FMCSA says electronic signatures OK for records of duty status

Washington – Truck drivers who use laptops, tablets or smartphones to update their records of duty status no longer will have to print and sign paper copies of the documents, according to new regulatory guidance from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

However, truck drivers who abandon the print-and-sign option must be able to sign the records of duty status electronically at the end of each workday. They also must maintain signed electronic records for the previous seven days and be able to display the records on their device during roadside inspections by enforcement officials.

The new guidance took effect July 10, and follows 2011 guidance in which FMCSA outlined how electronic signatures could be used while the agency considered a formal rulemaking.

Although FMCSA’s latest guidance cleared the way for long-term use of electronic signatures, the laptops, tablets and smartphones with logging software programs still do not meet federal requirements for automatic on-board recording devices, FMCSA said.