Wire
ELD manuals no longer have to ride in truck cabs
FMCSA finalized the change after saying paper copies add little value now that electronic logging devices have been in use for years. Petitions for reconsideration are due by July 22, 2026.
In federal trucking rules, the electronic logging device, or ELD, operator’s manual will no longer have to ride in the cab. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration says its final rule takes effect July 22, 2026, and trims a paper requirement from commercial motor vehicles.
Comment deadline: July 22, 2026 Submit comments: https://www.regulations.gov/docket/FMCSA-2025-0114/document Effective date: July 22, 2026
The change is narrow, but it is real. It removes one more item from the list of things drivers and carriers have to keep straight, without changing how ELDs record hours of service or how inspectors check the system on the roadside.
The roadside check stays the same
What does not change is the driver’s obligation to understand the ELD on the vehicle. FMCSA says drivers still must be able to present that information during inspections by enforcement officials.
The agency says there is no readily apparent benefit to keeping the manual in the truck now that ELDs have been in use since December 2019. In its view, the paper copy has become redundant.
A smaller burden on carriers
FMCSA frames the rewrite as a way to eliminate a regulatory burden on motor carriers without compromising safety. The rule does not alter the underlying expectation that drivers know how the device works; it only removes the requirement to store the manual in the vehicle.
For fleets, that means one less item to audit and replace. For drivers, it means a citation risk tied to paperwork rather than to the device itself is off the books.
Agency: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Department of Transportation (DOT) Docket ID: FMCSA-2025-0114 RIN: 2126-AC88 CFR parts: 49 CFR Part 395 Comment deadline: July 22, 2026 Effective date: July 22, 2026 Submit comments: https://www.regulations.gov/docket/FMCSA-2025-0114/document Contact: Mr. Bill Mahorney • Chief, Enforcement Division, FMCSA • (202) 493-0001 • bill.mahorney@dot.gov • Dockets Operations, Room W58-213, DOT West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590-0001