FMCSA: Numbers Show ELD Mandate Is Working
The electronic logging device mandate is working, said the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, as it posted a new infographic on its website it plans to update monthly.

Mandatory electronic logging devices (ELDs) are improving hours-of-service compliance.
Graph: FMCSA
The electronic logging device mandate is working, said the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, as it posted a new infographic on its website it plans to update monthly. FMCSA describes the infographic as a “snapshot of the positive impact electronic logging devices (ELDs) are having on improving hours-of-service compliance on our nation’s roads.”
Since the ELD mandate went fully into effect April 1 with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s Out-of-Service criteria for ELDs, less than 1% (4,720) of all driver inspections (559,940) have resulted in the driver being cited for operating without a required ELD or grandfathered AOBRD, the agency reported.
According to the infographic, only 0.64% of driver inspections in May had at least one hours-of-service violation.
Compare this to a year earlier, in May 2017, when 1.31% of driver inspections had at least one hours-of-service violation.
The rate dropped significantly after December 2017, when the first “soft enforcement” phase went into effect, dropping from 1.19% in December to .83% in January. The rate stayed right around that mark for the first quarter of the year, then dropped again once the “hard” deadline hit in April, to .69%.
Meanwhile, trucking interests are pushing for legislation on Capitol Hill that would reform the underlying hours of service regulations, now that strict enforcement is highlighting some of the operational difficulties with the rules, such as the Honest Operators Undertake Road Safety, or HOURS, Act (H.R. 6178). Other bills would ease the rules for specific types of trucking, most specifically livestock haulers.
Related: 7 ELD Tips for Roadcheck Inspection Blitz
More Safety & Compliance

FMCSA Removes 110 Truck Driver Training Schools from Certified ELDT List
Federal regulators also are targeting more than 160 additional training providers and launching a nationwide audit of third-party CDL skills testers as part of a broader crackdown on trucking fraud.
Read More →
Beyond DOT Compliance: What Makes a Trucking Fleet Truly Safe?
A trucking fleet can follow every rule and still make unsafe decisions. The real test comes when safety conflicts with freight, productivity, or cost.
Read More →
Hours of Service Pilot Programs: FMCSA Readies for 2027 Rollout
Two pilot programs could eventually reshape hours-of-service rules, giving truck drivers options to pause their 14-hour clock or use longer split sleeper rest periods.
Read More →
New Guide Offers Pet Safety Tips for Truck Drivers
Hundreds of thousands of pets travel in truck cabs. A new safety guide from Volvo Trucks and the Center for Pet Safety offers practical advice for truck drivers who bring dogs and cats along for the ride.
Read More →
Medical Cards, English Proficiency Reshape Roadcheck Violations
Medical-card violations jumped to the top of the driver out-of-service list during CVSA’s 2026 International Roadcheck, while English-language proficiency violations appeared among the leading violations for the first time.
Read More →
How Lance Evans Turns Enforcement Experience Into Better Fleet Safety
HDT Truck Fleet Innovator Lance Evans brings lessons from law enforcement to K&B Transportation’s approach to safety technology, data, driver coaching, and compliance.
Read More →
New FMCSA Chief Safety Officer Has Trucking Industry and Law Enforcement Experience
Steve Dowling joins FMCSA after serving as senior director of safety at Covenant Logistics and in leadership roles in commercial motor vehicle industry organizations.
Read More →
Driver Trust Can Make or Break the Success of Fleet Safety Technology
New Teletrac Navman research suggests that onboarding, transparency about driver data, and positive feedback can play a significant role in how commercial drivers respond to safety and coaching technology.
Read More →
FMCSA: Stop Using These 15 Electronic Logging Devices
Fleets and drivers must replace the revoked ELDs with ones on the FMCSA's registered device list of electronic logging devices.
Read More →
How HDT’s 2026 Truck Fleet Innovators Are Rethinking Fleet Operations
Meet five trucking leaders who are challenging assumptions, solving operational problems, and putting innovative ideas to work.
Read More →
