Transflo ELD Driver Tips

As a driver, apply these tips when using your electronic logging device (ELD). In many cases, you can annotate logs with a good explanation for a potential rule infraction or violation, but you can lower your risk if you know what to look out for and can possibly prevent discrepancies in your electronic logs before they become compliance violations.

With electronic logging, it’s important to protect yourself as a driver by staying on top of your device and understanding how it functions. You’ll help keep yourself and your carrier out of hot water, and get the most benefit from your Transflo HOS app, ELD, and telematics portal.

Transflo has partnered with Geotab to meet the requirements of 49 CFR Part 395 under the conditions it will be used as set forth in the Geotab Drive System Operation Guide.

  1. Verify that your device is functioning correctly. To diagnose a malfunction code, see Transflo T-Series ELD Data Diagnostics and Malfunction Events.

  2. If you have any questions about whether your device is working correctly, report it to your fleet in writing (email is sufficient) and save a copy. Putting it in writing gives you proof that you brought the issue to the attention of your carrier, in the event that it becomes a malfunction later.

  3. Similarly, owner-operators should immediately report device defects in writing to our Transflo ELD Support team.

  4. Fully charge your phone or tablet battery or buy an extra battery so you always have a charged backup battery ready.

  5. Keep backup paper logs on board. Carry at least an 8-day supply of blank paper logs on hand in case of an issue with your ELD.

  6. Check the driver interface and placement. Mount the hands-free phone or tablet that runs your HOS app or Mobile+ app for your Transflo ELD where you have a clear line of sight. Maintain compliance with other state rules such as no windshield mounting. Inspection officers can cite you if your device is not secured while being used as part of your ELD solution.

For most drivers operating on a rule set that includes a consecutive workday arrangement such as a 70 hour/8 day rule set, the first ON duty log that appears after your 10-hour break starts your consecutive workday.

Important! It is extremely important to note that this consecutive workday ticks down from 14:00 hours regardless of any other log that comes after it.

The Following ELD Rule Applies: If you start your day with an automatic DRIVE or ON log due to moving your vehicle while assigned to it, there was no way to edit this and stop your workday from ticking down. Today, a new feature allows you to do this. See Change My Automatic ON Duty Log Status to OFF or SB.

Moves to Watch Out For: If you need to drive your vehicle to start your day, double-check that you can actually work that particular day and should be starting the vehicle.

Example 1: For example, you might need to drive the truck across the yard to hook up to a trailer or drive the vehicle to get loaded at a customer lot. If you get to the trailer or to the customer lot, and the trailer or the load is not ready yet, there is no way to stop your consecutive day clock.

Tip: In these scenarios, call ahead to your loading point or checking that all of your assets are available before you move the vehicle.

Example 2: If you go to ON-duty manually, and then realize you need to wait for an asset to arrive or for whatever reason you need to stop your consecutive day, you can edit the ON-duty log to OFF (with appropriate annotation) which will reset your workday. See Change My Automatic ON Duty Log Status to OFF or SB.

Yard Move: status is still recording automatic movement, so using Yard Move at the beginning of the day while the vehicle moves will also trigger your day to start.

Add Shipping Information: After you pick up a trailer or load, it is important to update the shipping information in your ELD. This information must be included on your logs in the relevant shipping section because it is sent to the FMCSA when transferring logs. Remember to keep this section updated during the day as you pick up and drop off as well. See Change My Assigned Vehicle or Truck.

Many drivers lack parking for rest breaks or have to shuffle their vehicles around at rest stops to accommodate other vehicles or for security. Moving the vehicle without appropriate action can result in a DRIVE status interrupting a 30-minute break, or worse, a 10-hour OFF-duty time window.

The Following ELD Rule Applies: 30 minutes of consecutive OFF duty time satisfies the 30-minute break every 8 hours rule; and 10 hours of uninterrupted OFF duty time satisfies the workday reset rule. An ON duty or DRIVE status will reset the rest time to begin at the end of the ON or DRIVE log.

Moves to Watch Out For: If you are taking a break (either 30 minutes or 10 hours) and you need to move the vehicle to a different parking spot or move it for any reason, make sure the vehicle doesn’t put you into ON duty or DRIVE.

Tip: In these scenarios, choose Personal Use prior to moving the vehicle. This will keep you in OFF duty status and won't affect the consecutive rest. See Start or Stop a Personal Conveyance ELD Log Exemption. Remember to annotate the log appropriately and put yourself back into OFF duty when the move is done. Use this technique when the movement is considered personal and is not for the benefit of the carrier.

You can leave the ELD set to Personal Use while at a truck stop or rest stop. At next ignition, the system prompts you to choose whether you want to stay in Personal Use as a default. Answer this prompt with No to revert back to normal mode when you are back on the clock and working for your carrier.

Several rule sets are available for drivers to use the popular split sleeper options such as the 7 and 3 or the 8 and 2 sleeper berth split (often misspelled sleeper birth split).

  1. As a driver, your ELD and HOS mobile app must be using the rule set that contains the split sleeper option and it must be applied during your 24-hour maximum workday shift to split your break.

    • Several commercial (non-retail) fleets have a rule set switcher option as part of the HOS portion of their mobile driver app. With proper training, their drivers might change their rule set to apply or deny split sleeper berth options.

    • Other fleets and retail ELD drivers are often not permitted to change the active rule set by design.

    • Contact your fleet administrator if you believe you need to have someone manually change the rule set from regular to split sleeper in the HOS settings section of the driver profile in the Transflo telematics portal powered by Geotab.

  2. Typically, many drivers start their day with 30 minutes or an hour in ON duty status. For example, you could inspect your truck. See Driver Vehicle Inspection Report (DVIR).

  3. When ready, find the load on your app and start driving.

  4. As a driver, you can take a minimum of 2 hours (120 minutes) in OFF duty, Personal Conveyance (PC), or Sleeper Berth (SB) or any combination of OFF + PC + SB that adds up to at least 2 hours (120 minutes) or 3 hours (180 minutes).

  5. You must take the longer part of your break in Sleeper Berth (SB) and it must be a minimum of 7 or 8 hours as long as it adds up to 10 hours of total non-driving time in any given 24-hour period.

  6. Your two breaks (8-and-2-hour or 7-and-3-hour breaks) can be taken in any order: short break first and longer break second, or long break first and second short break later. If following an 8/2 split, your 14-hour maximum day of driving can have a 2+8 = 10 hour break or a 8 + 2 = 10 hour break. You decide.

  7. When you are completely done working, switch to OFF duty.

 

To learn more about the 2020 FMCSA rules and split sleeper berth options, see the following resources:

If you are asked to show your logs during a roadside inspection, follow the steps in ELD Roadside Inspections or refer to this convenient travel card:

Your logs are sent electronically over wireless data transfer through the ELD provider and email. The telematic transfer is the method of choice for many jurisdictions.

  • If your ELD fails to transfer the logs due to a lost cellular connection or another technical reason, refer to your ELD manual for in-app on-screen instructions. Follow the instructions to show the officer the display of your duty status logs. This backup option is compliant with the mandate and you cannot be cited for using it if the primary transfer method fails.

  • If the ELD gives you an error during transfer, note the error. Most ELD systems will store diagnostic codes that can be reviewed by a support tech to determine what went wrong. If information is missing or incorrect, let your fleet administrator know so that it can be fixed. Something as small as a DOT number containing an improper character (like a dash) can stop the transfer.

  1. Complete your final bit of work such as paperwork or a post-trip DVIR while still in ON duty status.

  2. When you are completely done working, switch to OFF duty.

  3. If the vehicle might be driven by another employee or person while you are OFF duty, to minimize any chance of HOS logs being attributed to you by accident, log out of the ELD.

  4. If you are OFF duty but need to move the vehicle, log in and use the Personal Conveyance feature of the ELD.