New Bill Targets Foreign Dispatchers Altering Truck HOS Records

Congressional action is underway to address a critical compliance vulnerability in the trucking industry: the ability of foreign-based dispatchers to remotely alter Electronic Logging Device (ELD) records that track drivers' hours of service. Representatives Greg Steube and Dave Taylor introduced the GHOSTRUCK Act in response to documented cases where overseas dispatchers—particularly from Eastern Europe—have illegally reset HOS clocks to allow drivers to exceed legal driving limits. This practice, exposed in a 60 Minutes investigation featuring a Serbian dispatcher resetting a driver's hours, represents a systemic risk to both road safety and regulatory enforcement. For supply chain and logistics professionals, this legislation highlights a broader vulnerability in globalized carrier operations and the outsourcing of dispatch functions.

The loophole exists because current federal regulations do not explicitly prohibit foreign personnel from editing ELD records, creating an accountability gap. Motor carriers using overseas dispatch centers—a common cost-reduction practice—now face heightened regulatory scrutiny and potential liability. S. jurisdiction, fundamentally changing how multinational carriers manage their operations.

The broad coalition supporting the bill—including the American Trucking Associations and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association—signals industry recognition that the status quo is unsustainable. For shippers and 3PLs, this creates both a compliance risk and an opportunity to differentiate carriers based on governance standards. Those using carriers with domestic-only dispatch operations will face fewer regulatory headwinds, while carriers dependent on overseas dispatch will need to restructure operations or face competitive disadvantage.