What you need to know: the California intrastate ELD mandate
Companies that operate a commercial vehicle fleet have more to worry about than just how well their cars and trucks are running. They also must be concerned with the safety of their drivers. To help ensure that businesses are focused on driver safety, the U.S. government mandates that certain fleet operators install electronic logging devices (ELDs) in their vehicles. For several years now, professional drivers operating in interstate commerce have been required to use electronic logging devices (ELDs) to keep track of their hours of service. Since the implementation of the mandate, many states have also adopted ELD use for intrastate drivers. California is one of the states that has recently adopted ELD use for drivers.
Starting from January 1, 2024, the State of California has mandated that commercial vehicles operating within the state must use an electronic logging device (ELD) to record a driver’s record of duty status (RODS). This requirement is in line with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, which have required interstate motor carriers and drivers to use an ELD to record a driver’s RODS since December 18, 2017. The ELD mandate is aimed at improving road safety by ensuring that drivers comply with hours-of-service regulations. The federal ELD requires carriers to utilize an electronic logging device to ensure that drivers of large vehicles take appropriate rest breaks between shifts of driving. The ELD is required if a California commercial driver is operating a vehicle that has a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating of greater than 10,001 pounds and if they travel outside of a 100-mile air radius from their home operating base.
Since this specifically affects California’s intrastate drivers, it is essential for fleet operators to understand the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s definition of “intrastate” to ensure compliance, prevent violations and avoid service disruptions. The key for operators is to have a clear understanding of the differences between interstate and intrastate commerce. If the fleet operator doesn’t correctly identify its operations, the operator and its drivers may be in violation of the regulations, which can lead to fines and penalties.
Fleet operators can be exempted from the electronic logging device (ELD) requirement in California if they meet certain criteria. The following are some of the exemptions for fleet operators:
- Driver salespersons who drive for less than 40 cumulative hours over a 7-day period.
- Drivers who transport oil field equipment for installation and repair, or who services oil field equipment.
- Drivers who report back to their work reporting location and are released from work within 12 consecutive hours.
- School bus or farm labor drivers who return to their work reporting location and are released from work within 16 hours each day.
- Retail delivery drivers who drive within a 100-mile air radius and are solely making deliveries between local retailers and end customers.
- Vehicles that are operated older than the year 2000.
Additionally, some vehicles can be exempted from the electronic logging device (ELD) requirement if they meet certain criteria. The following vehicles are exempted from the electronic logging device (ELD) requirement in California if they manually log and store the number of days worked and on and off duty times and save the data for a total of six months:
- Vehicles owned and operated by a forestry or fire department.
- Vehicles owned and operated by law enforcement for the transportation of inmates within the same county in which the agency operates.
- Authorized emergency vehicles.
- Vehicles that only fall under the ELD requirements for less than 8 days within a 30-day period.
Please note that this information is accurate as of January 2024 and is subject to change. For more information, please refer to the California Highway Patrol website.
FleetUp provides an all-in-one platform for GPS, driver management, engine management, and electronic logging device (ELD) compliance. The FleetUp ELD device is designed to record a driver’s record of duty status (RODS) and ensure that drivers comply with hours-of-service regulations. FleetUp’s ELD device is easy to install and connects to FleetUp’s cloud software and provides real-time GPS tracking, engine monitoring, and compliance records.
