Meta Title:
Meta Description: How much do ELDs cost? Full breakdown of device, monthly fees, and real budget expectations for trucking companies.
Slug: eld-costs-budget
Tags: ELD pricing, trucking costs, electronic logging device, FMCSA compliance, fleet expenses, ELD budget
Short Description: A realistic breakdown of ELD costs, including hardware, subscriptions, and what fleets should actually budget.
Most fleets underestimate ELD costs.
Not because the numbers are hidden—but because they look simple on the surface.
“$30–$40 per month per driver” sounds manageable.
Until you multiply it across trucks, months, and years.
If you’re budgeting for ELDs, you need to look beyond the monthly fee.
Every ELD system has three cost layers:
Let’s break them down.
The physical device (like PT-30 or IOSix) is usually the smallest expense.
Typical pricing:
Some providers:
Important:
The device is not where most of your money goes.
This is the real cost driver.
Most ELD providers charge:
And they charge it:
5 trucks × $40/month = $200/month
$200 × 12 months = $2,400/year
That’s just for compliance.
No added savings. No extra value.
This is where budgets usually fall apart.
You still pay when trucks are:
Some providers require:
Extra charges may include:
These add up quickly.
If your system fails:
That’s an indirect cost most fleets ignore.
Let’s calculate a realistic 3-year cost.
3-year total:
$150 + ($480 × 3) = $1,590 per truck
Now scale it:
10 trucks = $15,900
For basic logging.
The issue isn’t the price.
It’s the pricing model.
Traditional systems charge:
You pay the same whether:
Instead of asking:
“How much is the monthly fee?”
Ask:
“How much do I actually use this system?”
Some newer platforms offer:
Traditional:
$40/month × 5 trucks = $200/month
Usage-based:
~$75/month (average usage)
Annual difference:
$2,400 vs ~$900
That’s a major gap—for the same compliance.
No.
This is one of the biggest misconceptions.
If you already have:
You can usually keep your device and switch platforms.
That’s how most fleets reduce costs without disruption.
For planning purposes:
Traditional model:
Optimized model:
Multiply by fleet size and factor in downtime.
That gives you a realistic budget.
ELD costs are not complicated—but they are often misunderstood.
The hardware is cheap.
The long-term subscription is what adds up.
If you budget based only on monthly pricing, you’ll overpay.
If you budget based on actual usage, you stay in control.
Typically $25–$70 per driver/month, plus a one-time device cost.
Because pricing models differ—some charge flat fees, others charge based on usage.
Yes. Many platforms support existing hardware.
Not always. Poor support or reliability can cost more in the long run.
Use a system that charges based on actual driving time instead of fixed monthly fees.
Most fleets don’t need a new device.
They need a better pricing model.
👉 Keep your current ELD. Pay only when you drive. No contracts.
https://portal.goeldhub.com/registration
.svg){kind=logo}