Xora Inc., Mountain View, Calif., has quietly released its cell-phone-based driver log system, Xora DOT Logs. Xora DOT Logs runs on certain cell phones on the Nextel network.

However, it has not been approved for use by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and may not be accept by enforcement officers. No press release was issued for the Friday launch.
“DOT Logs is not yet a substitute for paper logs or black boxes, but rather a complementary tool for capturing hours-of-service info, as well as tracking driver location and status,” said a Xora spokesperson.
Earlier this year, Xora and Nextel separately petitioned the FMCSA. Nextel in asked that phone-based logs be legitimized in the HOS rulemaking. Xora asked the agency for an exemption from the current rule. One such exemption already exists for the system used exclusively by truckload carrier Werner Enterprises. That exemption, which had been annually renewed by the FMCSA was recently made permanent.
Last month, the FMCSA published a request for comment on Xora’s application. Xora’s phone-based log system does not meet one of the current requirements of FMCSA’s so called 395.15 rule. In the rule, the FMCSA says a qualified onboard device “must be integrally synchronized with specific operation of the commercial motor vehicle in which it is installed. At a minimum, the device must record engine use, road speeds, miles driven, the date and time of day.” Certain Nextel phones can record many of these parameters, but they are not “integrally synchronized with” the vehicle.
Xora DOT Logs costs $21.99 per phone per month with a one time setup fee of $24.99 per phone. It requires a PC with an Internet Connection, a 5MB Total Connect Data Plan from Nextel at $19.99 additional per user per month and a Java, GPS-enabled Falcon 3-digit phone from Nextel.
For more information, go to www.xora.com.