Feds remove four ELDs from list of approved devices

Carriers using any of four recently revoked electronic logging devices will have 60 days to update their current equipment in order to stay compliant.

On Wednesday, Dec. 11, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced the removal of four ELDs from its approved list of devices. The following devices are now on the revoked list:

• COLUMBUS ELD (model number C-US)
• MasterELD (model numbers MELD02, MELD03 and MELD04)

Carriers using any of the revoked ELDs will have until Feb. 9, 2025 to replace the units with one from the agency’s list of approved devices. Failing to do so by the deadline will result in a “no record-of-duty status” and being placed out of service.

In the meantime, carriers using any of the now-revoked electronic logging devices should “revert to using paper logs or logging software” to record their hours-of-service data. FMCSA added that prior to the deadline, “safety officials are encouraged not to cite drivers using these revoked ELDs” for either not using a registered device or having no record-of-duty status.

According to FMCSA, the four electronic logging devices had their status revoked because they failed to meet minimum requirements established in 49 CFR part 395, subpart B, appendix A, which requires “an ELD without a printer be designed so that the display may be reasonably viewed by an authorized safety official without (the official) entering the commercial motor vehicle.”

It is possible, although rare, for revoked electronic logging devices to be added back to the approved list if “the ELD provider corrects all identified deficiencies.”

While it is possible for manufacturers to correct any deficiencies, FMCSA said it “strongly encourages” carriers to be proactive to avoid compliance issues “in the event that the deficiencies are not addressed by the ELD providers.”

The agency placed 18 devices on the revoked list this year for the same reason. Only one of those ELDs was added back to the approved list.

Currently, there are 1,046 devices on FMCSA’s Registered ELDs list. All of those devices are self-certified by the manufacturer as being compliant with federal regulations. The agency does not endorse any of the ELDs on the registered list.

In addition to self-certifying, FMCSA also allows ELD manufacturers to self-revoke non-compliant devices. There are currently 246 ELDs on the revoked list. Of those, only 35 were added by the agency, with the remaining 211 devices carrying a status of “self-revoked.”

Issues regarding oversight have created problems for carriers when it comes to maintaining compliance with the ELD mandate.

In November 2022, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association requested the agency establish a comprehensive certification process when it comes to electronic logging devices, saying it has become “abundantly clear” the current self-certification process has been a “major disservice to motor carriers.” LL