The ELD rule applies to most motor carriers and drivers who are required to maintain records of duty status (RODS) per 49 CFR 395.8(a). The rule applies to commercial buses as well as trucks, and to Canada- and Mexico-domiciled drivers operating in the United States.
The ELD rule allows limited exceptions to the ELD mandate, including:
- Drivers who operate under the short-haul exceptions may continue using timecards; they are not required to keep RODS and are not required to use ELDs.
- Drivers who use paper RODS for not more than 8 days out of any 30-day period.
- Drivers who conduct driveaway-towaway operations, in which the vehicle being driven is the commodity being delivered.
- Drivers of vehicles manufactured before model year 2000.