The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Thursday announced the removal of two electronic logging devices from its Registered Devices list — a version of Blue Star ELD and Reliable ELD.
FMCSA placed these ELDs on the Revoked Devices list “due to the companies’ failure to meet the minimum requirements established in 49 CFR part 395, subpart B, appendix A,” the agency said. The removals are effective August 15.
The Blue Star ELD company said that FMCSA had revoked a version of it’s ELD back in May, and that FMCSA had reinstated it days later after they moved the service over to a new system. FMCSA’s list of registered ELDs includes the BSE model of Blue Star ELD, but the BRS model was revoked on August 15.
A representative from Blue Star said the revoked model was on the old system, and wasn’t aware of any changes in status with the new models.
Reliable ELD could not be reached for comment on Thursday.
Carriers and owner-operators using the revoked devices are required to discontinue their use and revert to paper logs or logging software to record required hours of service data. They must also replace the revoked ELDs with a compliant ELD from the Registered Devices list before Oct.14.
Motor carriers have up to 60 days to replace the revoked ELDs with compliant ELDs. If the ELD providers correct all identified deficiencies for their devices, FMCSA will place the ELDs back on the list of registered devices and inform the industry of the update.
[Related: Can truckers get more time to replace an FMCSA-revoked ELD?]
During the 60-day replacement period, safety officials are encouraged not to cite drivers using these revoked ELDs for 395.8(a)(1) (“No record of duty status”) or 395.22(a) (“Failing to use a registered ELD”). Instead, enforcement officers should request the driver’s paper logs or logging software, or use the ELD display as a back-up method to review the hours-of-service data.
Beginning Sept. 14, carriers still using the revoked devices will be considered as operating without an ELD. Safety officials who encounter a driver using a revoked device on or after Sept. 21 should cite 395.8(a)(1) and place the driver out-of-service, the agency said.
FMCSA strongly encourages motor carriers to take the actions listed above now to avoid compliance issues in the event that the deficiencies are not addressed by the ELD providers.
[Related: FMCSA revokes five more ELDs, as owner-op seeks mandate waiver]