How to Reduce ELD Violations

If your fleet has ever been hit with a surprise inspection issue, you already know how frustrating it is. The good news? Most problems are predictable, and once you build a few habits, you can reduce ELD violations fast. The trick is to stop treating compliance like a “once a month” task and start treating it like basic maintenance.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through practical ways to reduce ELD violations that don’t require a giant safety department. Just clear expectations, quick reviews, and a system that catches issues while they’re still easy to fix.

Driver Coaching

The fastest way to reduce ELD violations is to coach the small stuff before it becomes “a thing.” Most log issues happen because drivers are rushing, guessing, or using features differently than the company expects.

A simple coaching rhythm that works:

Same-day message when a log looks off (friendly, not accusatory)
One clear correction (not a 10-point lecture)
Quick follow-up after a week to make sure it stuck

When drivers feel supported, they’re more likely to ask questions early, which is exactly how you reduce ELD violations long-term.

Error Prevention

Think of this as “make the device harder to misuse.” A few tweaks and habits can prevent a lot of mess:

Make sure truck/unit assignments are correct before dispatch
Require daily log certification (no “I’ll do it later”)
Use clear notes when something unusual happens (weather delays, shop moves, weird yard situations)

Also, keep edits clean and explain them. FMCSA allows limited edits to correct mistakes or add missing info, but edits must include annotations, and the driver must confirm/certify carrier edits and resubmit records.
That’s not just paperwork, it’s how you keep logs defensible and reduce ELD violations during reviews.

Audit Checks

If you want to reduce ELD violations, don’t wait until Friday. Do a quick daily scan that takes a few minutes per driver:

Unassigned/unidentified driving time
Missing certifications
Big gaps or weird duty-status jumps
Overuse of special statuses (if your fleet allows them)

FMCSA is clear that when prompted, drivers must review unassigned driving time; if it’s theirs they must add it, and if it isn’t, they must indicate that in the record.
Catching this quickly prevents “mystery driving” from turning into a roadside headache.

HOS Planning

A lot of fleets try to reduce ELD violations by focusing only on the logs, but planning is where the wins are. If dispatch regularly puts drivers into impossible days, violations are basically baked in.

Do simple weekly checks on:

Who’s running close to the 60/70-hour limit
Which loads are tight on appointment time + parking reality
Where you need buffer time (weather season, major metros, border crossings)

FMCSA’s HOS summary covers the 60/70-hour limit and the 34-hour restart option, those rules should be part of dispatch planning, not just driver responsibility.
Better planning = fewer last-minute scrambles = easier to reduce ELD violations.

Policy Enforcement

This is the unglamorous part, but it matters. To reduce ELD violations, policies have to be clear and applied consistently. If one driver can “make it work” with sloppy habits while another gets coached for the same thing, your compliance culture falls apart fast.

What to standardize:

When edits are allowed and how they’re annotated
What drivers must do at the end of each day (certify, review unassigned time)
What happens when there’s an ELD malfunction

On malfunctions, FMCSA guidance says drivers must notify the carrier within 24 hours, and carriers generally have 8 days to repair/replace the unit. If the malfunction prevents accurate HOS recording/display, paper logs (or another method) must be used during that period.
Clear policies here can absolutely reduce ELD violations tied to device issues.

How To Reduce ELD Violations And Improve Compliance

If you want one simple “system,” use this:

Daily: quick scan for unassigned time + missing certs
Weekly: trend review (what keeps repeating, and with who?)
Monthly: refresh training on the top two errors
Always: document edits properly and keep notes short and clear

This approach works because it keeps problems small. And small problems are easy to fix, which is exactly how you reduce ELD violations and keep inspections boring (the best kind of inspection).

Ways To Reduce ELD Violations In Small Fleets

Small fleets can actually have an advantage: fewer drivers means faster feedback and tighter habits. To reduce ELD violations in a small operation, focus on:

One “log check” person (even if it’s you) who reviews daily
A shared cheat sheet of “common mistakes and fixes”
A 10-minute weekly call/text check-in with drivers on trends

You don’t need fancy tools. You need consistency. And consistency is how you reduce ELD violations without burning out.

Keep Your Logs Clean And Your Fleet Inspection-Ready

The goal isn’t perfection, it’s fewer surprises. When you coach early, plan hours realistically, and do quick daily reviews, you’ll reduce ELD violations and spend a lot less time arguing with logs after the fact.

Need Help Reducing ELD Violations?

Reach out to us at www.welocity.ca, call 905-901-1601, or email info@welocity.ca if you need any trucking-related services. Whether it’s ELD setup, compliance coaching, or log audits, we have you covered.

How to Reduce ELD Violations Without Turning Into the Log Police

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