Electronic logging device
Also called ELD
An electronic logging device automatically records a commercial driver's hours of service by connecting to the vehicle's engine, replacing handwritten paper logbooks.
Last reviewed · by the fleetchart dispatch desk
ELDs record driving time, engine hours, vehicle movement and location, and are required for most interstate commercial drivers subject to hours-of-service rules.
Because they also record miles by jurisdiction, ELD data is commonly used to support IFTA reporting.
For a small carrier the ELD is often the most reliable source of mileage data, which makes it a useful cross-check against what appears on rate confirmations.
The data an ELD produces is worth more than the compliance it satisfies. Because the device records engine hours, movement and location continuously, it is usually the most reliable source of mileage by jurisdiction a small carrier has — which is exactly what IFTA reporting requires. It also makes idle time visible, and idle time is fuel burned producing no miles, which rarely shows up anywhere else in a carrier's records.