The ELD out-of-service enforcement date is April 1, 2018 — are you ready?

April 1, 2018 is the “effective date” for applying ELD out-of-service criteria (OOSC). On this date, vehicles subject to the ELD rule must be properly equipped with an ELD and carry these ELD supporting documents. Failure to meet ELD compliance will result in the truck driver being ordered off the road and out-of-service.

What Will Happen If You’re Not ELD Compliant by April 1, 2018?

According to the article “ELD Enforcement to be ‘Phased In Through April 2018” by JOC:

“Starting April 1…truck drivers that do not have ELDs will not drive away from a roadside inspection. They will be placed out-of-service by the state regulatory officials, roadside inspectors, and police officers represented by the CVSA, using its North American Out of Service Criteria. Someone else will have to pick up the freight being hauled by that out-of-service driver.”

The North American Out-of-Service Criteria is used as a pass-fail system to identify critical vehicle inspection items. Violations will “render the driver, vehicle and/or cargo out of service until the condition(s) or defect(s) can be corrected or fixed,” but it can also prohibit a motor carrier or driver from operating a commercial motor vehicle for a specified period of time.

Read more: “ELD Violations Start Affecting CSA Scores April 2018.”

On April 1, 2018, How Can a Driver Be Placed Out-of-Service?

By April 1, 2018, a truck driver can be ordered out-of-service if:

  1. The vehicle is not equipped with an ELD (if subject to the ELD rule), nor is it equipped with an AOBRD, installed before December 18, 2017 (this is only permitted until December 17, 2019).
  2. The logging device or ELD is not FMCSA compliant or registered with the FMCSA.
  3. The driver is unable to produce or transfer the ELD data (electronically from an ELD) to the law enforcement officer. Drivers with AOBRDs can be placed out-of-service if they’re unable to display or produce records of duty status (RODS).
  4. The ELD malfunctioned but was not repaired or replaced within 8 days.
  5. The driver does not log into the ELD as required and instructed by the FMCSA.
  6. The driver indicates a special driving category — such as personal conveyance (PC) or truck moves in a yard — when not involved in that category. Doing so is considered a false log.

Time for ELD Onboarding Is Almost Up

December 18, 2017 was the official ELD mandate compliance date — by this date, vehicles subject to the ELD rule should have been properly equipped. The time between then and the April 1, 2018 ELD OOSC effective date, however, was granted as a phase-in grace period to give the motor carrier industry, shippers, and roadside enforcement community time to adjust to all things ELD mandate related — the technology, process, enforcement, etc. — before being placed out-of-service for ELD violations. You can read more about this at “CVSA Prepares for December 2017 ELD Implementation; Announces April 1, 2018, Effective Date for Out-of-Service Criteria Related to ELD Rule.”

ELD OOSC Enforcement Begins April 1, 2018

Prepare yourself or your fleet for the ELD out-of-service enforcement date. Start by purchasing your ELD and installing it. Next, make sure all drivers are well-trained and know what to do (and what to have in their vehicle) during an inspection. Need some help? Download our April 2018 ELD Compliance Guide and checklist here.