FMCSA yanks El Dorado ELD from its registry

An electronic logging device has been pulled from the list of registered ELDs on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration website.

FMCSA said the El Dorado ELD Model ERS186 failed to meet minimum federal requirements for ELDs.

Motor carriers and drivers who use the El Dorado ELD Model ERS must discontinue using it and revert to using paper logs or other logging software to record hours of service. They also must replace the revoked ELD with a compliant device on the list of registered products by Nov. 7.

This device now appears on FMCSA’s Revoked Devices list.

FMCSA did not immediately respond to Land Line’s questions about why the device was removed from the registered list.

The Revoked ELDs list has 63 devices on it. Two of the listed devices were found by FMCSA to not meet federal ELD technical specifications. The others were revoked by the manufacturer.

There are 819 devices listed on the Registered ELDs list. The listed devices are self-certified by the manufacturer. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration does not endorse any of the devices.

OOIDA has opposed letting manufacturers self-certify that their ELD products meet federal standards. In 2020, OOIDA reviewed ELD products on the FMCSA registered ELD list and was able to confirm that only 130 of the 267 listed were still setting the devices.

Drivers and motor carriers can file complaints about a logging device provider on the  National Consumer Complaint Database.

ELD malfunction

Motor carriers and truck drivers are responsible for making sure they remain compliant with the regulations even when their device malfunctions.

In the event of an ELD malfunction, drivers have an eight-day window to repair or replace the nonworking unit. During that time a driver is required to maintain a paper record of duty status. Within the first five days, an extension can be filed if more time is needed to replace the ELD.

Extension requests can be filed via email at ELD-Extension@dot.gov or by contacting the FMCSA division administrator in the state where the principle place of business is maintained.

According to the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration’s website, the email needs to contain these details:

• The name, address, and telephone number of the motor carrier representative filing the request.
• The make, model and serial number of each device.
• The date and location of each ELD malfunction as reported by the driver to the carrier.
• A concise statement describing actions taken by the motor carrier to make a good faith effort to repair, replace, or service the ELD units, including why the carrier needs additional time beyond the eight days provided by this section.

Once the extension has been filed, FMCSA will provide a written letter with their decision. Drivers may continue to operate provided a manual record of duty status is being completed. If all of the criteria have been met, drivers will be deemed in compliance until FMCSA makes a determination regarding the exemption request.

The determination made by FMCSA will be a final agency action, meaning you will not have an opportunity to appeal. LL

Senior Editor Mark Schremmer and Staff Writer Ryan Witkowski contributed to this report

Data on the revoked devices list and registered devices list was clarified 09-12-2022