Did you just find out your electronic logging device (ELD) has been removed from the FMCSA list? Are you looking for a new ELD?
Before you shop, decide whether you need a contract at all. Our guide to E Logs without contracts walks through what the mandate actually requires versus what the extras cost.
Not sure how much to spend? Our guide to buying a cheap ELD for owner-operators walks through no-contract pricing and what the mandate actually requires.
An electronic logging device (ELD) is the FMCSA-registered hardware and software that automatically records a commercial driver’s hours of service. If your ELD has been removed from the FMCSA registered list, it is no longer compliant, and you need to replace it with a currently approved ELD to avoid fines, penalties, or being placed Out of Service.
Before you buy a replacement, read what to look for in a reliable ELD.
Four more were just removed from the approved list at the end of December, 2025. So if you owned one of those, how do you plan to stay in compliance?
ELD Compliance
The ELD mandate is almost 10 years old now. Many drivers have never driven without one. It’s just another piece of equipment in the cab. However, not having a working ELD installed on a truck can lead to expensive complications. Out-of-compliance E-Logs can result in fines and penalties, maybe even placed Out of Service.
Why have so many been removed? Some have been removed because they no longer meet the FMCSA requirements as companies fail to support their equipment. Or they’ve gone out of business.
A number of major road accidents in the past few months have been blamed on truckers who can’t read English and have made deadly driving decisions. How many more accidents have been caused by tired drivers who are using multiple ELDs to circumvent the HOS restrictions?
Fraud and Misuse
Fraudulent misuse of E-Logs isn’t a small problem. When companies require their drivers to use multiple logins and other methods to bypass HOS regulations, it puts drivers at risk. When drivers are too tired, mistakes and poor decisions harm the driver more than the company. Other people on the road also get hurt or worse.
It’s simpler (and cheaper) to stay in compliance with an approved E-Log.
New ELD Considerations
If you’re looking for a new ELD, here are some things to keep in mind.
Current FMCSA Registration
Select a registered ELD that has FMCSA approval. Buying someone’s old equipment that’s no longer supported with up-to-date software or firmware is throwing good money after bad. Check the government’s website for current status of any equipment you want to buy. If you spend a lot of time on roads that don’t have consistent cellphone coverage, you may need to look for a different E-Log model. Whatever you buy, look for it to be approved.
Ease of Use
The last thing a trucker needs is an E-Log that’s finicky or hard to set up. Plug and play is a great choice. BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) that allows you to use your cell phone can often be a less expensive option.
Automatic Updates
As requirements change, your ELD needs to as well. Software needs patches or protection from cyber attacks. An ELD with an automatic updating system keeps you compliant without needing to put another reminder on your calendar.
Data Access and Reporting
How does your ELD produce reports? Is it easy to use? Is the data available when you need it? Who sees it – just the driver or someone back at the office? Are the reports in standard formats? These questions need clear answers before the credit card comes out.
What Are You Buying?
ELDs have developed many extra features over the years. Extra bells and whistles have been added.
If an ELD has a GPS, those ELD companies realized, then the ELD can be used for many other purposes.
Load tracking is a common ELD add-on. This highly-requested feature comforts the shipper that the logistics company knows where their load is.
However, with every add-on, the price goes up.
For owner operators and independent truckers, those prices can go straight through the roof without adding any value.
For big transportation companies, maybe those bells and whistles are important.
At TruckingOffice, we recognized that there are two great values we can offer.
IFTA Reports and Detention Pay Evidence
If the IFTA report demands miles per state, what better way to use a GPS-loaded E-Log than to create the most accurate IFTA report every quarter?
IFTA is one of those tasks that can pull a trucker off the road for a day unless it’s automated. TruckingOffice ELD does exactly that. By tracking miles per state with the GPS, the report will be accurate and fast. No more hours at home, reading over notes written on the backs of greasy hamburger receipts or scrawled in a notebook, when your eyes should be on the road and hands on the wheel.
Detention Fees are too often contested by shippers. Do you have proof? they want to know. With the TruckingOffice ELD, you will. Records of how long you were parked in their loading dock are great evidence of when the shipping crew wasn’t loading or unloading your trailer.
TruckingOffice ELD has been on the FMCSA approved list for ELDs since 2017. When problems arose, our team resolved them quickly and correctly.
But most of all, TruckingOffice ELD has worked to remain the best value on the the E-Log market. By not over-developing our ELD, by keeping it simple and easy to use, we continue to keep the cost of our ELD low. We even have no-contract ELDs, which can help a trucker who takes time off the road avoid monthly charges.
ELD Replacement FAQs
What happens if my ELD is removed from the FMCSA list?
Once a device is removed from the FMCSA registered list it no longer counts as a compliant ELD. Out-of-compliance E-Logs can result in fines and penalties, and a driver can even be placed Out of Service. You need to replace the device with an ELD that is currently registered with FMCSA.
Why do ELDs get removed from the FMCSA approved list?
Some ELDs are removed because they no longer meet FMCSA requirements after the company stops supporting the equipment. Others come off the list because the company behind them has gone out of business. Four more were removed from the approved list at the end of December 2025.
What should I look for in a new ELD?
Four things matter most: current FMCSA registration, ease of use, automatic updates, and data access and reporting. Plug and play is a great choice, and BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) options that run on your cell phone are often less expensive. Automatic updates keep the device compliant as requirements change without another reminder on your calendar.
Do owner-operators need all the extra ELD features?
Usually not. Add-ons such as load tracking were built for big transportation companies, and with every add-on the price goes up. For owner operators and independent truckers those prices can go straight through the roof without adding any value, which is why TruckingOffice keeps its ELD simple and the cost low, and even offers no-contract ELDs for truckers who take time off the road.
Can an ELD help with IFTA reporting and detention pay?
Yes. Because a GPS-loaded E-Log already records miles per state, it can produce an accurate quarterly IFTA report fast instead of pulling you off the road for a day. The same records show how long you were parked at a loading dock, which is strong evidence when a shipper contests detention fees.
Check out the TruckingOffice ELD to discover what might be the best ELD for you.
Recent Comments