FMCSA adds 2 ELDS to revoked list

Two electronic logging devices have been placed on the revoked list by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

On Tuesday, May 21, FMCSA announced that Blue Star ELD and ELD Mandate Plus had been removed from its list of approved devices.

According to the agency, the two devices were 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.”

Carriers using the now-revoked ELDs will have until July 20 to replace the devices to maintain compliance. Failing to do so by the deadline will result in a “no record of duty status” and being placed out-of-service.

The agency said in the interim, motor carriers should “revert to using paper logs of logging software” to record their hours-of-service data.

According to FMCSA, the devices can be added back to the approved list after being revoked if “the ELD provider corrects all identified deficiencies.”

With the addition of the two recent devices, FMCSA has now revoked seven ELDs this year. In February, the agency removed five devices for the same reason. None of those ELDs were added back to the approved list.

Since the electronic logging mandate took effect, FMCSA has allowed companies to self-certify devices. Currently, there are 986 devices on the Registered ELDs list. While the agency does not endorse any of the devices on the registered list, the lack of oversight has created issues for carriers when it comes to maintaining compliance with the mandate.

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

“Many of our members have reported wasting money purchasing faulty or non-compliant devices they believed were satisfactory simply because they were listed on the agency’s registry,” OOIDA wrote as part of comments to FMCSA. “Introducing a comprehensive certification process would likely lead to fewer non-compliant devices being listed. This would reduce costs for motor carriers, who currently may need to purchase several self-certified devices before finding one they are certain is compliant.”

There are currently 188 devices on the revoked list. Of those, just 24 were added by FMCSA. The remaining 164 ELDs carry a status of “self-revoked.” LL