Quick answer
An ELD usually costs a hardware fee (bought or leased) plus a monthly service fee per truck. Some vendors add activation fees, paid feature tiers, and multi-year contracts with buyouts. DocuDrive charges $149 once for the PT-40 ELD + GPS and $20 per truck per month, month-to-month. One truck costs $389 in year one and $869 over three years.
The six costs inside an ELD bill
Two ELDs with the same monthly price can cost very different amounts over three years. The difference sits in the lines most people skip on the order form. Check each one.
- Hardware. The device that plugs into the truck's diagnostic port. Some vendors sell it once. Others lease it inside the contract, which means you pay for it every month and hand it back when you leave.
- Monthly service. The per-truck fee for the logbook app, the office portal, and data. This is the number on the quote, and it is the number most people compare.
- Activation or setup fees. A one-time charge per truck or per account to turn service on. Ask about it directly, because it is often missing from the headline price.
- Contract length. Many fleet platforms sign 12, 36, or 60 month terms. A long term can lower the monthly rate while locking in the total.
- Early-termination costs. If you sell a truck, park it, or switch providers mid-term, some contracts make the rest of the term due. That one clause can be worth more than a year of service.
- Feature add-ons. GPS tracking, IFTA reports, DVIR, dash cams, or extra seats sold as higher tiers. A cheap base plan can stop being cheap once you add what you need.
What DocuDrive charges
DocuDrive publishes its price on the pricing page and keeps it to two numbers.
- PT-40 ELD + GPS: $149 once per truck. Free shipping. You own it, so there is nothing to return if you cancel.
- Service: $20 per truck per month. Month-to-month, no contract, cancel anytime.
- Included in the $20: Hours of Service logs, DVIR, IFTA mileage by state, roadside Inspection Mode, real-time GPS tracking, the office web portal, the driver app, and U.S.-based support.
- Free trial: the first 14 days of service are free. Billing for the $20 starts on day 15.
If you already own a Pacific Track PT-30 or PT-40, you can bring it with you. There is no hardware charge, and service is the same $20 a month, or $240 per truck per year.
Total cost by fleet size
The table below uses list price and a simple 12-month year. Because the first 14 days are free, your real first-year service bill comes in about half a month lower than shown.
| Fleet | PT-40 hardware (once) | Service per year | Year one | Three years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 truck | $149 | $240 | $389 | $869 |
| 2 trucks | $298 | $480 | $778 | $1,738 |
| 5 trucks | $745 | $1,200 | $1,945 | $4,345 |
| 10 trucks | $1,490 | $2,400 | $3,890 | $8,690 |
| Per truck, bring your own PT-30 or PT-40 | $0 | $240 | $240 | $720 |
Fleets of 5 or more trucks can buy online at these prices or ask for volume pricing.
What the big fleet platforms charge
Several of the large telematics platforms do not publish prices. You get a number from a sales rep, and the terms live in an order form and a master agreement. Contract length, renewal, and the cost of leaving early vary by customer and by deal, so any figure you read secondhand may not match the paper you are asked to sign.
We have read the published terms for three of them and linked the sources: DocuDrive vs Samsara, DocuDrive vs Motive, and DocuDrive vs Verizon Connect. Use those pages to see how auto-renewal and early termination work before you take a call.
The cost that does not show up on an invoice
Downtime costs more than any ELD. A truck that cannot produce logs at a scale house can be placed out of service. A broker who cannot see your truck on a tracking app may give the load to someone else. Weigh price against two practical questions: does the device keep logging when the driver's phone dies, and can the driver hand logs to an officer without a call to support.
The PT-40 has its own GPS and LTE connection, so the truck keeps reporting location even when the phone is off or left at home. Drivers send logs to an officer from the app's Inspection Mode. See the PT-30 vs PT-40 comparison if you are deciding between them.
Questions to ask any ELD vendor before you sign
- What is the total I will pay over 36 months for my number of trucks, including hardware, activation, and taxes?
- Is the hardware sold or leased? If I cancel, do I keep it or ship it back, and what happens if I don't?
- How long is the term, and does it renew on its own? How many days of written notice stop the renewal?
- If I sell a truck or close the account early, what do I owe?
- Are GPS tracking, IFTA reports, and DVIR in the base price, or a higher tier?
- Is the device on the FMCSA registered ELD list, and under what name and identifier?
- How do drivers transfer logs at a roadside inspection?
- Can I export my logs if I leave? You are required to keep them for 6 months, whoever your provider is.
Get the answers in writing. If a vendor will not put the total and the exit terms on paper, treat that as the answer. When you are ready to start, order the PT-40 or begin with your own device.
Sources
- 49 CFR 395.8, Driver's record of duty status (ELD requirement, 6-month retention, 7-day copy)
- FMCSA Registered ELD list
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Rules change; check the source before you rely on a figure.