U.S. Representatives Greg Steube and Dave Taylor recently introduced the Guarding Hours-of-Service Oversight and Stopping Tampering by Remote Unofficial Carrier Keeper (GHOSTRUCK) Act. The lawmakers introduced the legislation to address concerns about foreign-based personnel altering electronic logging device (ELD) records used to track commercial drivers’ hours of service (HOS).

The GHOSTRUCK Act would require that any edits or annotations to an ELD record be made only by a carrier, dispatcher, or driver physically located in North America. The legislation would maintain the current requirement that all edits remain subject to driver approval.

According to sponsors of the bill, current law does not clearly prohibit foreign-based personnel from editing or annotating ELD records. The legislation is intended to address concerns that overseas dispatchers can alter driver logs while remaining outside the reach of U.S. accountability measures.

Supporters of the legislation contend that preserving the accuracy of HOS records is critical to compliance and roadway safety. ELDs are required under Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulations to help monitor compliance with HOS requirements designed to reduce fatigued driving.

The GHOSTRUCK Act has received support from the American Trucking Associations (ATA), the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), the Florida Trucking Association (FTA), the Truckload Carriers Association (TCA), the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA), and the National Tank Truck Carriers (NTTC).

“Foreign dispatchers should not be able to manipulate trucking safety records from halfway around the world and put American lives at risk,” Representative Greg Steube stated. “Reports have exposed how overseas actors are falsifying driver logs, overworking truckers beyond safe limits, and avoiding accountability when tragedies occur. The GHOSTRUCK Act closes this loophole and helps keep our roads safe.”