Top 7 Best ELDs for Construction Fleets (2026)

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Rules, prices and device details on this page were checked October 2026 against the official sources listed at the bottom. Where a provider doesn't publish a number, we say so instead of guessing.

A construction fleet is a strange beast. You've got dump trucks and lowboys that need logs, pickups that don't, and yellow iron that never touches a highway but still needs to be tracked. Some drivers are short haul every day, and some run regional when a project moves. The right ELD for this kind of fleet is really a telematics platform that handles compliance, equipment and job sites in one place. Here are seven that fit, checked October 2026.

Construction Fleet Needs

Short haul tracking. Many construction drivers qualify for the 150 air mile exception most days. Your system should track when they don't. And under federal rules, drivers primarily hauling construction materials and equipment can reset the 60 or 70 hour period with 24 hours off, per 395.1(m).
Mixed fleet support. Heavy trucks, pickups, trailers and equipment all in one dashboard.
Equipment tracking. Location, engine hours and utilization for machines that may sit idle for weeks.
Job site tools. Geofences, arrival alerts and time on site reports for billing.
Rugged hardware. Dust, vibration and pressure washers are part of daily life.
Maintenance by hours. Equipment is serviced by engine hours, not miles.

Comparison Table

Platform	Best for	Equipment tracking	Pricing
Samsara	All in one platform with equipment monitors	Yes	Quote only
Motive	Driver safety plus asset tracking	Yes	Quote only
Geotab	Open data and OEM integrations	Yes, via devices and partners	Through resellers
Teletrac Navman	Equipment heavy fleets	Yes, strong	Quote only
Verizon Connect	GPS and job management	Yes	Quote only
Zonar	Inspections and vocational fleets	Yes	Quote only
EROAD	Compliance plus equipment tracking	Yes	Quote only

The 7 Best ELDs for Construction

1. Samsara

Samsara's single platform covers ELD, telematics, AI cameras, maintenance and workflows, and it's popular in construction for putting trucks and equipment on one map. Its app marketplace and APIs connect to other construction tools.

Watch out for: quote only pricing, and fleets under 11 vehicles pay 3 years up front, per Samsara's small business FAQ.

2. Motive

Motive combines ELD compliance, GPS tracking, AI dash cams, maintenance and asset tracking, with a driver app many operators already know. AI cameras are especially useful for dump truck and mixer fleets working around crowded sites.

Watch out for: pricing is quote only, and its terms renew for 12 months unless you give 30 days' notice.

3. Geotab

Geotab is the data pick. Its Marketplace lists more than 400 partner solutions, including tools for construction, and its open SDK and Data Connector let you feed telematics data into your own reports. Geotab's ELD supports more than 100 HOS rulesets and exemptions in the US and Canada.

Watch out for: HOS and ELD are in the GO Plan rather than GO Core, and you buy through resellers.

4. Teletrac Navman

Teletrac Navman offers ELD, DVIR and IFTA reporting alongside vehicle tracking, video and maintenance, and its equipment management tools are a strong fit for construction and specialized equipment.

Watch out for: confirm whether your quote is for TN360 or its older DIRECTOR platform.

5. Verizon Connect

Verizon Connect pairs ELD compliance with GPS tracking, routing, AI dash cams and maintenance tools. It's a natural fit for contractors who care as much about job management as about hours of service.

Watch out for: quote only pricing, and its cameras work inside its own software.

6. Zonar

Zonar's EVIR verified inspections confirm the driver was physically at each inspection point, which is gold for vocational fleets facing equipment inspections. Zonar Logs supports federal, cross border and intrastate rulesets.

Watch out for: ask for references from construction customers, since Zonar serves many industries.

7. EROAD

EROAD offers ELD, DVIR and tax compliance with telematics, equipment tracking and its Clarity Edge AI camera. It's a good fit for contractors who want compliance first with equipment visibility on the side.

Watch out for: EROAD runs two platforms, MyEROAD and Core360, so ask which your fleet would use.

Equipment Tracking Add Ons

Mixed Fleets

Most construction fleets mix trucks that need ELDs with pickups and trailers that don't. A good platform lets you put ELDs only where you need them and lower cost GPS trackers on everything else. Ask each vendor for separate pricing for ELD units, GPS only units and asset trackers. Our asset tracking guide explains the hardware types.

Yellow Iron

Excavators, dozers and loaders often come with OEM telematics built in. Many platforms can pull that data in through mixed fleet integrations, so you see machine hours and location next to your trucks without adding hardware. Ask which OEMs each vendor integrates with. For machines without OEM telematics, battery powered or hard wired trackers can report location and engine hours.

Job Site Geofencing

Geofences around each job site tell you when trucks and equipment arrive and leave. That feeds billing, proves deliveries, flags theft after hours and shows how long trucks wait on site. Set them up for every active project, and remove them when the job ends.

Short Haul and Construction HOS

Construction is one of the industries where hours of service rules bend the most. Many drivers start and end at the same yard and stay within 150 air miles, so they qualify for the short haul exception under 395.1(e)(1). That means no logs on those days, as long as they're released within 14 hours and the company keeps time records for 6 months. When a long pour or a remote job pushes the day past 14 hours, that driver needs a log for the day, and your system should flag it.

The construction restart in 395.1(m) is the other big tool. For drivers primarily hauling construction materials and equipment, any period of 7 or 8 consecutive days can end with 24 or more consecutive hours off. That's much shorter than the standard 34 hour restart and suits crews that work six days and rest one. Some states, including Texas and California, have similar construction provisions for intrastate work. See our intrastate rules by state guide.

Make sure your ELD supports both. Ask vendors to show you how the app tracks short haul eligibility, how it warns a driver who's about to lose it, and how it applies the 24 hour construction restart.

Rollout Tips for Construction Fleets

Start with the trucks that need logs. Install ELDs on dump trucks, lowboys and mixers that run regional loads first.
Track equipment next. Add asset trackers to the most expensive and most theft prone machines.
Use the off season. Winter slowdowns are the best time to install hardware and train crews.
Train foremen, not just drivers. Foremen often decide when trucks leave the site, which affects hours.
Connect to your accounting. Time on site data from geofences can feed job costing.
Check hardware ratings. Ask about dust, water and vibration ratings for any device going on equipment.

Records Worth Keeping

Construction carriers face audits like anyone else. Keep 6 months of logs and supporting documents, time records for short haul drivers, inspection reports and maintenance files. Store them in one system if you can, so you can pull everything for a single truck or driver in minutes when an auditor asks. Good records also help when you dispute a roadside violation or file a DataQs challenge later.

What to Ask in a Demo

Show me a truck, a pickup and an excavator on the same map.
Show me engine hour based maintenance reminders for equipment.
Show me a job site geofence report with arrival and departure times.
Show me how a driver's day flips from short haul to logging.
What's the price for an ELD unit vs a GPS only unit vs an asset tag?

How to Choose

Heavy equipment focus: Teletrac Navman or Samsara.
Safety first: Motive.
Data and integrations: Geotab.
Inspection heavy: Zonar.
Job management and GPS: Verizon Connect.

Whatever you pick, confirm it's on the FMCSA registered list. Learn more about the broader category in our telematics guide.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Do construction trucks need ELDs?

Trucks of 10,001 pounds or more in interstate commerce need ELDs when drivers must keep logs. Many construction drivers qualify for the 150 air mile short haul exception and do not need logs most days.

Is there a construction restart in the HOS rules?

Yes. Under 49 CFR 395.1(m), drivers primarily transporting construction materials and equipment can restart the 60 or 70 hour period with 24 consecutive hours off, within the conditions of the rule.

Can one platform track trucks and equipment?

Yes. Most of the platforms on this list support mixed fleets, including ELD units, GPS trackers and OEM equipment data.

Sources

All prices, terms and registration details were checked October 2026 on the pages below. Providers change pricing often, so confirm before you buy.