Glossary
A quick reference for common terms used throughout RouteMate.
Active Time — Any period when a driver is on duty, whether driving or performing other work-related tasks.
Adverse Driving Conditions — Unusual road or weather conditions (snow, fog, ice, etc.) that a driver could not have known about before starting the trip. FMCSA rules allow up to 2 extra hours of driving time under these conditions.
API Key — A unique code that allows external systems (like a TMS) to connect with RouteMate and exchange data.
Asset — A trailer, container, or other non-motorized equipment tracked in RouteMate.
Automatic On-Duty — A setting where the ELD automatically switches the driver to On-Duty status when the vehicle begins moving.
Big Day / Big Week Exception — Special HOS exception for short-haul drivers that extends the maximum on-duty window under specific conditions.
Bluetooth — The wireless technology used to connect the RouteMate mobile app to the ELD device installed in the vehicle.
Carrier — The motor carrier (trucking company) responsible for the driver and vehicle. Your company is the carrier in RouteMate.
Certify (Logs) — The driver’s action of reviewing and confirming that their daily log is accurate. Certified logs are ready for compliance review.
CMV — Commercial Motor Vehicle. Any vehicle used in commerce that meets weight or passenger thresholds requiring an ELD.
Co-Driver — A second driver assigned to the same vehicle. Both drivers maintain separate logs, and RouteMate supports seamless co-driver switching.
Compliance — Adherence to federal Hours of Service rules. RouteMate helps track and maintain compliance for every driver.
Cycle — The recurring period used to calculate cumulative on-duty hours. The two most common cycles are the 7-day/60-hour cycle and the 8-day/70-hour cycle.
Dashboard — The main screen in RouteMate (web or mobile) that provides an at-a-glance view of your fleet or driving status.
Diagnostic Event — An event recorded by the ELD related to device health, such as power issues or data sync problems.
DOT — Department of Transportation. The federal agency that oversees transportation safety regulations, including HOS rules.
DOT Inspection — A roadside inspection by a DOT officer. RouteMate provides a special inspection mode that displays logs and transfers data to the inspector.
Driving Status — The duty status indicating that the driver is operating the CMV. Time in Driving status counts against the 11-hour driving limit.
Duty Status — The current activity state of a driver. The four main statuses are: Off Duty, Sleeper Berth, Driving, and On Duty (Not Driving).
DVIR — Driver Vehicle Inspection Report. A pre-trip and post-trip inspection form that drivers complete to document the condition of their vehicle and trailer.
ELD — Electronic Logging Device. A device connected to the vehicle’s engine that automatically records driving time and duty status changes.
ELD Disconnect — An event that occurs when the ELD device loses connection with the vehicle’s engine or the mobile app. RouteMate tracks and reports these events.
ELD Malfunction — A condition where the ELD is not functioning properly. Drivers must note malfunctions and reconstruct records on paper if needed.
Engine Hours — The total hours the vehicle’s engine has been running, as reported by the ELD.
FMCSA — Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The agency within DOT that enforces HOS regulations and ELD mandates.
Fuel Purchase — A fueling event recorded in RouteMate, including location, gallons, cost, and associated vehicle.
Geofence — A virtual geographic boundary set up on the map. RouteMate can trigger alerts when a vehicle enters or exits a geofence.
GPS — Global Positioning System. RouteMate uses GPS to track vehicle locations and record positions on driver logs.
Group — A way to organize drivers, vehicles, or assets into logical collections (e.g., by terminal, region, or team) for easier management.
HOS — Hours of Service. Federal regulations that limit how long a commercial driver can drive and work before taking required rest breaks.
HOS Clock — A countdown timer showing how much driving or on-duty time a driver has remaining before reaching a limit.
HOS Profile — The specific set of HOS rules that apply to a driver based on their type of operation (e.g., property-carrying, passenger-carrying, short-haul, oilfield).
IFTA — International Fuel Tax Agreement. A system for reporting and paying fuel taxes across jurisdictions. RouteMate fuel reports can help with IFTA reporting.
Live Share — A feature that generates a temporary link so you can share a vehicle’s real-time location with someone outside of RouteMate (e.g., a shipper or receiver).
Load — A shipment or freight assignment associated with a driver and vehicle. Managed through the Dispatch module.
Malfunction Indicator — A warning shown in RouteMate when the ELD device detects a problem that may affect data recording.
Maintenance Schedule — A recurring service plan for a vehicle (e.g., oil change every 10,000 miles) tracked in RouteMate.
Odometer — The vehicle’s mileage reading, recorded by the ELD and used in trip and fuel calculations.
Off Duty — A duty status indicating the driver is not working and is free from all job responsibilities. Off-Duty time counts toward required rest periods.
On Duty (Not Driving) — A duty status for work-related activities other than driving, such as loading, fueling, or paperwork.
Personal Conveyance (PC) — Use of a CMV for personal transportation while off duty. Time spent in Personal Conveyance does not count against HOS limits.
Property-Carrying — The HOS rule set for drivers transporting goods (as opposed to passengers). Most RouteMate users operate under property-carrying rules.
Recaptured Hours — Hours that become available again after a driver completes a valid restart (34-hour reset) of their weekly cycle.
Remark — A text note added to a driver’s log entry to provide additional context about a duty status change or event.
Restart (34-Hour Reset) — A consecutive 34-hour off-duty period that resets the driver’s weekly cycle, restoring all available hours.
Safety Score / Scorecard — A rating calculated by RouteMate based on a driver’s compliance history, speeding events, and other safety factors.
Service Record — A maintenance entry for a vehicle documenting repairs, inspections, or part replacements.
Short-Haul Exception — An HOS exemption for drivers who operate within a 150-air-mile radius and return to their starting location each day. Short-haul drivers may not need to keep detailed logs.
Sleeper Berth — A duty status for drivers resting in the vehicle’s sleeper compartment. Sleeper Berth time can be used in split-sleeper strategies to extend available driving time.
Speeding Event — An incident recorded when a vehicle exceeds a defined speed threshold. RouteMate tracks these events with location, duration, and top speed.
Split Sleeper — An HOS provision that allows drivers to split their required 10-hour off-duty period into two segments (typically 7/3 or 8/2) using the Sleeper Berth status.
Telematics — The technology used to collect and transmit vehicle data (speed, location, engine diagnostics) from the ELD to RouteMate.
TMS — Transportation Management System. A platform used by carriers and brokers to plan and manage freight. RouteMate can integrate with a TMS via API.
Trip — A recorded journey from one location to another, including start/end times, mileage, and route data.
Unidentified Driving — Driving time recorded by the ELD when no driver is logged in. These events must be reviewed and assigned to the correct driver.
USDOT Number — A unique identification number assigned to each motor carrier by the FMCSA. Displayed during DOT inspections.
Vehicle Fault — A diagnostic trouble code (DTC) or engine warning reported by the vehicle’s onboard computer and captured by the ELD.
Violation — A breach of HOS rules, such as exceeding the 11-hour driving limit. RouteMate flags violations on driver logs and compliance reports.
Yard Move (YM) — Movement of a CMV within a yard, terminal, or facility. Yard Move time is recorded as On Duty but does not count as driving time.