The Truth
The Truth, The Whole Truth, And Nothing But The Truth About Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) by Jim Harnage
ELDs are here to stay. What compounds the difficulty of acceptance of this mandate is that it grates against that human nature that says, “I don’t like to be told what I can and can’t do.”
Sorry, I feel for those of us drivers who were reasonable, safe, and complied with the rules. We’ve never hurt anyone. But as a fourth generation “spouse team” trucker and driver trainer with four million miles and 30 years under my belt who has seen a lot of broken homes and blood on the road, and a family of truckers with well into 20 million miles across this great country, this ELD thing is a good thing.
I am often asked, who must comply, what are the exemptions, and what are the exceptions to the rule?
Who is exempt from the mandate? Okay, to make it short and sweet if you fit any category of exemption below you qualify to operate without an ELD.
If you are an independent carrier or operate a commercial vehicle for a carrier who uses a time card every day.
If you use paper logs to record your daily hours of service for not more than 8 days out of every 30 day period.
If you operate a commercial vehicle powered by an engine with a manufactured date before the year 2000. Glider kits? Yes.
If you conduct drive-away or tow-away operations. The vehicle you are driving must be the commodity being delivered or a recreational vehicle trailer with one or more sets of wheels on the pavement surface.
If you operate within a 100 air mile radius and depart and return to the departure site same day.
If you go outside the 100 air mile radius more than 8 times within 30.
If you are not subject to the ELD rule in any manner above and operate outside a 100 air mile radius you still must complete a paper log as a Record of Duty Status every day for the previous seven days plus the day you currently operate.
Rentals: You may operate a rental for up to 30 days without an ELD. A copy of the Federal Register page of the exemption must be in the vehicle along with pertinent other documents. Other conditions apply.
Brokers and Freight Forwarders; Know Your Carriers Are Compliant or your customer’s freight could be sitting by the road.
Call me and we will discuss your concerns. I want you to know the truth.
Team Jim and Carolyn 229-300-4883 or email me at jim@teamjimandcarolyn.com or carolyn@teamjimandcarolyn.com.