Federally-regulated commercial drivers must begin using an electronic logging device (ELD) to complete their records of duty status (RODS) by June 12, 2021.
The device must comply with the Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Regulations, and the latest version of the ELD Technical Standard. The device must also be listed on Transport Canada's list of certified electronic logging devices.
This page will help both commercial drivers and motor carriers understand their responsibilities related to electronic logging devices.
On this page:
Information for commercial drivers
As a federally-regulated commercial driver, you must complete your RODS using an electronic logging device (ELD) by June 12, 2021. The device has to comply with the Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Regulations, and the ELD Technical Standard which is published by the Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators.
You can only drive without an ELD if:
- you work for a motor carrier under a permit
- you work for a motor carrier that has been given an exemption under the Motor Vehicle Transport Act
- you're driving a rented vehicle for 30 days or less
- This means that you can't renew or extend your vehicle rental
- you're driving a vehicle made before the year 2000, or
- you're a driver that isn't required to keep a record of duty status (RODS)
If you use a portable ELD, it must be mounted and in a fixed position while you're driving the vehicle. You must also be able to see the device when you're in your usual seated driving position.
If you drive for more than one motor carrier and need to present your record of duty during a roadside inspection, you can either:
- print out a copy of your RODS from the other motor carrier, or
- if the carriers you work for use compatible devices, your ELD data can be transferred between companies with your approval
If you don't keep a RODS immediately at the beginning of the day, you'll need to manually enter your hours of service for the last 14 days. For example, this would apply if you're operating within the 160 km radius of your home terminal and then leaving on a trip that requires a RODS.
Just like with a paper logbook, you'll need to enter or check the information in your electronic log, including:
- the date and your start time (if it's not midnight), and your driver ID number
- the cycle that you're following
- the commercial vehicle's licence plates and the unit number or trailer number, if applicable
- the names and the addresses of your motor carrier's home terminal
- the main place of business where you worked or stayed during that day
- a description of the vehicle's location, if it's not automatically entered by the device
- any deferral of off-duty time under section 16
- any notes you need to add to complete the record
As a commercial driver, you must keep a copy of these supporting documents:
- any records of messages between yourself and the motor carrier that were sent through a driver call-in or fleet management system
- any payroll record, settlement sheet or similar documents that show payments sent to you
- any government-issued document that show the location of the commercial vehicle
- any reports, receipts, records or other documents that relate to the load you're hauling. This includes:
- any bill of lading
- itinerary
- schedule, or
- equivalent documents that show the origin and destination of each trip
- any reports, receipts, records or other documents related to the servicing, repairing, conditioning, fuelling, inspection or rental of the commercial vehicle, and
- any reports, dispatch or trip records, receipts, or other documents that show the date, time, or location of the commercial vehicle during a trip, including arrival and departure times
What a driver should do if a device malfunctions
In Canada, motor carriers are required to make sure that electronic logging devices installed in commercial vehicles are working properly and calibrated according to the manufacturer's instructions.
If you notice that the logging device isn't working correctly (the ELD will display a malfunction code), tell your motor carrier as soon as the vehicle is parked. You must also switch to using paper daily logs until you return to the home terminal from your current trip.
On the day you notice the malfunction, make sure to include this info in your record of duty status (RODS):
- the malfunction code
- the date and time when you noticed the malfunction, and the time that you notified the motor carrier about it
You must continue to record the malfunction code in your RODS until the device is repaired or replaced, which your motor carrier should do:
- within 14 days, or
- once you return to the carrier's home terminal, if your trip was longer than 14 days
Roadside enforcement
Information to follow.
Drivers from the US
Before June 12, 2021
Before June 12, 2021, a driver from the US can record their time working in Canada using:
- a paper RODS for their time in Canada during the last 7 days, or
- an electronic recording device (ERD), AOBRD display or printout of records of duty status, or
- transferring data from an electronic logging device that shows the driver's RODS for any work both inside and outside the US
After June 12, 2021
After June 12, 2021, US-based motor carriers and drivers must use electronic logging devices that meet Canada's regulations and technical standard. You can use devices that meet both Canadian and American regulations, but the device must be tested and certified by a certification body that has been accredited by Transport Canada.
US exemptions (e.g. agricultural exemption) will not be recognized in Canada.
Information for motor carriers
The device you use must comply with the Commercial Vehicle Drivers Hours of Service Regulations, and the latest version of the ELD Technical Standard. It must also be certified by an accredited certification body. These rules apply to all federally-regulated motor carriers and commercial drivers, including those based in the US.
These rules apply to commercial vehicles that are:
- a truck, tractor, trailer or any combination the two that weighs more than 4,500 kg, or
- a bus that was designed and built to hold more than 10 people, including the driver
Drivers can only drive without an ELD if:
- they work for a motor carrier under a permit
- they work for a motor carrier that has been given an exemption under the Motor Vehicle Transport Act
- they're driving a rented vehicle for 30 days or less
- This means that they can't renew or extend your vehicle rental
- they're driving a vehicle made before the year 2000, or
- they're not required to keep a record of duty status (RODS)
The electronic logging device can be on a smartphone or other wireless device as long as it meets the requirements of the ELD Technical Standard. As a motor carrier, you're responsible for making sure that the devices your drivers use are certified by Transport Canada.
As a motor carrier, you must keep a copy of these documents:
- any records of messages between yourself and the motor carrier that were sent through a driver call-in or fleet management system
- any payroll record, settlement sheet or similar documents that show payments sent to you
- any government-issued document that show the location of the commercial vehicle
- any reports, receipts, records or other documents that relate to the load you're hauling. This includes:
- any bill of lading
- itinerary
- schedule, or
- equivalent documents that show the origin and destination of each trip
- any reports, receipts, records or other documents related to the servicing, repairing, conditioning, fuelling, inspection or rental of the commercial vehicle, and
- any reports, dispatch or trip records, receipts, or other documents that show the date, time, or location of the commercial vehicle during a trip, including arrival and departure times
You must also keep the record of duty status and other supporting documents for at least 6 months. Don't allow drivers to use more than one electronic logging device at a time.
As a motor carrier shall, you must also make sure that each commercial vehicle you operate has an ELD information packet that includes the latest versions of:
- a user's manual
- instructions on how to transfer data from the ELD, and how to transfer a driver's hours of service to an inspector
- printed instructions on what to do if the ELD malfunctions, and
- enough blank RODS so the driver can record the information required under section 82 for at least 15 days
Choosing an electronic logging device
Before choosing an ELD, you should check with your device provider to make sure the device meets all of the regulatory requirements and ELD technical specifications and that it has been certified by an accredited certification body.
After June 12, 2021, you can only use devices that are certified and on the list of certified electronic logging devices.
At minimum, the device you choose should include these features and functions:
- separate accounts for drivers and administrators (non-drivers) with unique IDs
- uses “integral synchronization” with a vehicle's engine via the engine control module (ECM) or other means to automatically record engine power status, vehicle motion status, total distance driven and engine hours
- automatically records all driving time when vehicle is in motion, and records the vehicle's date, time, location, engine hours, vehicle km at least every hour
- uses geolocation to automatically convert a vehicle's position (longitude/latitude) and records the location within an accuracy of 1.6 km
- converts and tracks date and time in the UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) for the driver's home terminal
- keeps data for the current 24-hour period and last 14 days, and can produce these records electronically, and on demand during a roadside inspection
- transfers data by email, and if possible, by USB 2.0 or Bluetooth
- prevents tampering and doesn't allow anyone to change or erase information collected for driver ELD records
- requires the driver to review unidentified driver records – and either acknowledges assigning this driving time, or indicates that the records don't belong to the driver
- allows a driver to get a copy of their ELD records – either through a printout or digital file
- creates and displays all required standardized data on demand, via a screen or printout
- Printouts must include: a daily header, graph grid (at least 6 inches by 1.5 inches) that shows driving duty status changes, and detailed daily logs
- requires drivers to certify and explain any edits to records made by the driver or another user
- at the end of each day, asks drivers to certify RODS that weren't certified
- includes a user's manual, instructions for how to deal with malfunctions, how to keep records during malfunctions, and how to transfer ELD hours of service records to safety officials
- protects the privacy drivers while data is transferred
- includes a volume control or mute option for any audio features
What a carrier should do if a device malfunctions
In Canada, motor carriers are required to make sure that electronic logging devices installed in commercial vehicles are working properly and calibrated according to the manufacturer's instructions.
As a motor carrier, you must keep a record of ELD malfunctions that include:
- the name of the driver who noticed the malfunction
- the name of every driver that uses the vehicle until the device is repaired or replaced
- the make, model and serial number of the device, the licence plate and VIN of the vehicle it's installed in
- the date and location when the malfunction was noticed (and date the motor carrier was notified, if different)
- the date and description of work done by the motor carrier to repair or replace the device
You must keep these records for at least 6 months after the device is repaired or replaced.