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Do I Need EDL for a Box Truck? [What is an EDL?]

Yes. You should have an ELD and also report IFTA if you are going to drive outside the state. Box and light-duty trucks, especially those that drag a trailer or auto transport (car trailer), must have an ELD if they are transferring freight inside the state, particularly, if they tend to go further than 150 miles from their base. If you’re a trucker, box trucker, or hot shot, it is essential you obtain an ELD.

What is an EDL?

The EDL is a government-issued license known to incorporate an RFID tag that allows security forces to unlock the holder’s biographical and biometric details, in addition to the basic features of a driver’s license. This does not comprise user details but rather connects to the cardholder’s profile in a registry via an identifier.

The RFID chip sends the cardholder’s ID to the desired recipient, who receives the information relating to that. Currently, about four crossing states; Michigan, New York, Vermont, and Washington, participate in Enhanced Driver’s Licenses to help with border crossings between the United States and Canada.

People with an EDL are not requested to showcase a passport when traversing the border, instead, the RFID chip is read by a receiver near the border patrol station, telling the officers that perhaps the person is approved to cross. They provide commuters with the possibility of entering the United States from Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean through a land or port of entry, as well as being used as a driver’s license.

Exempt Vehicles from EDL Requirements

Numerous truckers and drivers are currently required to maintain Records of Duty Status (RODS) in pursuant to part 395, 49 CFR 395.8. (a).

Have in mind that this same principle applies to both commercial buses and trucks, as well as motorists from Canada and Mexico. The deadline for compliance with the ELD mandate was December 16, 2019. There are a few exclusions, they include the following:

  1. Vehicles manufactured prior to the year 2000

An electronic logging device (ELD) unit necessitates an engine control module (ECM). Owing to that, a good number of engines assembled leading up to 2000 didn’t have an ECM. As a practical matter, if the engine of a commercial motor has been assembled in 2000 or earlier, the vehicle is excluded from the demand to use an ELD.

This exclusion stipulated the engine’s threshold year; however, the engine is what counts in the end, and it can also be swapped. Regardless of whether the vehicle was manufactured leading up to 2000; ELDs are expected for trucks with engine models from 2000 or later.

  1. Short-haul Exception

Certain commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders are impacted by this particular instance. This explains that drivers show up at their jobs, then either deliver supplies to a specific location or undertake constant deliveries. Afterward, they take back their truck and return home.

The FMCSA recently published a modified final rule that widens the radius to 150 miles, usually acknowledged as the 100-air-mile Radius exception.

“Approving this modification increases the number of motorists who can leverage the benefits of the exclusion, shift work, and travel time from long-haul to short-haul,” according to the FMCSA. To qualify for this, drivers must meet the following requirements:

  • They must keep working within the 150-mile radius of their usual work compliance location
  • Must start and conclude the day at the same site
  • You should always be spared from work within 12 hours
  • Take a 10-hour break between 12-hour shifts
  • No upwards of 14 hours of driving
  1. 150 Air-mile Radius

A number of non-CDL drivers are able to qualify for the short-distance exemption. However, in order to be eligible for this, the following are required:

  • They should always keep functioning only within a 150-mile radius of where they return and are thus relieved of duty.
  • Come back to their regular reporting location at the end of each duty tour
  • Not handling any vehicle that requires a CDL after 14 hours of arriving on duty on 5 days of any 7-day period.
  1. Farm Vehicles

Several farm trucks and their operators are excluded from the ELD mandate. It also does not apply to all farm vehicles and equipment. It includes the personal movement of goods of farm animals, industrial equipment, or commodities by the farm’s owner or manager, a close relative, or a worker.

  1. Vehicles With Driveaway-Towaway Capabilities

Drivers who transport a commercial vehicle as part of a dispatch, and are more or less the owners of the vehicle are not required to equip it with an ELD.

  1. Drivers Expected to Maintain RODS for 8 Days or Less

Drivers who would be obligated to maintain a record of duty status (RODS) for 8 days or less predominantly in a 30-day rolling period are usually barred from utilizing an ELD. They are required to always keep paper records, but the ELD is not obligated.

This incorporates short drivers who occasionally end up taking long trips. As a result, drivers who contravene the short-haul exception more than eight times in a 30-day period must utilize an ELD for the remaining portion of such a phase. Note that short-haul drivers who make long trips are rarely deemed necessary to improve due to the ELD exemption.

How Do I Obtain an Enhanced Driver’s License?

It is important to note that your region or state influences the approval process for an EDL. Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, and Washington residents are eligible for this license;

Michigan

As long as you have no transgressions on your Michigan driver’s license, you can easily upgrade to an EDL, which might discourage you from driving erratically. You will be expected to submit your applications in person at a Secretary of State office and make available the following information:

  • Provide all valid social security numbers, confirmation of US citizenship, proof of identity, and evidence of Michigan resident status
  • Take a fresh picture
  • A $45 fee is required

New York

New York motorists are also allowed to upgrade their present driver’s license to an EDL, only by visiting their neighborhood DMV. To qualify, the following are the requirements;

  • Social Security Number Verification
  • Verifiable confirmation of name and residency in New York
  • A $30 document fee and a $12.50 document processing fee

Vermont

Vermont residents who are US citizens may be able to qualify to apply for an EDL. Currently, not many Vermont DMVs issue EDLs; for something like a catalog of branches that do go to http://dmv.vermont.gov/licenses/enhanced/general info. Bring the mentioned items with you to apply:

  • An ELD application that has been properly completed
  • Verification of Social Security Number, Identification, United States proof of citizenship, and Vermont proof of residence
  • You will be expected to pay a $25 EDL fee, along with your standard driver’s license (fees may differ depending on whether you intend to renew an old one, make modifications, or obtain your first license).

Washington

Anyone in the state of Washington may be able to obtain an EDL, as long as they already meet the requirements for a Washington intermediate driver’s license, which is the license several new drivers in the state are expected to apply for. The requirements are the following:

  • Concrete evidence of citizenship, proof of identification, and also proof of residency in Washington
  • Your social security number (card is not usually required)
  • A fee of $15 for upgrading to an EDL and $35, (for the first time is payable in cash, checks, or acknowledged credit card)

Conclusion

Enhanced Drivers Licenses (EDLs) are driver licenses that function as a form of identification and citizenship in the United States. As stated on the Department of Homeland Security’s website, the RFID chip inside the card constitutes no identifying information.

When scanned, it generates a unique ID number that is linked to information contained in a secure DHS database. The EDL as well encompasses a shielded compartment, to prevent anyone from perusing your permit without your knowledge.