Pillar · 49 CFR Part 395 (ELD)
Safety tech that the auditor can actually read.
An ELD that is misconfigured will fail Part 395. A camera system without a retention policy will become an evidence problem. Telematics integrated with HR will pre-flag every coaching opportunity. We help carriers choose, deploy, and configure the tech so it reduces CSA exposure instead of creating new audit problems.
Why it matters
The right tech defends your record. The wrong tech hands FMCSA evidence.
Fleet-safety technology has gone from optional to expected. ELDs are mandatory for most carriers. Telematics is the standard for hours-of-service oversight, fuel management, and driver coaching. In-cab cameras are widely deployed and increasingly relied on in litigation. Each of these systems generates records that FMCSA, plaintiff attorneys, and insurance carriers will all read. A telematics system not aligned to your HOS policy can produce a violation report that ends up in MCMIS. A camera system without a documented retention policy can be subpoenaed and used against you in litigation. We help carriers select, configure, and govern these systems so the records they generate work for the carrier, not against it.
Regulation: 49 CFR Part 395 (HOS / ELD) · Part 396 (Inspection, Repair, Maintenance) · CSA / SMS
Common gap areas
Common pitfalls in fleet-tech deployment.
Choosing an ELD that fails Part 395 self-certification
Some ELDs on the market fail FMCSA's technical specifications. Operating with one is the same as operating without ELD compliance.
Telematics that disagrees with the ELD
When the GPS pings show the truck moving and the ELD shows off-duty, FMCSA treats the discrepancy as a record falsification flag.
In-cab cameras with no retention policy
Footage retained too long becomes a discovery liability. Footage retained too short can be evidence-destruction. Both extremes hurt.
No driver acknowledgment of the policy
Camera and telematics deployment without signed driver acknowledgments creates a labor-law and union-relations problem.
DVIR tools that do not flow to maintenance
A DVIR app that captures defects but never routes them to the shop creates a documented record of unrepaired equipment.
How we work
How we run a fleet-tech program.
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Selection aligned to your operation
ELD, telematics, camera, DVIR, and TMS selection driven by your fleet size, operating territory, lane mix, and existing systems. We compare on FMCSA self-certification, integration paths, total cost, and audit-defensibility — not on sales pitch.
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Configuration to FMCSA spec
ELD configured for your duty cycles, exemptions, and yard moves. Telematics aligned to your HOS policy so movement data corroborates rather than contradicts. Camera retention written into a documented policy and acknowledged by drivers.
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Driver onboarding and ongoing review
Driver training on the systems with signed acknowledgments. Quarterly review of the telematics-vs-ELD agreement rate, camera incident-flag rate, and DVIR-to-shop closure time. Tech that the team uses, not tech that sits on a shelf.
Services in this pillar
Specialist offerings within Fleet Safety Technology.
Fleets adopting tax-compliant mileage capture
Motus FMCSA Programs
Motus deployment that satisfies IRS mileage substantiation and FMCSA HOS oversight.
DetailsFleets without a dedicated safety director
Safety Management
Outsourced safety-director-on-retainer: policy authoring, driver oversight, monthly reports.
DetailsCarriers documenting compliance training for DQ files
Training & Development
FMCSA-aligned driver training delivered through the InfoMax training portal.
Details
FAQs
What carriers ask before the first call.
Is an ELD mandatory for all commercial vehicles?
ELDs are required for most drivers subject to the federal hours-of-service rules under 49 CFR Part 395. There are limited exemptions — driveaway-towaway operations, vehicles manufactured before model year 2000, drivers using paper logs no more than 8 days in any 30-day period, and a few others. A carrier should not assume an exemption applies without confirming it against the regulation.
What is the difference between an ELD and an AOBRD?
AOBRDs (Automatic On-Board Recording Devices) were the predecessor technology under Part 395.15. The ELD mandate fully replaced AOBRDs as of December 2019. Any device still operating as an AOBRD is non-compliant. ELDs must meet the technical specifications in Part 395 Subpart B and be self-certified by the manufacturer on the FMCSA registry.
Can in-cab cameras hurt my CSA score in any way?
In-cab cameras themselves do not feed CSA, but the data they generate can. If a camera flags a driver behavior and the carrier does nothing, plaintiff attorneys in any subsequent crash litigation will use the unaddressed flag as evidence of negligent retention. The FMCSA-side risk is more indirect: cameras that catch HOS violations or unsafe-driving events that the carrier then ignores create a pattern an auditor will treat as systemic.
How do I select telematics that satisfies FMCSA HOS oversight?
The most important alignment is between the telematics movement data and the ELD duty-status data. They should agree on when the truck moved, by how much, and during which duty status. A telematics system that integrates directly with the ELD vendor, or that is the same vendor, simplifies this. A standalone telematics with a different ELD requires careful configuration to avoid generating contradictory records.
Are dash cams required by FMCSA?
No. Dash cams (forward-facing road cameras) and in-cab cameras are not federally mandated. They are increasingly required by motor-carrier insurance underwriters and by major shippers as a condition of contract. Carriers operating without cameras should expect that to become a competitive issue regardless of FMCSA position.
Ready to talk specifics?
The first call is diagnostic, not a pitch.
Walk us through your fleet. We'll point at the gaps an FMCSA auditor would flag, by 49 CFR Part. No retainer, no obligation.