ELD FAQ

The term ELD stands for electronic logging device or e-log. It is a device that connects to your truck’s engine that automatically records your record of duty status (RODS) to ensure compliance with hours of service (HOS) requirements.

The ELD mandate is a rule that requires ELD use by commercial drivers who are required to prepare hours-of-service (HOS) records of duty status (RODS). The ELD mandate was officially enacted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) on December 18, 2017.

An AOBRD, or automatic onboarding recording device, is a piece of hardware that connects to your engine to record your hours-of-service (HOS). AOBRDs installed before the ELD mandate deadline of December 18, 2017, were given a two-year extension before they are required to switch to ELDs. AOBRDs can no longer be legally installed.

The two major types of ELDs are smartphone-based (or BYOD) ELDs and dedicated unit ELDs. Dedicated units are ELDs that typically remain in your truck and usually come in the form of a special tablet. Smartphone-based ELDs are just what they sound like — an ELD that is accessed through an app on your smartphone.

Smartphone ELDs are often cheaper because they require minimal hardware.

ELD compliance means properly installing and utilizing an FMCSA-approved ELD device to keep a record of your duty status (RODS) to ensure compliance with hours of service (HOS) requirements. In other words, being ELD compliant means using the right ELD device for its intended purposes.

Konexial’s My20 ELD is 100% FMCSA-approved and DOT-certified.

The short answer is no. A list of registered and FMCSA-approved ELD devices is available here, but please be aware that the ELDs on this list are self-certified by the manufacturer — which doesn’t always mean 100% compliant. It pays to research your ELD options thoroughly to ensure full compliance.

Konexial’s My20 ELD is 100% FMCSA-approved and DOT-certified. FMCSA-approved ELD devices meet the standards and stringent requirements of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Hours of service (or HOS) regulations dictate when a driver can and cannot drive. You can find a summary of the current HOS rules here.

One of the FMCSA’s main goals when drafting the ELD mandate was to help reduce the widespread issue of driver harassment. Most ELDs include a mute function so that the driver cannot be disturbed while they are resting.

While the logs can be edited by both the driver and the carrier, all edits of the logs must be approved by the driver, giving them the final say. In addition, ELDs will keep a record of the original log which will eliminate the carrier’s ability to edit the log without leaving an electronic paper trail. This will protect the driver in the event of harassment.

According to the FMCSA, there are four major exemptions to the ELD mandate. Currently, ELD exemptions include drivers whose trucks were manufactured before the year 2000, drivers who use paper RODS only 8 days per month, drivers who conduct a drive-away-tow-away operation, and drivers who operate under the short-haul exemption.

Learn more about the ELD exemptions here.

On the top right of the home screen, My20 will tell you ELD Status. “ELD connected” or “No ELD Connected.” NOTE: If “No ELD connected”, make sure power is on to My20 ELD box (green light on) and tap to scan for your ELD hardware. If the problem persists, check to see if Bluetooth AND Location services on your mobile device are turned on, both are required to connect to the My20 ELD.

Connecting an ELD to your truck is surprisingly simple. The My20 ELD has an OBD-II ECM connector that plugs directly into the ECM diagnostics port on the majority of trucks. After the ELD is installed, download the FREE My20 app & link your smartphone to the app via Bluetooth. 

No. The My20 app only uses your location while in Driving or On Duty mode. This is required for ELD compliance and is not used for any purposes other than to maintain compliance and communicate with the hardware.

The top left on the home screen (next to ELD Status) is Current Status (there are 4 status settings per FMCSA – “Off Duty”, “Sleeper/Berth”, “Driving”, and “On Duty”).

NOTE: You must be stationary to tap and change status. The My20 ELD hardware will automatically change to “Driving” when it senses your truck going over 5 mph and allow you to switch to “On Duty ” after 5 minutes without motion.

Choose the log you would like to annotate from the home screen by tapping on the graph (today) or any of the Last 8 Days listed under the graph. Tap on the entry (status/time period) you would like to change found below the graph and click the right-facing arrow (>). The Annotation screen appears so you can enter your exceptions and notes.

You can choose from FMCSA approved exceptions (“Personal Commercial Vehicle Use” or “Yard Moves”), and indicate the time of the exception along with your notes. For any of these, tap and scroll to choose time or status (“Off Duty”, “Sleeper/Berth”, “Driving”, and “On Duty”). [SAVE] when complete. After annotation, the graph shows the change via a dotted line and an orange entry.

GoLoad is the load matching engine where you will be directly connected to Shippers. This feature is being released in a future update.

On the home screen, there will be your current log for the day, as well as the logs for the last 8 days. Tap to view any of the ones on your device.

If you are a My20 tower user, the tower will store up to 30 days worth of logs per user. For all users, the last 6 months of logs are stored on a secure Konexial server. You may request these logs by calling our support number (865) 888-6920 ext. 2 or by sending an email to support@konexial.com.

At the end of the day tap on the graph on the home screen to:

1. Review log statuses and times are accurate for that day. Annotate if any revisions are needed (see below)
2. Review Form entries (Vehicle, Trailer Number, Distance, etc.) [SAVE(top right)]
3. Sign (center of the screen) the log with your finger [SAVE(top right)]

Signing this log verifies that the data is correct and accurate for inspections, and allows you to make an annotation if something is incorrect. It is important to certify your log as soon as possible.

The App has a very small effect on the device and uses no more than 1% of battery life.