The ELD requirements ruled by the FMCSA are complex and in-depth requirements on how electronic logging devices must act. In a perfect world, truck drivers would want complete control to edit anything on an ELD system, but that is not the case.

All CDL drivers are required to install ELDs in their trucks to record HOS. An ELD saves you the hassle of manually logging every hour you drive, and it will improve the accuracy of the hours recorded. However, the data recorded is only sometimes perfect. You might have forgotten to stop recording your on-road hours while on break, and in that case, you may need to correct the error.

Can You Edit ELD Logs?

The answer is yes. Whether you are a truck driver or a carrier, you can edit an ELD log to fix missing input information or a mistake as long as you are acting under FMCSA rules. Suppose you stop overnight and forget to change your status to off-duty. Then, an edit can be made to the ELD log. Please consider that an edit is only a change to the electronic logging device record. It will not override or erase the original record.

Separately, an annotation is a note related to an update, record, or edit that you or an authorized support personnel can input. Under Section 49 CFR 395.30(c)(2), all edits, whether made by a motor carrier or drive, must be annotated to document the change reason.

If you already certified a log for a day, yet you noticed an error you overlooked, you can edit that log to reflect what happened that day. You cannot edit a driving event that occurred while the electronic logging device indicated that your truck was in motion at over 5 miles per hour.

Once you edit an already certified log, you must recertify it again to acknowledge that the new log is accurate and correct. As a carrier, you can edit a certified log, but your driver must review the edit and accept it. If they are accepted, they will have to recertify that the new log is accurate.

How to Edit ELD Logs

ELDs interfaces can vary from software to software but generally follow the same process. To edit your ELD logs, you first need to find the daily logs and select the one you wish to edit. If the log has already been signed off on, you need to unsign it to continue. On the other hand, if you edit an existing event, you can edit only the event’s status, as everything else has been recorded automatically and can’t be adjusted.

Some of the changes you can make will most likely be ‘on-duty yard move’ or ‘off-duty driving.’ If you forgot to record when you arrived at your client’s warehouse and pulled the truck around to the back to offload the goods, you must select ‘on-duty yard move’ for the time you spent on that move. It would be best to make an annotation (note) describing the edit. Once you finish the edits and annotation, you need to re-sign, and the edit will be recorded.

What Log Edits Are Not Allowed?

There are some restrictions on the data type you or another authorized fleet staff can adjust. Anything that is not recorded automatically cannot be edited. Electronic logging devices are designed to record as long as the commercial motor vehicle is in motion. Because this classifies as driving time, there is no option to edit it or, even more, revise it as non-driving time.

Moreover, non-driving events, such as off-duty sleeping, cannot be changed to a driving event. The same applies the other way around, except that you can convert the driving event to an on-duty yard move or off-duty driving. Below is a list of edits that are not allowed:

• A driver’s logout and login activity
• Vehicle engine, such as turning on and off
• Drive time
• ELD malfunctions or software issues

Can You Edit Drive Time to Personal Conveyance?

You may need to move your truck for personal reasons. If your truck is your only way of transportation, your driving time should be indicated by personal conveyance before you start driving. This will not affect your work time, as it is a logged driving event shown on the off-duty line. However, the electronic logging device will place you on the drive line if you don’t put yourself into personal conveyance before driving over 5 miles per hour. This will start your 11-hour and 14-hour work clocks.

If that happens, you cannot shift the driving event to an off-duty line. All you can do is add notes to this driving event and explain why it qualifies for personal conveyance. If you are stopped for an inspection, DOT officers should consider your notes.

Who Can Make ELD Logs Edits?

As mentioned, both authorized carrier staff and drivers can make edits. Nonetheless, you cannot edit ELD logs that are months or years old. Whenever you (as a driver) or another carrier personnel makes a log edit, you must include an annotation. You will have the final say and the responsibility of confirming the edits. If a staff member makes an edit that you deny being accurate, the edit will still be kept on the ELD’s records. While the ELD is a record of your record of duty status, the reason can be edited by both you and the staff, ensuring equal responsibility and integrity.

To wrap it up, while ELD’s technology will make your life easier, it may still need editing and annotation to reflect some events accurately. While it may seem confusing as to who can edit, what information can be edited, or how to perform edits, it is essential to remember that any edits will not change and override the original copy. Learning how to perform any edits on your log will eventually ensure the most accurate hours of service of your record of duty status, which is the ultimate goal for compliance and safety.

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