FAST Act (2015)
The law that authorized the ELD mandate and created the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse.
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The FAST Act — Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (Pub. L. 114-94) — was signed into law on December 4, 2015. As the five-year surface transportation reauthorization covering fiscal years 2016 through 2020, it contained two of the most operationally significant changes to commercial trucking in decades: the mandate for Electronic Logging Devices and the creation of the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse.
The ELD mandate directed FMCSA to require commercial drivers subject to hours-of-service regulations to use electronic logging devices to record their duty status, replacing paper logbooks. FMCSA finalized the ELD rule in December 2015, with full enforcement beginning in December 2019. The mandate fundamentally changed how carriers manage hours of service compliance and created a new category of enforcement action — the immediate out-of-service order for vehicles using revoked ELDs, tightened further in early 2026.
The FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, also directed by the FAST Act, is a secure online database that records drug and alcohol program violations by CDL holders. It requires employers to query the Clearinghouse before hiring a driver and annually for all current drivers, closing a major gap in the previous system where drivers with violations could simply move to a new employer without disclosure.
Key Provisions
- Authorized and directed FMCSA to require Electronic Logging Devices for hours-of-service tracking.
- Created the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse for CDL holder violation records.
- Requires pre-employment and annual Clearinghouse queries for all CDL drivers.
- Reauthorized surface transportation funding programs through fiscal year 2020.
- Updated motor carrier safety grant programs and new entrant carrier oversight requirements.
Why It Matters to Truck Owners
The FAST Act created the two most disruptive compliance changes commercial carriers have dealt with in the past decade. ELDs made hours-of-service enforcement significantly more rigorous — violations that might have gone undetected with paper logs are now automatically recorded. The Clearinghouse means drug and alcohol violations follow drivers permanently. If you’re buying or selling a truck that was operated under a lease, the driver’s Clearinghouse history and the truck’s ELD records are both part of the compliance picture.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the ELD mandate from the FAST Act?
The FAST Act directed FMCSA to require electronic logging devices to replace paper logbooks for commercial drivers subject to hours-of-service regulations. The final rule was issued in December 2015 with full enforcement beginning December 2019.
What is the FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse?
The Clearinghouse is a federal database of drug and alcohol program violations by CDL holders. Employers must query it before hiring a driver and annually for all current drivers. Drivers with violations cannot operate a CMV until they complete the return-to-duty process.
Is the FAST Act still in effect?
The FAST Act’s funding provisions expired and were replaced by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (2021). However, the ELD mandate and Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse it created are permanent features of the regulatory framework that remain fully in effect.
Read the official legal text: Pub. L. 114-94 — govinfo.gov
Related Federal Trucking Laws
- MAP-21 (2012)
- Part 382 — Drug and Alcohol Testing
- Part 395 — Hours of Service of Drivers
- Part 383 — Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Standards
- Part 391 — Driver Qualifications
This page is provided for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Always verify current requirements at fmcsa.dot.gov or with a qualified transportation attorney.
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