Compliance: Why do HOS logs show a different location compared to Trips History

Duty Status Logs have a different location as compared to the Trips History because Geotab uses a third party API called GeoNames so that the Geotab system can list the name of the closest city/town based on the closest Geopoint that has a population of at least 5000 people as per the ELD mandated requirements.

It is required, by law, to show the name of closest city/town based on the closest Geopoint that has a population of at least 5000 people.

This location can be different from the location on the Trips History .

Note: This is also the same per Canada Regulations.

Here are some other reasons why Location could be different on the HOS logs and trips history.

1. GeoNames is showing the wrong Coordinates.
2. The city has not been added to GeoNames API at all. If that is the case the following link list the steps onhow to update the city into GeoNames: Updating GeoNames

Please see links below for more information:

• Q: Will the vehicle location information identify street addresses?
• Geotab Drive 2101 updates

Location column on the HOS Logs will indicate the distance to the closest city/town (based on the closest Geopoint that has a population of at least 5000 people) as well as the Compass Point of the vehicle with respect to the (same) closest city/town.

• i.e.10km ENE Mississauga ON means the vehicle is 10 km east - northeast of Mississauga ON

For more questions on how this relates to legal requirement, reach out to local FMCSA.

Geo-locations in Canada:

In Canada, we don't use Geonames, but compare it to the list provided by CCMTA. Please visit https://www.ccmta.ca/en/commercial-motor-vehicle-safety and download Canadian Geo-Location Dataset