WASHINGTON — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has removed 133 electronic logging devices (ELDs) from the federal registry as part of an effort to address falsified hours-of-service (HOS) records.
According to a Nov. 12 statement issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), the crackdown targeted illegal devices used to cheat safety rules, bypass mandated rest period and undercut drivers’ wages. Further, the agency said, use of illegal ELDs can be directly linked to deadly crashes.
“This latest crackdown — which required hundreds of man hours and extensive forensic investigations — will prevent criminals from cooking the books, sabotaging trucker wages, and endangering you and your family when you drive,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy. “Our message is simple: America’s roads are for American truckers. This administration will stop at nothing to protect the driving public.”
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration revoked 121 devices, while providers voluntarily withdrew 12, according to the Nov. 12 statement.
How driving records were falsified
USDOT described three cases of alleged log manipulation. It did not identify the providers, citing ongoing investigations.
- In one case, a provider’s support staff erased driving time and entered rest periods for drivers who were still on the road.
- In another, USDOT said a provider uploaded false logs during a roadside inspection to conceal that a driver had exceeded legal driving limits.
- In a third, logs showed speeds as high as 130 mph, which USDOT said was an indication that the records had been altered to make trips appear shorter than they were.
In a video USDOT shared on X, FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs sits in the passenger seat as a truck driver demonstrates how his electronic driving clock can be reset.
🚨TRUCKING FRAUD AND ABUSE EXPOSED🚨
In a HISTORIC crackdown targeting illegal Electronic Logging Devices, @FMCSA is yanking 120+ ILLEGAL ELDs from the registry
Under @SecDuffy and @FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs, we are dismantling this scam and leveling the playing field for America’s truckers
WATCH the shady tactics unfold in JUST SECONDS. Now @FMCSA is investigating the suspected fraudster… MORE TO COME 👀
— U.S. Department of Transportation (@USDOT) November 12, 2026
“Motor carriers must have confidence that every device on FMCSA’s public registry is compliant, secure, and actively supported,” said FMCSA Administrator Derek Barrs. “We are removing noncompliant and fraudulent devices to close loopholes that can be exploited to evade oversight, avoid revocation, bypass vetting requirements or undermine accurate hours-of-service records.”
What fleets and drivers should check
Carriers and drivers can check their device’s model number and ELD identifier on FMCSA’s registered and revoked ELD lists. Devices on the registered list are self-certified by their providers, not endorsed by FMCSA.
DOT said carriers have up to 60 days to replace revoked devices with compliant ones. The same announcement directs roadside inspectors to cite drivers still using the revoked devices on or after Nov. 24 and place them out of service. The release does not explain how that date aligns with the 60-day replacement period.
Linda Garner-Bunch has been with The Trucker since 2020, picking up the reins as managing editor in 2022. Linda has nearly 40 years of experience in the publishing industry, covering topics from the trucking and automotive industry to employment, real estate, home decor, crafts, cooking, weddings, high school sports — you name it, she’s written about it. She is also an experienced photographer, designer and copy editor who has a heartfelt love for the trucking industry, from the driver’s seat to the C-suite.
