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FAQ Get answers to ELD-related questions

FMCSA provides answers to frequently asked questions about ELDs. Consult these FAQs when you have an ELD-related question, as the answer may already be at your fingertips.

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Under 49 CFR 395.32(c), a motor carrier must either annotate the record and explain why the time is unassigned or assign the time to the appropriate driver. The motor carrier must retain unidentified driving records for at least 6 months from the date of receipt as a part of its hours of service ELD records and make them available to authorized safety officials.

Last Updated : March 10, 2022

Yes, a driver can be assigned unidentified driver records recorded under the Unidentified Driver profile and indicate a special driving category. However, under section 4.3.2.8.2(b) of 49 CFR part 395, subpart B, Appendix A, an electronic logging device (ELD) must not allow automatically recorded driving time for a driver to be shortened.

Last Updated : March 10, 2022

Yes, a driver can edit their record after erroneously accepting a driving event that was originally recorded under the Unidentified Driver profile. The ELD must prompt the driver to annotate edits. In addition, in accordance with 49 CFR 395.32(c), the carrier can suggest the edit which can be routed to the driver for confirmation.

Last Updated : March 10, 2022

Yes. An ELD must monitor its compliance with the ELD technical requirements and detect malfunctions and data inconsistencies related to power, data synchronization, missing data, timing, positioning, data recording, data transfer, and unidentified driver records requirements. The ELD output will identify these data diagnostic and malfunction events and their status as either "detected" or "cleared." Typically, a driver can follow the ELD provider's and the motor carrier's recommendations to resolve the data inconsistencies that generate an ELD data diagnostic event, while a motor carrier must correct a malfunction.

Last Updated : March 10, 2022

Yes. Section 4.8.1.3 of 49 CFR part 395, subpart B, Appendix A requires the inspected driver's profile and the Unidentified Driver (UD) profile to be available as separate reports at roadside either by printout or display. If there are no unidentified driver records existing on the electronic logging device (ELD) for the current 24-hour period or for any of the previous 7 consecutive days, an ELD does not need to print or display unidentified driver records for the authorized safety official. Otherwise, both reports must be printed or displayed and provided to the authorized safety official.

Last Updated : March 10, 2022

When a driver does not log in to the ELD and does not respond to the ELD visual and audible prompts, the ELD must record accumulated driving and On-Duty Not-Driving time in accordance with the ELD defaults (see section 4.4.1 of 49 CFR part 395, subpart B, Appendix A). When more than 30 minutes of driving in a 24-hour period accumulate in the Unidentified Driver (UD) profile, the ELD data diagnostic indicator must be turned on across all drivers logged into that ELD for the current day and the following 7 days. Other events that must be associated with the Unidentified Driver (UD) profile include the commercial motor vehicle (CMV) engine power up and shut down and power compliance monitoring. The ELD must not allow entry of any information into the ELD other than a response to the login prompt.

The Event Log List for the Unidentified Driver Profile may be found in section 4.8.2.1.10.

Last Updated : March 10, 2022

The original records reflecting unidentified driving will remain, but with an inactive status. When unidentified records are assumed, a new event record(s) for the driver is created using elements of the unidentified driver log(s) and driver input to populate missing elements of the log originally recorded under the unidentified driver profile.

Last Updated : March 10, 2022

The rejected unidentified driving events must remain available for review at roadside for 8 days and should be included in the output file.

Last Updated : March 10, 2022

If the driver unplugs an ELD from the ECM and later plugs the ELD back into the ECM, the ELD must identify any odometer jump in between as a malfunction (see Table 4 of 49 CFR part 395, subpart B, Appendix A). In addition, if the ECM is not disconnected, however connectivity is lost for more than 30 minutes in a 24-hour period, an engine synchronization malfunction must be recorded.

Last Updated : March 10, 2022

Yes. Once the unassigned driving time has been reviewed and only certain records were attributable to and assumed by a driver, in accordance with 49 CFR 395.32, it is expected that some events will remain associated with the unidentified driving profile. These event types include intermediate logs, power-up/shut-down, and malfunction/diagnostic, which cannot be edited.

Last Updated : March 10, 2022

An "unidentified driving records data diagnostic event" occurs when more than 30 minutes of driving time for an unidentified driver is recorded within a 24-hour period.

Last Updated : April 18, 2017

Unidentified driving time can be assigned in two ways. The driver can claim the driving time when prompted by the ELD, or the motor carrier can later assign the unidentified driving time to the appropriate driver, which must be accepted by the driver.

Last Updated : March 10, 2022