What does 49 CFR 395.24 (Driver responsibilities—In general) require?

Short answer

49 CFR 395.24 requires drivers to provide information to the ELD as prompted and input their duty status by selecting from available categories. Drivers must also manually input or verify certain information, such as annotations and location descriptions, and produce hours-of-service records on request.

The rule says

"A driver must provide the information the ELD requires as prompted by the ELD and required by the motor carrier." (49 CFR 395.24(a))

"A driver must input the driver's duty status by selecting among the following categories available on the ELD: (1) Off duty or OFF or 1; (2) Sleeper berth or SB or 2, to be used only if sleeper berth is used; (3) Driving or D or 3; or (4) On-duty not driving or ON or 4." (49 CFR 395.24(b))

"A driver must manually input the following information in the ELD: (i) Annotations, when applicable; (ii) Driver's location description, when prompted by the ELD; and (iii) Output file comment, when directed by an authorized safety officer." (49 CFR 395.24(c)(1))

In plain English

This rule is about the responsibilities of drivers when using Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs). Drivers need to follow the prompts on the ELD and provide the required information, such as their duty status and location. They also need to manually input certain information, like annotations and comments. The goal is to ensure accurate and complete records of a driver's hours of service. In a real-world scenario, this means drivers need to be diligent about updating their ELDs throughout the day, and motor carriers need to ensure their drivers are trained on how to use the devices correctly.

What to do

• Ensure drivers understand their responsibilities when using ELDs
• Provide training on how to properly input duty status and other required information
• Regularly review ELD records to ensure accuracy and completeness
• Establish procedures for addressing any discrepancies or issues with ELD records