What's it take?

An ECM compatible with elogs, ballpark is '99 and up.

 

park um all and the ones that don't park help them out

 

Most require the truck to have a J1939 data port (introduced in 2005), some will work with the older J1708 data port (introduced in 1995). Not all engine manufacturers began using them until some time after those years.

 

I just went thru the ringer with Landstar about this and have gone pretty in depth into it. I was wrongly informed by the recruiter that "any truck with an ECM will work with our ELD." Was even told they had mechanical diesels working with their ELD's.

Firstly what year is your truck and what engine is in there?

Landstar uses the MCP50 by Qualcomm/Omnitracs which will plug into either a J1939 data port(9 pin) or a J1587 data port(6 pin). Both J1939 and J1587 use J1708 data as core data. Basically J1939/J1587 are more evolved versions of J1708. Sometimes folks confuse J1708/J1587.

In order for the MCP50 to work properly with your truck you NEED 3 things:
Odometer data
Speed data
RPM data
There are other parameters the MCP50 looks for (lifetime fuel consumption etc) but with those three you are golden.

I have a 91 Pete with the Cummins Celect N14 with a 2 pin J1708 data port. I wired up a J1587 port(only difference is a 12V+ and 12V- feed from the battery) and the MCP50 was talking to my truck but did not see the odometer. Qualcomm is not the least bit helpful and they won't give you the time of day on the phone if your truck is older than a 96. The MCP could see my speed in real time as well as a dozen other whimsical parameters but no odometer. We can bring up the vehicle distance life-to-date on Cummins Insite but it won't share it with an ELD.

Feel free to shoot me a private message.

 

Yes they do pay for installation. There are a dozen or so of their official installers across the US.

I didn't take my truck to orientation (was still waiting on plates) so I installed it myself. The installation can be done by a blind monkey. One plug goes into the data port and one wire goes to 12 volt ignition on.

My lease was terminated before I ever left the driveway due to the ELD.

I think LS is a very good company and would like to go back I'd they ever come up with another option for those of us with older rigs.