A. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) offers clear directions on what needs to be done in case an electronic logging device (ELD) malfunctions. First, the driver must note the fact that the ELD malfunctioned and provide written notice of the malfunction to the fleet within 24 hours.
Next, the driver has to reconstruct the record of duty status (RODS) for the current 24-hour period as well as for the previous seven consecutive days. The RODS must be plotted on graph-grid paper logs that comply with 49 CFR 395.8, unless the driver already had the records or can retrieve them from the ELD.
The driver then must continue to prepare RODS in accordance with 49 CFR 395.8, until the ELD has been fixed and is back in service and compliant.
The motor carrier has eight days from learning about the malfunction to correct, repair, or replace the malfunctioning ELD.
There are a variety of ways an ELD can malfunction:
- Power compliance malfunctions
- Engine synchronization data compliance malfunctions
- Timing compliance malfunctions
- Positioning compliance malfunctions
- Data recording compliance malfunctions
- Data transfer malfunctions
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