An ELD, or electronic logging device, records a driver's hours of service. Federal rules have required one since December 18, 2017, with narrow exceptions. On February 12, 2026, FMCSA revoked nine devices, gave carriers 60 days to replace them, and said drivers still using them after April 14 would be placed out of service.
What the ELD rule requires
Under 49 CFR 395.8, a motor carrier subject to the rule must require each driver to record duty status for each 24-hour period, and carriers operating commercial motor vehicles had to install and require use of an ELD no later than December 18, 2017. A carrier may let a driver use paper logs only in specific cases: when the driver has to complete a record of duty status on no more than 8 days in any 30-day period, in certain driveaway-towaway operations, or with a vehicle manufactured before model year 2000.
What happened in 2026
FMCSA keeps a Registered Devices list of ELDs that meet the technical standards in the appendix to the ELD rule. A device that fails them gets moved to a Revoked Devices list. On February 12, 2026, FMCSA revoked nine ELDs. According to reports in FleetOwner and Heavy Duty Trucking, the products were:
| Provider | Product |
|---|---|
| Global Telecommunication Services | GTS ELD (Model 213W01) |
| UTrucking | Model PT30 |
| ELD365 | Model ELD365 / ELOG365 |
| Ironman ELD | Model IRON300 |
| HOST ELD (formerly Factor ELD) | Model FACTORELD1 |
| Aireld Technologies | AirELD, four versions (Android and iOS, with Xirgo 6300 Series or PT30) |
Carriers using those devices had 60 days to switch to a compliant model from FMCSA's list. Starting April 14, 2026, a carrier still using a revoked device was treated as operating without an ELD, and a driver found using one would be placed out of service. FMCSA Administrator Derek D. Barrs said at the time: "If an ELD isn't meeting federal requirements, it's taken out of service, plain and simple."
Revocations aren't always permanent. If a provider fixes the problems, FMCSA can put the device back on the registered list, and it did so for one provider in January after a brief removal. The list changes, so check it rather than relying on a past notice.
The hours-of-service limits an ELD enforces
The device exists to enforce the limits in 49 CFR 395.3, which cover property-carrying drivers.
| Limit | What the rule says |
|---|---|
| Start of shift | A driver may not drive without first taking 10 consecutive hours off duty |
| 14-hour window | No driving after 14 consecutive hours from coming on duty after 10 hours off |
| Driving time | A total of 11 hours of driving within that 14-hour window |
| Break | No driving after 8 hours of driving without at least a 30-minute interruption (short-haul exceptions aside) |
| Weekly limit | 60 hours on duty in 7 days, or 70 hours in 8 days if the carrier operates every day |
| Restart | A 7 or 8 day period can end with 34 or more consecutive hours off duty |
The 14-hour window is consecutive, so it keeps running while a driver waits at a dock. That's why long waits cost carriers real money, and why detention and layover costs matter to anyone who books freight.
What this means for shippers
A driver put out of service can't move your load until the problem is fixed, so a carrier running a revoked device is a delay risk for you. You aren't required to audit a carrier's logging device, but you can reduce the risk.
Ask the carrier which ELD it uses. Then look that model up on FMCSA's ELD registered devices list.
Ask your broker how it checks. Brokers who vet carriers regularly can include this as a step. Our guide to how brokers vet carriers covers the usual checks.
Build slack into tight deliveries. A single out-of-service order can cost a day or more. Capacity pressure and regulation both feed into rates, as our guide to rising truck rates explains.
ELD questions
Who has to use an ELD?
Most carriers subject to the hours-of-service rules. The rule allows paper logs only in narrow cases, such as drivers who record duty status on 8 days or fewer in any 30-day period.
What happens if a carrier uses a revoked ELD?
After the replacement deadline, the carrier is treated as operating without an ELD, and a driver found using the device can be placed out of service.
Where can I check whether an ELD is approved?
On FMCSA's ELD website, which lists registered and revoked devices.
Related reading: our guide to rising truck rates covers the cost side, and the latest trucking industry data gives the wider market view.