CCJ Staff
Truckstaff ELD’s self-certification revoked by FMCSA
Truck drivers and motor carriers using the Truckstaff ELD are being asked to discontinue use of the device and revert to paper logs or logging software following the device’s revocation by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration from the agency’s Registered Devices list.
As with prior ELD revocations from FMCSA, the agency did not provide details about how the device is non-compliant, only noting that the provider failed to meet the minimum requirements established in 49 CFR Appendix A to Subpart B of Part 395. Truckstaff did not respond to a request for comment as of press time.
“FMCSA will continue to take appropriate action when devices fail to meet the agency’s requirements because accurate and reliable hours-of-service records are essential to safety, compliance, and accountability across the industry,” said FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs.
The Truckstaff device’s revocation marks the 80th revoked device since January 2025.
Motor carriers and drivers have up to 60 days to replace the revoked ELD with a compliant device. In addition to reverting to paper logs or logging software to record required hours of service data, carriers have until Aug. 23 to replace the revoked ELD.
Law enforcement officers are asked to not cite carriers and drivers using the device until Aug. 23 and to instead request the driver’s paper logs, logging software, or use the ELD display as a back-up method to review the hours-of-service data.
After Aug. 23, however, drivers still using the Truckstaff ELD will be considered as operating without an ELD and should be placed out of service.
Motus woes prompt FMCSA to pause USDOT number deactivations
Federal motor carrier regulators have temporarily paused the inactivation of USDOT numbers for carriers lagging behind on their mandatory two-year updates. The move is aimed at curbing service disruptions caused by the launch of the new federal registration platform, Motus.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced that the suspension applies to trucking companies and commercial fleets that have failed to complete their required biennial updates since June 1.
The pause comes as the agency continues rollout of Motus, the new U.S. Department of Transportation Registration System, which launched May 19.
“Registrants will receive additional time to complete any required biennial updates and should not worry about inactivation resulting from Motus-related access or system issues,” the FMCSA said in a statement.
The rollout of the Motus registration system and its accompanying mileage-tracking app has been problematic for motor carriers and drivers due to strict access lockouts, critical technical glitches, and inaccurate tracking that has hindered business operations and compliance.
The agency noted that it plans to release further guidance as system stabilization and recovery efforts move forward.
Federal law requires all commercial motor vehicle operators to update their registration information every 24 months. Failing to file the update normally triggers the deactivation of the carrier’s USDOT number, effectively grounding its operations, along with potential civil penalties.
Motor carriers facing immediate technical issues or registration inquiries can reach the FMCSA Registration Customer Service Center at 1-800-832-5660 or submit an online request through the agency’s webform.
Ryan Witkowski
A new bill introduced targets foreign meddling with electronic logging device records. On Monday, June 22, U.S. Representatives Greg Steube, R-Fla., and Dave Taylor, R-Ohio, introduced the Guarding Hours-of-Service Oversight and Stopping Tampering by Remote Unofficial Carrier Keeper Act, HR9369. The bill seeks to reform the ELD system to prevent bad actors outside the country from exploiting drivers.
“Foreign dispatchers should not be able to manipulate trucking safety records from halfway around the world and put American lives at risk,” Steube said in a statement. “Reports have exposed how overseas actors are falsifying driver logs, overworking truckers beyond safe limits and avoiding accountability when tragedies occur. The GHOSTRUCK Act closes this loophole and helps keep our roads safe.” Tabbed the GHOSTRUCK Act, the proposed bill would require that any edits to an ELD record be made by a carrier, dispatcher or driver physically located in North America. Additionally, the bill would keep the existing requirement that all edits are subject to driver approval.
According to the lawmakers, some foreign-based dispatchers exploit this regulatory loophole to remotely manipulate an ELD, enabling drivers to exceed federally mandated hours-of-service limits while remaining beyond the reach of U.S. enforcement authorities.
“Beyond powering our nation’s supply chain and economy, our nation’s truck drivers share the road with American families, and there’s nothing more important than ensuring everyone reaches their destinations safely,” Taylor said. “I am proud to join Rep. Steube in introducing the GHOSTRUCK Act to hold bad actors accountable for tampering with electronic logging devices, enhance accountability on the road, and ultimately make American roads safe again.”
The proposed legislation is supported by multiple industry groups, including the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association. The Association called the bill “commonsense legislation” and urged lawmakers to pass it quickly.
“OOIDA is proud to support Representative Greg Steube’s GHOSTRUCK Act, which would prevent foreign nationals in places like Eastern Europe and Asia from altering the ELD records of American truckers,” OOIDA President Todd Spencer said. “Importantly, the bill ensures that a driver has final approval for any edits suggested by their motor carrier. Together, these provisions will improve highway safety, reduce driver coercion and help combat freight fraud.”
The proposed legislation isn’t the only bit of recent ELD news that will impact truckers.
Last week, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration announced it would be rescinding the regulation that requires carriers to maintain a physical copy of their ELD owner’s manual with them in the truck.
“There is no readily apparent benefit to continuing to require that the user’s manual be in the CMV given the use of ELDs since December 2019,” the agency said. “This final rule eliminates a regulatory burden on motor carriers without compromising safety.”
The new regulation will go into effect on July 22.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is exploring ways to increase detection and enforcement of substance use violations among non-commercial driver’s license (CDL) commercial vehicle drivers. In a notice filed June 18, FMCSA announced a research study called “Techniques for Preventing and Enforcing Controlled Substance and Alcohol Violations Among Non-CDL Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) Drivers.” As part of the study, officials will ask state partners to provide data that quantifies non-CDL CMV driver drug and alcohol violations and provides solutions for better prevention, detection, and enforcement of these violations. The agency said that while commercial vehicle drivers who hold CDLs are subject to drug and alcohol testing rules, “non-CDL CMV drivers who operate smaller CMVs are not subject to these same requirements.” “Adding to the complexity are the varied and inconsistent nationwide enforcement practices of alcohol and drug regulations. This underscores the need for a more unified approach to regulating and enforcing substance use policies for all CMV drivers. Strengthening oversight and ensuring consistent enforcement across states is critical to improving safety on our roads and protecting lives,” FMCSA said. FMCSA will accept public comment on the proposed study. FMCSA defines a non-CDL CMV as a vehicle that is used in interstate commerce and:
- Has an actual weight or weight rating over 10,000 pounds (lbs.), but does not meet the definition of a CDL-required CMV; or
- seats between 9 and 15 (including the driver) and the company is being compensated for providing the transportation; and
- does not require placards.
Ryan Witkowski
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is taking an axe to yet another unnecessary paperwork requirement for truckers.
In a final rule expected to be published in the Federal Register on June 22, the agency will announce its decision to rescind the regulation requiring motor carriers to keep a copy of their ELD owner’s manual with them in the vehicle.
“There is no readily apparent benefit to continuing to require that the user’s manual be in the CMV given the use of ELDs since December 2019,” the agency said. “This final rule eliminates a regulatory burden on motor carriers without compromising safety.”
Despite not having to keep a copy of the manual, FMCSA said that drivers are still required to “understand the operation of the ELD on the vehicle to ensure the accuracy of their electronic records of duty status and to present this information during inspections by enforcement officials.”
The agency proposed rescinding the requirement in May 2025 and opened a 30-day public comment period on the proposal. In total, FMCSA received 24 comments regarding the proposal.
Those in favor of rescinding the regulation noted that ELDs often have an electronic version of the user’s manual built into the device, making the requirement to carry a paper copy redundant. Additionally, some commenters noted that maintaining a user’s manual in the vehicle is a burden on motor carriers and can affect their safety measurement system scores, particularly for violations cited during inspections. The commenters stated that its absence is usually not cited as a violation, but could be.
“This action is an example of commonsense regulatory reform,” the Association said in comments signed by President Todd Spencer. “We applaud the agency’s series of deregulatory proposals and urge FMCSA to further eliminate or modify unnecessary, ineffective regulations that have no connection to safety performance.”
Those opposed to the proposal said they felt the requirement to maintain a user’s manual in the vehicle was not a major burden. Additionally, the opposition noted that both drivers and law enforcement often do not know how to access the electronic version of the user’s manual, a complication further compounded by the various types of ELDs in use.
In response, FMCSA stated that drivers are already required to demonstrate the ability to operate the ELD upon an enforcement officer’s request, so they should not need to use the ELD user manual “unless they face a rare request.”
The regulation will go into effect on July 22. Petitions for the agency to reconsider the final rule will be accepted by the FMCSA Administrator up to the day the rule goes into effect.
In a unanimous opinion issued today in Flowers Foods, Inc. v. Brock, the U.S. Supreme Court held that a driver transporting an intrastate leg (i.e., not crossing state lines) that is part of an interstate shipment of goods is engaged in interstate commerce under the “transportation worker” exemption from the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA). The decision resolves a split in the U.S. Courts of Appeals on the question of what it means for a driver to be engaged in interstate commerce under the FAA.
The FAA generally requires courts to enforce arbitration agreements according to their terms, including class and collective arbitration waivers. However, the FAA contains an exemption for contracts of employment with transportation workers who are engaged in interstate commerce. At issue in Flowers Foods was the interstate commerce element. The Court held that the statutory text does not require a driver to cross state lines to be engaged in interstate commerce, and that a driver can engage in interstate commerce as part of a continuous interstate journey.
The Court rejected Flowers Foods’s sole theory that, to be engaged in interstate commerce, a driver must either cross state lines or interact with a vehicle that does so (e.g., loading or unloading). Instead, the Court held that drivers who are “direct, necessary, and active participants in moving goods from … points in one state to points in another state” are exempt, even if their work does not involve “crossing state lines or interacting with vehicles that do.” (internal quotations omitted).
Notably, the Court acknowledged a difference in opinion in the lower courts on whether contracting with a business entity qualifies as a “contract of employment” even when the business is engaged in interstate commerce, another element of the transportation worker exemption. The Court’s opinion leaves open that question, which may present the next opportunity for the Court to further refine the scope of the exemption.
Even where the FAA does not apply because of the transportation worker exemption, arbitration may be available under state arbitration laws and, therefore, may remain a viable alternative to resolve disputes. The availability of arbitration under state law is jurisdiction-specific and may depend on the specific language of the arbitration agreement, so effectively compelling arbitration under state law requires careful planning and analysis.
For more information, contact Greg Feary, Braden Core, Prasad Sharma, or Jim Eckhart.
