LTL carriers need accurate driver and tractor identity across terminals, relays, pickups, dock work, linehaul, and city delivery. Handoffs are recurring points where ELD assignments can break, so verify identity and unassigned driving at each handoff.
What this means for your fleet
Use terminal-level controls for device assignment, unassigned driving, dock and yard activity, and relay documentation. Review exceptions before the next payroll or dispatch cycle.
Worked operating scenario
A linehaul driver hands a tractor to a city driver at a terminal after dock work and a yard move. Both drivers verify identity and role, the terminal reviews unassigned movement, and the relay record distinguishes dock, yard, and public-road activity before the next dispatch cycle.
What a passing test includes
Check each item in the same scenario: Standardize relay handoff; control terminal yard moves; review unassigned driving daily; map dock versus driving time; test transfer across device types. Note who reviewed the result, which current rule or product source was used, any exception, and what the fleet will do next.
What to check
Use this operating matrix before buying or configuring a system. A completed answer is more useful than a generic feature check.
| Check | How to verify |
|---|---|
| 1. Standardize relay handoff | Keep the relay record with both named drivers, tractor/VIN, device, terminal, handoff time, active user before/after, open exceptions, and acceptance. |
| 2. Control terminal yard moves | Retain terminal boundary evidence, yard-move authorization, start/end locations, movement purpose, annotation, driver review, and first public-road event. |
| 3. Review unassigned driving daily | Preserve each unassigned event with vehicle, time, location, login, dock/maintenance/dispatch context, proposed disposition, driver response, and closure. |
| 4. Map dock versus driving time | Time dock work, yard movement and public-road driving; attach terminal and dispatch records, actual work, status decisions, annotations, and reviewer result. |
| 5. Test transfer across device types | Run the supported roadside method on every deployed device type; save version, requested range, routing entry, receipt/display, defect, and retest. |
Three checks before a route or rollout
- Applicability: Identify the driver, vehicle, trip, commerce, jurisdiction, and exact rule used for the decision.
- Operations: Rehearse the status, assignment, connection, and evidence exceptions most likely on this route.
- Follow-through: Name who reviews daily exceptions, trains drivers, maintains devices, and preserves records.
Limits and exceptions
This guide does not decide a fact-specific legal exception, certify a record, or guarantee a compliance, safety, cost, or audit outcome. Keep the original ELD record and any edit history. Use the current official rule for applicability and the exact installed-device manual for screen-by-screen actions.
Sources, review date, and limits
Reviewed August 10, 2026. Each source supports only the point described beside it. Rules and product details can change; recheck dynamic facts before changing a fleet workflow or signing a contract.
- Unidentified and unassigned driving-time workflow — Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
- Official recording-HOS FAQ covering duty status, personal conveyance, yard move, team-driver records, odometer/location data, and edits — Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
- Official carrier and driver implementation resources, compliant-device selection, transfer, training, and operating guidance — Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
- Current first-party product, plan, feature, and support representations; dynamic facts require release-date recheck — Factor ELD.
Test the workflow on a representative route
Bring a vehicle, driver, route, mobile device, and the operation-specific exception scenario described in this guide. Factor ELD can demonstrate its current product; rule applicability remains a fleet compliance decision.