HOS logs overview

An overview of HOS log types, abbreviations, the graph view, and managing Unidentified Driving in MyGeotab.

Access HOS logs from the main menu by navigating to Compliance > HOS > Logs. By default, logs are listed per vehicle. Exemptions used for a log are indicated with an abbreviation, HOS violations are indicated with a red warning, and ruleset changes are shown alongside other logs.

When a driver logs in to Geotab Drive and selects a vehicle, they are assigned to that vehicle. Any trips performed while assigned are associated with the driver's account. Once the driver logs out, they are no longer assigned to the vehicle.

Note:

HOS logs can only be moved between co-drivers. When administrators reassign HOS logs, both users must accept the change in Geotab Drive for the reassignment to take effect.

Log abbreviations

The following abbreviations appear on HOS logs to indicate exemptions and status changes:

Abbreviation

Meaning

EPU

Engine Power Up

ESD

Engine Power Shutdown

RSC

Ruleset Change

COMP

Malfunction and Diagnostics

AW

Adverse Weather

SDC

Situational Driving Clear

XEMPT

Exempt HOS

HE

HOS Enabled

HD

HOS Disabled

Graph view

Click View Logs for any vehicle to see 24-hour status graphs. The graph legend is as follows:

Color

Meaning

Gray

Uncertified logs

Green

Certified logs

Yellow

Edited logs

Red

Driving in violation of HOS ruleset

Striped

Personal Conveyance or Yard Move exemption

Blue

Qualifying Break (Canadian rulesets only)

Each graph displays duration and distance information for Yard Moves and Personal Conveyance, and summarized information about violations, ruleset changes, authority changes, shipments, trailer information, and malfunctions. Click any bar on the graph to view the corresponding log in the list.

Note:

For drivers using Canadian rulesets, daily and driving violations are combined into a compact view rather than being separated at the top and bottom of the screen.

Note:

For Canadian cross-border drivers that switch to a US ruleset when driving across the border, daily off-duty violations will not be generated. A violation can still be generated if the time remaining in the day is insufficient to meet the daily off-duty requirement while operating under a Canadian ruleset.

When a log is ignored, the status color changes to gray and is highlighted by a dashed border.

Unidentified Driving page

The Unidentified Driving page shows logs created when a vehicle was driven without a driver logged in to Geotab Drive. Navigate to Compliance > HOS > Unidentified Driving. The page includes the following information for each trip:

  • Vehicle groups and comments providing context about the vehicle
  • Trip distance, duration, and a link to a map with the highlighted route
  • The driver of the previous and next trip made by the vehicle, if available
  • The ability to filter trips by annotations, minimum distance, and minimum duration
  • The option to identify probable Yard Moves using the Vehicle Movement Within Zones rule

The Vehicle Movement Within Zones rule identifies trips that take place entirely within a zone, which can help label probable yard moves. To use this rule, ensure zones are created with the same zone type and that the rule is enabled for that zone type.

Before saving edits, use the Preview logs button to verify how the chosen driver's logs will look after accepting the edit. This option is available for both single and bulk assignments.

Editing HOS logs

Edit HOS logs in MyGeotab to correct duty status, ignore automatic logs, and review modification history.

Administrators and users with the required clearance can edit driver HOS logs. Generally, logs do not need editing if Geotab Drive is being used properly. When a log is edited, it is marked with a pencil icon. Editing a verified log removes its verified status, and the driver must certify it again.

Keep the following in mind when editing logs:

  • Automatically generated logs cannot be edited. Only manually created logs can be edited. If you attempt to change the status of an automatic log, you are prompted to create a new log with the desired duty status.

  • Administrators cannot edit unverified logs.

Use the check mark to select multiple logs for editing at the same time. Drive logs are automatically paired with the appropriate ON logs. Drive logs can be moved individually; however, it is recommended to move ON logs with them.

Select the Filter button to filter logs by those that already have annotations and those that need annotations. Annotations can be added to logs without an assigned driver.

When a log is edited by a carrier, it displays as a carrier edit in both Geotab Drive and MyGeotab. Carrier edits do not affect the driver's availability until the driver accepts or rejects the edit. If the edit is rejected, the logs and the driver's availability do not change. Carrier edits display in yellow on the graph. All modifications are listed under the Modifications section at the bottom of the log.

  1. Navigate to Compliance > HOS > Logs.
  2. In the Options menu, select the driver and click Apply changes.
  3. Locate the day on the graph and click View Logs.
  4. To edit a single log, click the log. To edit multiple logs, click Select individual from the dropdown, select all logs to edit, then click Edit selected HOS logs.
  5. Make the required changes on the Edit Driver Logs page and click Save.

Ignoring HOS logs

Ignore automatically generated HOS logs in MyGeotab when they do not reflect actual driver activity.

  1. Navigate to Compliance > HOS > Logs and select the driver.
  2. Locate the day on the graph and click View Logs.
  3. To ignore a single log, click the log. To ignore multiple logs, click Select individual from the dropdown, select all logs to ignore, then click Edit selected HOS logs.
  4. On the Edit Driver Logs page, set Ignored to Yes and add an annotation. For multiple logs, select the Bulk Edit link.
  5. Click Save.

Ignored logs, including those that continue from the previous day, fade with a note that they have been ignored. An ignored log no longer counts towards HOS availability, but still appears during roadside checks.

Correcting Yard Move and Personal Conveyance logs

Correct Yard Move (YM) and Personal Conveyance (PC) HOS logs in MyGeotab when a driver selected the wrong status or did not transition out of it at the right time.

YM and PC logs have limited editing options due to their regulatory nature — they can only be shortened or removed. You cannot change the log type to another status or extend the period beyond its original end time.

  1. Navigate to Compliance > HOS > Logs and select the driver.
  2. Locate the day on the graph and click View Logs.
  3. Click the YM or PC log to open it on the Edit Driver Logs page. You'll be shown a notification indicating that editing options are limited for exemptions. Click Shorten or remove to proceed.
  4. If shortening the log, select the new end time for the YM/PC period and then click Save. The driver will be sent the suggested edit, which they must accept or reject in Geotab Drive.
  5. If removing the log, use the dropdown to specify what the driver's status should be for the log and then click Save.
Note:

Any time the vehicle was driving during the edited period is automatically preserved as driving time and cannot be removed.

Managing unassigned and incorrectly claimed logs

Assign unassigned HOS logs to drivers in MyGeotab and correct logs that were incorrectly claimed.

Unassigned logs are created when a vehicle is driven without a driver logged in to Geotab Drive. These logs are assigned to the built-in Unidentified driver user. Drivers who do not claim their trips will not have accurate Records of Duty Status.

Note:

Annotations can be added to logs without an assigned driver.

  1. Navigate to Compliance > HOS > Unidentified Driving.
  2. In the Options menu, select the assets and an appropriate date range, then click Apply changes.
  3. Examine the trips on the page. Location, distance, and adjacent driver assignments provide context for identifying the responsible driver.

    Use the Filter dropdown to show trips with or without annotations, or set a minimum distance and duration.

  4. To edit a single trip, click Edit. To edit multiple trips, click Select individual, select the trips, then click Edit selected.
  5. In the Driver field, enter the name of the driver to assign the log to.
  6. Click Save changes.

Paired D and ON logs

An automatic Drive (D) log cannot be edited without also editing its paired ON log. This operation can only be completed using the Bulk edit feature to ensure edits are applied to both logs.

Logs that cannot be claimed

Carriers may choose to leave some logs unassigned - for example, when third-party mechanics move vehicles but do not have Geotab Drive credentials. Per § 395.32 (c)(1)(i), the carrier must provide an annotation for any log without an assigned driver to explain why it remains unassigned.

Incorrectly claimed logs

Drivers are prompted to claim unassigned logs when logging in to Geotab Drive. If a driver claims a log in error, it can be corrected in MyGeotab as follows:

  1. Navigate to Compliance > HOS > Logs and search for the driver.

  2. Bulk edit the driving and on-duty events that were incorrectly claimed.

  3. Click Replace With next to the Driver field.

  4. Replace the driver name with Unidentified Driver.

  5. Add an annotation and click Save.

Printing HOS logs

Print or save a compliance-ready set of HOS logs for a driver from MyGeotab.

  1. Navigate to Compliance > HOS > Logs and select the driver.
  2. Click the Print button to generate a print-ready set of logs grouped by day.
    Important:

    All logs must be verified before they are submitted to enforcement officials.

  3. To save as a PDF, set the browser's printer destination to Save as PDF.

Transferring ELD logs

Electronically transfer HOS logs from MyGeotab to enforcement officials for audits and roadside inspections.

In the event of an audit, logs can be electronically transferred to enforcement officials for any 30-day period within the last six months. Before transferring, you can validate that drivers and vehicles are correctly configured using the ELD Settings Validator Add-In, available on the Geotab Marketplace.

An audit log is created each time ELD logs are transferred. It includes the transfer type, date and time of transfer, and the date range included. The app performs a local validation when an ELD file is transferred.

Important:

If the transfer fails, review the broadcast carefully to determine the cause. Use the ELD Settings Validator to validate driver and vehicle settings.

  1. On the Logs screen, click the Transfer button.
  2. Select whether the transfer is based on Drivers or Vehicles for the desired time period.
  3. Consult the auditor or roadside inspector for the preferred transfer type: Email or Web Services.
    Note:

    For Canadian drivers, logs can only be transferred using email. Web service transfers are only available for US drivers.

  4. To enable the Jurisdiction feature, set the transfer type to Email, then select Canada or USA as required.
  5. Enter the code provided by the inspector in the Comment field and click Send.

    You will see a notification when the transfer completes successfully.

Canadian driver requirements

When electronically transferring logs, Canadian drivers are notified if any of the following information is missing and are prompted to cancel or proceed:

  • Vehicle distance

  • Engine hours

  • CMV VIN

  • CMV power unit number

Adding logs for ELD-exempt devices

Add HOS Enabled or HOS Disabled logs in MyGeotab to control when HOS logs are created for ELD-exempt vehicles.

Administrators can set a vehicle's status to HOS Enabled or HOS Disabled to control when HOS logs are created. HOS Enabled generates automatic logs within the specified date and time, independent of the AutoHOS flag. HOS Disabled prevents logs from being generated within that date and time range, even when a reprocess is triggered. The Administer the device's advanced settings clearance is required.

  1. Navigate to Compliance > HOS > Logs.
  2. Click the +HOS log button.
  3. On the Add HOS Log page, enter the required information.
  4. For Status, select HOS enabled or HOS disabled from the dropdown menu.
  5. Click Save.
Important:

When adding HOS Enabled or HOS Disabled logs, the system displays the message: "This log type is intended for ELD-exempt devices in which HOS can be disabled. Use at your own risk."