FMCSA kills requirement for truckers to carry ELD user’s manual on commercial vehicle

Truck drivers will no longer be required to keep a copy of their electronic logging device (ELD) operator’s manual inside of their commercial vehicle, federal authorities said.

In a Final Rule to be published on June 22, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) rescinded the requirement that a copy of the ELD user’s manual to be kept in the commercial motor vehicle (CMV).

The agency said that keeping a paper copy of the manual is unnecessary because electronic versions are readily available and because truck drivers are already required to have an understanding of how to operate their ELDs in order to maintain records of duty status.

FMCSA first proposed a rule to eliminate the ELD user’s manual requirement in May 30, 2025.

Officials stated that the majority of the public comments received were in favor of eliminating the rule:

“...Commenters supporting the proposal indicated the requirement to retain a user’s manual in the vehicle does not provide a safety benefit for several reasons. ELDs routinely have an electronic version of the user’s manual built into the device. Commenters also mentioned that maintaining a user’s manual in the vehicle is a burden on motor carriers which can affect their safety measurement system scores in terms of violations cited during inspections. The commenters stated that its absence is usually not cited as a violation but could be.“

 In 2024, over 3,000 drivers were found to be in violation of the ELD user’s manual requirement, FMCSA said.

“There is no readily apparent benefit to continuing to require that the user’s manual be in the CMV given the use of ELDs since December 2019. This final rule eliminates a regulatory burden on motor carriers without compromising safety,” said FMCSA.