What 395.24C1II means in plain language
When you record your hours of service in an electronic logging device (ELD), the regulation requires you to manually enter a description of the location where certain duty status changes occur. This isn't about the GPS coordinates your device automatically captures—it's about you typing in a meaningful description so that anyone reviewing your logs (you, your fleet manager, or an inspector) can understand where you were when you transitioned between duty statuses.
The requirement exists because location context matters. If your ELD shows you changed from driving to on-duty-not-driving status, a location description like "Pilot Flying J, I-40 mile marker 112, Albuquerque NM" is far more useful than a bare timestamp. Inspectors and auditors use these descriptions to verify that your log entries make sense and to reconstruct your movements if there's a question about compliance.
When you receive a citation for 395.24C1II, it means an inspector found one or more log entries where the location description field was blank, incomplete, or missing when it should have been filled in manually.
What our enforcement data actually shows
Across our inspection records, 395.24C1II is a rare violation. Over its all-time history, we've recorded 83 citations. In the last 12 months, that's 55 citations, and in the last 90 days, 17 citations. This code ranks #1479 out of 3,036 FMCSR codes by total citation volume—placing it well below the enforcement activity of major violations.
More importantly, this violation almost never results in an out-of-service order. Our data shows 1 out-of-service placement among all 83 citations ever recorded, giving a 1.2% OOS rate. That is dramatically lower than the all-FMCSR average OOS rate of 31.4%. In the last 180 days, across the top five states issuing these citations, we see zero out-of-service placements. Most recently, in June 2026, one citation did result in an OOS order; every other month in the past year saw citations issued with no OOS outcome.
The trend in the last 12 months shows this violation fluctuates month to month but remains consistently infrequent. May 2025 saw a spike to 9 citations, but most months hover between 1 and 8 citations.
Who gets cited most
Texas leads in 395.24C1II enforcement with 9 citations over the last 180 days, followed by Iowa and North Carolina, each with 6 citations. Illinois has 5, and New Mexico has 1. None of these states recorded an out-of-service placement for this violation—all show a 0.0% OOS rate within the top-citation states.
Our data shows fleets such as Gail's Knights Trucking LLC (USDOT 3457807) with 4 all-time citations and TPA Cargo Solutions LLC (USDOT 3577306) with 3 all-time citations have appeared in our records for this code. This does not imply a pattern of negligence; rather, it reflects the raw frequency of inspections and the visibility of log-entry completeness during roadside audits.
How severe is this compared to similar codes
Within the hours-of-service category, 395.24C1II sits at the lighter end of the enforcement spectrum. The broader 395.24 category—ELD Form and Manner—encompasses 106,486 all-time citations with a 0.0% OOS rate, showing that paperwork-style ELD violations generally don't trigger out-of-service orders. By contrast, false records of duty status (395.8E) account for 83,660 citations with a 9.6% OOS rate, indicating that misrepresenting what you were doing is treated more seriously than incomplete location notes.
Another peer code, 395.8(e)(1), has 78,276 citations and a 26.0% OOS rate—a much steeper enforcement posture. The data makes clear that location-description omissions are treated as a documentation compliance issue, not a safety threat warranting removal from service.
How to avoid it
Before you start your shift:
- Verify your ELD interface is functioning and you understand how to input location descriptions. Test the text-entry field on your device.
- Familiarize yourself with the specific format your carrier requires (some ask for city/state, others want specific stop names, and some want mile marker + road number).
Every time you change duty status:
- Pause long enough to type a location description. Include a recognizable landmark, city, interstate mile marker, or stop name. Don't leave the field blank and come back to it later.
- Be specific enough that someone reading your logs months later could identify where you were. "Gas station" is weaker than "TA/Petro, I-80 mile 285, Cheyenne WY."
At the end of your day:
- Review your log entries before certifying them. Look for any blank location fields and fill them in while the information is fresh. Many citations occur because drivers certify incomplete logs.
Vehicle-related note:
- While location-description errors aren't directly tied to vehicle condition, our co-occurring data shows these citations sometimes appear alongside lighting and equipment issues (393.9, 393.11). Keep your lights, reflectors, and basic equipment in good order so you pass inspection and avoid the compounded scrutiny that leads to log audits.
The most straightforward way to stay clear of 395.24C1II is simple discipline: fill in location descriptions as you go, never certify a log with blank fields, and ensure your entries would make sense to someone else reading them.