New bill would ban foreign edits to truck ELDs

U.S. Representatives Greg Steube (R-Fla.) and Dave Taylor (R-Ohio) introduced the GHOSTRUCK Act on June 21, 2026, to close a regulatory loophole allowing foreign-based personnel to alter Electronic Logging Devices in American commercial trucks. The bill requires that any ELD edits be made only by a truck driver, carrier, or dispatcher physically present in the U.S. All edits would remain subject to driver approval, maintaining existing safeguards. The measure addresses a growing enforcement gap: American drivers and dispatchers face significant legal consequences for tampering with hours-of-service records, while foreign actors often escape accountability for the same conduct. For drivers and carriers, the change affects how and where ELD modifications occur. Some fleets outsource administrative tasks overseas to cut costs, a practice the bill targets. Unauthorized edits to logging records can mask violations of hours-of-service limits, a key safety regulation designed to prevent fatigue-related crashes. The bill is backed by six major industry groups: the American Trucking Associations, Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, Florida Trucking Association, Truckload Carriers Association, National Motor Freight Traffic Association, and National Tank Truck Carriers. ATA's Alex Rosen called ELD tampering "a growing problem that undermines enforcement, rewards bad actors, and puts the motoring public at risk." OOIDA President Todd Spencer noted the bill would reduce driver coercion and combat freight fraud while improving highway safety.