The hot topic for people in trucking is, “What type of ELD do I get and where can I purchase one?”
The purchase of an ELD does not necessarily mean it will be compliant for IFTA and IRP. So, are you really compliant with IFTA and IRP standards?
We looked into it for you.
| Distance & DATA Collection | ELD for HOS | IFTA and IRP Compliance |
| Location data for the vehicle to which the records pertain | REQUIRED | REQUIRED |
| Frequency of GPS Readings, date & time stamps and distance recording requirement | Location readings:
| Date & Time of each GPS or other system reading: Intervals sufficient to validate total distance traveled in each jurisdiction. (Location reading 10-15 minutes or less) |
| Location of each GPS or other system reading | NOT REQUIRED | REQUIRED |
| Calculated distance between each GPS of other system reading | NOT REQUIRED | REQUIRED |
| Routes of Travel by Unit | NOT REQUIRED | REQUIRED |
| Beginning & Ending reading of Odometer | REQUIRED | REQUIRED |
| Engine Hours | REQUIRED | NOT REQUIRED |
| Total Trip Distance by Unit | NOT REQUIRED | REQUIRED |
| Distance by Unit Each 24 Hour Period | REQUIRED | NOT REQUIRED |
| Distance by Jurisdiction by Unit | NOT REQUIRED | REQUIRED |
| Unit Number | POWER UNIT & TRAILER | POWER UNIT ONLY |
| Registrant’s Company Name | REQUIRED | REQUIRED |
| Driver Name/ID | REQUIRED | NOT REQUIRED |
| Retain Data for audit purposes | 6 Months | IFTA: 4 Years IRP up to 6.5 years |
| Certification that device meets requirements | Self-certified on FMCSA website | IFTA/IRP DO NOT certify devices/systems |
| A monthly summary of fleet’s operations which includes distance traveled during a quarter, in total, by vehicle & Jurisdiction | Not Required. Reporting is by Driver not unit or fleet | Must be provided upon due notice |
| Differentiate distance recording accuracy between personal & commercial use | REQUIRED | No Distinction; All Travel must be documented |
| Report driver hours of service violations | REQUIRED | NOT REQUIRED |
*Source – Official IFTA website
In other words, your ELD may not have all the required features to be adequate for IFTA or IRP.
It is always a difficult task to comply with new changes. It takes time to find a compliant ELD for HOS, which is mandatory for your company, and there are still more requirements to consider.
Using your ELD can make IFTA reporting easier than ever. But interestingly, not all ELDs are made to work for IFTA mileages.
Here are some questions you should ask to help determine if your ELD will comply with IFTA reporting:
- Is the GPS recording total distance traveled in each jurisdiction?
- Does the GPS record the location of all GPS pings?
- Are you able to run detailed trip reports? Routes traveled by each unit?
- Can you keep your data for 4 to 6 years in case you are ever audited?
- What happens when your ELD has data gaps – are you able to recover those lost miles?
- If you were ever given a notice to provide a monthly or quarterly summary, would you be able to provide that information?
P.S. Beware of vendors stating that their ELD systems are IFTA or IRP certified. There is no such certification.
