An ELD is not required merely because a vehicle makes deliveries, and a delivery app is not automatically an ELD.
What this means for your fleet
Check which drivers and vehicles are subject to HOS and ELD rules, including personal vehicles and those used for both interstate and intrastate work. Account for loading, frequent stops, and route changes. If dispatch software connects to the ELD, verify that it preserves the original duty records.
Example to try with your fleet
Compare a light local van, a commercial motor vehicle on an interstate route, and an occasional rental. For each vehicle and trip, determine whether the driver needs a record of duty status (RODS) and whether an exception applies. Then test the required logging steps. Keep route-planning data separate from the official duty record.
What to check
Use these checks before buying or setting up an ELD. Record the results and resolve any problems before rollout.
| Check | How to verify |
|---|---|
| 1. Classify vehicles and trips | Keep vehicle/VIN and ratings, trip/commerce/jurisdiction facts, driver, route type, current provision, reviewer, and dated applicability result. |
| 2. Map driving and non-driving work | Time representative stops and retain arrival, parking, loading, delivery, paperwork, driving and departure events with actual duty-status decisions. |
| 3. Test high-stop device reliability | Run a high-stop route and keep power, mounting, connection, phone state, event continuity, reconnect behavior, defects, support case, and retest. |
| 4. Control dispatch integration | Retain dispatch/ELD field maps, direction, source of record, permissions, test payload, duplicate/retry behavior, exception log, and reconciliation. |
| 5. Prepare non-qualifying-day workflow | Complete a sample day that fails the claimed exception; keep detection time, required RODS transition, statuses, certification, dispatch action, and review. |
Limits and exceptions
Use this guide to plan your checks; it does not determine whether a legal exception applies, certify a record, or guarantee compliance, safety, savings, or audit results. Preserve original ELD records and edit history. Use the current rules to determine applicability and the manual for your installed device for operating instructions.
Sources and review date
Reviewed August 10, 2026. Check the latest rules and product information before changing your procedures or signing a contract.
- Official ELD exceptions and exemptions FAQ — Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
- FMCSA general ELD questions — Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
- Factor ELD products, plans, and support — Factor ELD.
Try the ELD on a typical route
Tell us about your truck, phone, route, and a task you want to test. Request a Factor ELD demo to see how the product works. Your fleet remains responsible for deciding which rules apply.