User manual for "Samsara ELD"

Below you will find the vendor provided user manual for the ELD product "Samsara ELD".

For contact information and additional devices produced by the same vendor see their page Samsara Inc..

Samsara Driver App User Guide
United States Edition
VERSION 20.11

Samsara Driver App User Guide

Table of Contents
My Samsara Login Details ...................................................................................................... 3
Reset your Samsara Driver App Password ...................................................................... 3
Start Your Shift ...................................................................................................................... 7
Check Vehicle for ELD Materials ..................................................................................... 7
Sign In & Select Vehicle ................................................................................................. 7
Complete Pre-Trip DVIR .................................................................................................. 8
Add Log Form Data ...................................................................................................... 11
Start Driving ................................................................................................................ 12
During the Day .....................................................................................................................
Review Cumulative Hours ............................................................................................
Take a Break ................................................................................................................
Annotate Your Log .......................................................................................................
Roadside Inspection ....................................................................................................
Transfer Logs ..............................................................................................................

14
14
15
18
18
22

End Your Shift .....................................................................................................................
Complete Post-Trip DVIR ..............................................................................................
Edit Your Log ...............................................................................................................
Certify Your Logs .........................................................................................................
Go Off Duty and Sign Out .............................................................................................
Sign Out ......................................................................................................................

24
24
24
25
26
27

Special Statuses ................................................................................................................. 29
Yard Move ................................................................................................................... 29
Personal Conveyance .................................................................................................. 30
Alerts and Prompts ..............................................................................................................
Approval of Carrier Edits ..............................................................................................
Uncertified Logs ..........................................................................................................
Unassigned Hours .......................................................................................................
Malfunction and Diagnostic Events ..............................................................................
Missing Location .........................................................................................................
ELD Exempt .................................................................................................................

32
32
32
33
34
36
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Samsara Driver App User Guide

My Samsara Login Details
Record the login details you received from your fleet administrator.

Fleet ID: ________________________________________
Username: ________________________________________
Password Hint: ________________________________________
Notes: ________________________________________

Reset your Samsara Driver App Password
If after signing in to the Samsara Driver App you forget your password, you can reset it without
assistance from your fleet manager. To reset your password, you must have a valid phone number
associated with your driver profile.
1.

Open the Samsara Driver App on your mobile device.

2.
3.
4.

Enter your fleet ID and username.
Tap Reset password.
Confirm the phone number associated with your driver profile and tap Submit when finished. The
provided phone number must match the number that is associated with your driver profile.

Samsara Driver App User Guide

Enter the code that Samsara texts to the number associated with your driver profile.

Samsara Driver App User Guide

When you input the correct code, the Samsara Driver App prompts you to input your new password. Enter the password and tap Submit. To streamline your sign-on, the Samsara Driver App
automatically supplies this password on the sign in page so you only need to tap Sign in to start
your shift activities.

Samsara Driver App User Guide

Start Your Shift
Before you begin driving, complete all of the pre-trip tasks in this section.

Check Vehicle for ELD Materials
The items listed below must be available to the driver to be compliant with the ELD mandate. Verify
that your driver can access the materials required in your region. Both the user manual and the
informational sheet for your region are available on the login screen of the Samsara Driver App (see
ELD In-Cab Materials).
This Samsara Driver App User Manual: Available in the Samsara Driver App. This Samsara Driver
App User Manual meets the ELD information packet requirements specified in 49 C.F.R. 395.22(h).
FMCSA's ELD guidance (see FMCSA's ELD FAQs) confirms that these materials can be in electronic
format, in accordance with the federal register titled Regulatory Guidance Concerning Electronic
Signatures and Documents (76 FR 411).
Samsara DOT Instruction Sheet: Available in the Samsara Driver App
Blank records of duty status graphs: 8 days or more

Sign In & Select Vehicle
Before you begin driving, you must sign in to the Samsara Driver App and select your vehicle.
To sign in to the app:
1.

Download and open the Samsara Driver App.

Enter your Fleet ID, username, and password and tap Sign In.

Samsara Driver App User Guide

Write your Fleet ID, username, and password hint down for easy access. If you dont have login
details yet, contact your Fleet administrator. If you previously received login details but forgot
your password, you can Reset your Samsara Driver App Password.
Select your vehicle from the list, or search for one.

Tap Done when youve selected your vehicle.

Complete Pre-Trip DVIR
If driver vehicle inspection reports (DVIRs) are appropriate for your vehicle, add a new pre-trip inspection report:
1.

Select the DVIR tile.

Samsara Driver App User Guide

From the DVIR view, review any existing DVIRs for this vehicle.

To create a new DVIR, tap Create DVIR.

If you are presently Off Duty, you will be prompted to select Go On Duty before beginning your
DVIR.

5.
6.

Perform a walkaround and inspect your vehicle for any defects.
Select Pre-Trip then tap Add Defects and review each item on the list against your vehicle. Tap
Next when youve completed your review.

Samsara Driver App User Guide

If you find any defects with the vehicle, select the applicable defects and enter a description and
optional photo.

Select a safety status for your vehicle or trailer, either Safe to drive or Unsafe. Tap Next.

Samsara Driver App User Guide

To certify, tap Certify and Submit.

NOTE
If your carrier or mechanic has resolved a previous DVIR, the Samsara Driver App
prompts you to certify whether or not the defects have been resolved.

Add Log Form Data
With the Samsara Driver App, you can add log form data, if needed. This can be useful if for example,
you need to enter a trailer thats not already on the list, or if theres a mistake in the trailer number or
vehicle.
1.

Tap the HoS tile.

From the Hours of Service view, tap Log.

(Optional) In the Forms section, review the Trailer name, Shipping IDs, and Vehicle Name for
accuracy.
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Samsara Driver App User Guide

If the name is missing or incorrect, make the correction:
1. Tap the item you want to edit.
2. Edit or enter the desired value.
3. Save your changes.
Tap the back arrow to return to the HOS view.

IMPORTANT
Dont Certify Too Early: Do not tap Certify and Submit unless you intend to certify
your log for the entire day.

Start Driving
After youve completed all of the pre-trip tasks in this section, youre ready to drive.
The ELD mandate considers a vehicle to be moving when the speed of the vehicle exceeds 5mph
(United States) or 8km/hr (Canada). When the vehicle exceeds the speed threshold, your duty status
automatically switches to Driving.
To minimize distractions when the vehicle is in motion, the Samsara Driver App displays only critical
information about your trip and locks the display to the duty status screen. To access other areas in
the app, you must be at rest for more than three consecutive seconds.
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Samsara Driver App User Guide

During the Day
During the day, use the Samsara Driver App to perform any of the following activities.

Review Cumulative Hours

NOTE
This feature is only available for fleets in Europe.

Using the Samsara Driver App, you can view cumulative statistics for your current shift, in addition to
your weekly and fortnightly driving-only totals. You can use this information along with the countdown
dials to accurately view service hours and gauge upcoming infringements.
1.

From the Samsara Driver App, tap Hours.

Tap Summary to view your hours summary report.
If you are currently on duty, you can view cumulative statistics for your current shift including
Weekly totals (duration from 00:01 prior Monday until now) and Fortnightly totals (duration during
previously completed week plus the current week).

Samsara Driver App User Guide

Scroll to view weekly and fortnightly driving-only totals.
Cumulative hours are grouped into the following categories:
Shift: Driving, working, resting, available time
Service: Driving, working, and available time
Driving: Drive time reported through either Tachograph or Driver app
Working: Non-driving work time reported through either Tachograph or Driver app
Resting: Break time on shift
Available: Inactive time on shift

Tap the back icon (

) to return to the previous menu.

Take a Break
When the vehicle has stopped moving for 5 minutes, your duty status will automatically be set to On
Duty (not driving). When its time for a break, you can change your status to Off Duty. If you will use
your vehicles sleeper berth, you can set your duty status to the Sleeper Berth option.
To take a break:
1.

From the Hours of Service view, tap the duty status bar.

Samsara Driver App User Guide

Select a duty status.

Tap Save.

Select either Go Off Duty or Go Off Duty and Sign Out.
Selecting Go Off Duty changes your duty status to Off Duty but keeps you signed in to the
Samsara Driver App. Selecting Go Off Duty and Sign Out changes your duty status to Off Duty and
signs you out of the Samsara Driver App.

Samsara Driver App User Guide

After you go Off Duty, the Samsara Driver App displays the Off Duty rest summary. If the app
detects the vehicle in motion while you are off duty, such as during Personal Conveyance, the app
switches back to the driving display (see Start Driving).

Samsara Driver App User Guide

Annotate Your Log
If you need to supply additional information about a log, you can add annotations from the Samsara
Driver App.
1.

From the Hours of Service view, tap Log.

Tap the arrow to select the log date for the remark.

Tap Add Remark, and enter a description.

Roadside Inspection
During an inspection, present your electronic logging device and the instruction or inspection sheet
as required by your jurisdiction. The relevant sheet is available in the Samsara Driver App. Provide the
information to the official as described in the following workflow:
1.

From the Hours of Service view, tap Roadside.

Samsara Driver App User Guide

(Optional) Lock the device to the Roadside Inspection screen.
When you lock the device, you must enter a 4-digit PIN code to lock the device to the Roadside
Inspection screen and re-enter the pin to return to the home screen. If you forget the PIN, you will
need to sign out of the app and log back in using your Samsara Driver App credentials. After you
set a pin, tap Lock and continue.

Samsara Driver App User Guide

If you do not want to lock the Roadside Inspection screen, tap Continue without lock.

Samsara Driver App User Guide

Present the necessary instruction or inspection materials to the roadside inspection official for
review. If the inspector requests a copy of the daily logs, continue to Transfer Logs.

Samsara Driver App User Guide

Tap the back arrow when the roadside inspection official is done reviewing.

Transfer Logs
As part of a Roadside Inspection, you can transfer your logs to the inspection authority or transfer
logs to yourself for reference.

Samsara Driver App User Guide

NOTE
Internet connection is required to transfer logs. If your device is using the Samsara
hotspot, the vehicle gateway must be within range of the device to transmit the logs.
If you are unable to transfer logs due to lack of internet connectivity, the inspecting
officer can alternatively view the logs on the mobile device using the DOT Inspection
Screen (see workflow).

From the Roadside Inspection screen, tap Transfer.

2.
3.

Acknowledge or address any Samsara Driver App notifications before continuing.
Select the preferred transfer method for your region. You will observe a transfer error if any data is
missing from your submissions. Contact your fleet administrator to resolve any transfer errors.
United States Transfer Methods:
Wireless Web Services: This is the preferred log transfer method in the United States. The
Samsara Driver App transfers logs directly to the inspection official's Electronic Record of Duty
Status (eRODS) software
E-mail to DOT: Sends logs directly to DOT (less common, but some officers will request this).
E-mail to Myself: Sends logs directly to an e-mail address.

Samsara Driver App User Guide

End Your Shift
At the end of your shift, perform the following tasks as needed before you sign out of the Samsara
Driver App.

Complete Post-Trip DVIR
If driver vehicle inspection reports (DVIRs) are appropriate for your vehicle, add a post-trip inspection
report:
1.
2.
3.

Follow the instructions for creating a new DVIR using the Add DVIR button.
Set the DVIR type to Post-Trip.
Complete and certify the DVIR.

Edit Your Log
Per the ELD mandate, you cannot edit start or end times for automatically recorded Drive time. To
make other log edits, see below.
1.

From the Hours of Service view, tap Log.

Tap the log time chart.

Edit the Start Time, End Time, and Duty Status.

Samsara Driver App User Guide

Enter a description for the log change.

Tap Save.

Certify Your Logs
1.

From the Hours of Service view, tap Log.

Tap the arrow to select the log date youd like to certify.

Samsara Driver App User Guide

Tap Certify and Submit.

Read the certification statement and tap Agree - Submit.

Go Off Duty and Sign Out
After youve completed all of the post-trip tasks in this section, youre ready to end your shift on the
Samsara Driver App. To end your shift, you must both go Off Duty and sign out from the Samsara
Driver App.
1.
2.
3.

From the Hours of Service view, tap the duty status bar.
Set your status to Off Duty.
Tap Save after optionally entering a remark or location.

Samsara Driver App User Guide

Sign Out

IMPORTANT
Dont forget to Sign Out! If you remain logged in on a vehicle, even when Off Duty, then
driving time accumulated by another driver on that vehicle could be applied to your
driving record.

Return to the Samsara Home screen if it is not already displayed.

Samsara Driver App User Guide
2.

Tap the sign out icon (

) at the top of the screen.

NOTE
The Samsara Driver App may prompt you more than once before logging out. For
more details, see Alerts and Prompts.

Samsara Driver App User Guide

Special Statuses
Yard Move
A Yard Move is driving defined as On Duty (not driving). This status only appears as an option in the
Samsara Driver App if it has been configured by your fleet or carrier administrator.

NOTE
If you are ELD Exempt, you will not be able to use HOS functionality while using the
Samsara Driver App.

In the United States, when you manually select YM (Yard Move) and you are enabled for auto-duty, the
Yard Move status will remain unless there is an engine restart.
If the Samsara Driver App is active when an engine restart occurs, the Samsara Driver App will
automatically prompt you to confirm if you would like to remain in Yard Move. If you do not confirm
this before the 300 second timer on the app runs out, the Samsara Driver App transitions your status
to Off Duty.

NOTE
If you navigate away from the app or close it and restart the engine, you must
manually reselect YM to continue operating in YM status.

To manually set the Yard Move status:
1.
2.

From the Hours of Service view, tap the duty status bar.
Set your status to YM Yard Move.

If your location cannot be determined, the Samsara Driver App prompts you to either continue
without a location, or to cancel and first choose your location. For more information, see Missing
Location. If you set your location, repeat this step to select the duty status.
Enter a remark to describe this status selection (required).
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Samsara Driver App User Guide

Tap Save.

Personal Conveyance
Personal Conveyance is a specialized duty status for Off Duty drive time while driving a commercial
motor vehicle doing non-work related activities. This status only appears as an option in the Samsara
Driver App if it has been configured by your fleet or carrier administrator.

NOTE
If you are ELD Exempt, you will not be able to use HOS functionality while using the
Samsara Driver App.

For drivers in the United States, when you manually select Personal Conveyance (PC) and you are
enabled for auto-duty, the PC status will remain indefinitely unless there is an engine restart.

NOTE
If you navigate away from the app or close it and restart the engine, you must
manually reselect PC to continue operating in PC status.

To manually set Personal Conveyance status:
1.
2.

From the Hours of Service view, tap the duty status bar.
Set your status to PC Personal Conveyance.

If you have already reached the maximum distance for the day, the Samsara Driver App displays
an alert.
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Samsara Driver App User Guide

3.
4.

Samsara Driver App User Guide

Alerts and Prompts
Approval of Carrier Edits
You must certify your logs before reviewing any carrier edits. Carriers may suggest an edit to your
logs. These edits are sent to you for review.
1.

To review edits, tap Review Carrier Edits.

You can switch between Edited Log and Original Log to compare the suggested changes with the
original.

To accept an edit, tap the check mark next to the change suggestion. To reject an edit, tap the X
near the change suggestion.

Confirm by selecting Certify and Submit.

Uncertified Logs
Uncertified log alerts will appear upon sign in and sign out if you forget to certify your logs.
1.

To review uncertified logs, select Review and certify.
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Samsara Driver App User Guide

2.
3.

Review all log dates listed.
To certify all logs, select Agree - Submit.

Unassigned Hours
Unassigned Hours alerts will appear if your selected vehicle has unassigned hours. After sign in, you
can use the Samsara Driver App to claim these unassigned hours.
1.

Review the Unassigned Hours notification.

Claim or reject unassigned hours, as appropriate.

Samsara Driver App User Guide

Tap Claim to claim unassigned hours or select Not mine if no unassigned hours belong to you.

Malfunction and Diagnostic Events
Diagnostic and malfunction errors are displayed on the Hours of Service screen. The following table
describes the types of errors you might see on the Samsara Driver App and the steps to resolve them.
Diagnostic / Malfunction
Power Compliance (D)
The Vehicle Gateway was
unable to read the engines
power status.

Power Compliance (M)
The Vehicle Gateway recorded over 30 minutes of driving time without power in
the last 24 hours.

Engine Synchronization (D)
The Vehicle Gateway was
unable to read engine data
such as the odometer or engine hours.
Engine Synchronization (M)
The Vehicle Gateway recorded over 30 minutes of driving time without receiving
engine data in the last 24
hours.

Timing (M)
The Vehicle Gateway is out
of sync with the global UTC
clock by at least 10 minutes.

Troubleshooting Steps

Resolution

Make sure the Vehicle Gateway connection is established
(LED indicator is solid green).
Make sure the Vehicle Gateway cable is installed properly
(see the Vehicle Gateway Hardware Compatibility Matrix for
installation instructions for your cable model.
If the event remains active, work with your fleet administrator to reset the Vehicle Gateway.

This event resolves automatically after 5 minutes.
However, the event will trigger again if issues remain.

Notify your fleet administrator of the event within 24 hours.
Make sure the Vehicle Gateway connection is established
(LED indicator is solid green).
Make sure the Vehicle Gateway cable is installed properly
(see the Vehicle Gateway Hardware Compatibility Matrix for
installation instructions for your cable model.
Wait 24 hours and verify whether the event is still active.
If the event remains active, work with your fleet administrator to reset the Vehicle Gateway.

This event resolves after the
total driving time without
power drops below 30 minutes in the last 24 hours.

This event resolves automatically after 5 minutes.
However, the event will trigger again if issues remain.

This event resolves after the
total time without required
data elements drops below
30 minutes in the last 24
hours.

Notify your fleet administrator of the event within 24 hours.
Verify that the time on the mobile phone is in sync with the
global UTC clock and restart if not. For additional instructions, contact your fleet administrator.
If not resolved, restart your mobile device
If the event remains active, contact Samsara Support.

This event resolves when
the device clock is
synchronized with a trusted
source of time.

Samsara Driver App User Guide

Diagnostic / Malfunction
Positioning (M)
The Vehicle Gateway recorded over 60 minutes of driving time without receiving a
location in the last 24 hours.
Data recording (M)
ELD storage is full (mobile
app or Vehicle Gateway).
Missing required data elements (D)
Location information was
missing from a duty status
change event.

Unidentified Driving (D)
The Vehicle Gateway recorded over 30 minutes of
driving time without an assigned driver in the last 24
hours.
Data Transfer (D)

Troubleshooting Steps

This event resolves after
the total time without location data drops below 60
minutes over the last 24hour period

Notify your fleet administrator of the event within 24 hours.
Record paper logs until this malfunction is resolved.
If the event remains active, contact Samsara Support.

This event resolves immediately when storage is available.

Make sure the Vehicle Gateway connection is established
(LED indicator is solid green).
Make sure the Vehicle Gateway cable is installed properly
(see the Vehicle Gateway Hardware Compatibility Matrix for
installation instructions for your cable model.
Review past duty status change records and ensure that a
valid location is present. If assistance is needed in locating
these records, please contact your fleet administrator.

This event resolves when all
duty status change records
have a valid location.

Claim unassigned driving segments via the Samsara Driver
App.
If there are unassigned segments that dont belong to you,
contact your fleet administrator to resolve this issue

This event resolves after the
total unassigned time drops
below 15 minutes for the
last 7 days. When this condition is met, all other active
Unidentified Driving events
are resolved as well.

Notify your fleet administrator of the event within 24 hours.

This event resolves when
the next data transfer test is
successful.

Notify your fleet administrator of the event within 24 hours.

This event resolves when
the next data transfer test is
successful.

Data transfer (email) failure
has occurred in the past 7
days.
Data Transfer (M)

Resolution

Notify your fleet administrator of the event within 24 hours.
If the event remains active, contact Samsara Support.

Data transfer (email) failure
has occurred at least 3
times in the past 72 hours.

To view errors in the Samsara Driver App:
1.

For drivers in the United States, from the Hours of Service view, tap the error above the driving
status to view error details.

Samsara Driver App User Guide

2.
3.

Click Done to return to the Hours of Service view.
Resolve the issue using the recommendation in the table or contact your fleet administrator.

Missing Location
Duty status changes require location information for log entries. In cases where the Samsara Driver
App cannot properly identify the location, you must manually add a location to avoid a violation at a
roadside inspection or audit.
When you change your duty status without a manual or automatically detected location, the Samsara
Driver App provides a notification about the missing location:

Samsara Driver App User Guide

You can then choose from two options: You can proceed to set your duty status with a blank location,
or you can choose to cancel and manually add the location before proceeding with duty status
selection.

Samsara Driver App User Guide

After you Save your location, Samsara will use it to identify your location in related logs.

ELD Exempt
If your fleet administrator has designated you as a driver who is exempt from use of an ELD, you will
not be able to use HOS functionality while using the Samsara Driver App.
If your fleet administrator designates you as an ELD exempt driver, will see the following alert when
you access the HoS tile:
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Samsara Driver App User Guide

If you are not required to use an ELD, you can still use the Samsara Driver App for other features and
avoid Hours of Service violation notifications.