data into the dispatch board, so every assignment starts from what's actually legal.