Progressive’s Mandatory ELD Switch? Some Small Trucking Fleets May Be Required to Switch ELD Providers.
Key takeaways
- Some Small Trucking Fleets May Be Required to Switch ELD Providers.
- The issue first came to light after we reviewed screenshots from Progressive's commercial quoting platform.
- According to the website, the system advised that the applicant would not be able to receive a quote without agreeing to install Motive devices within 30 days.
Progressive’s Mandatory ELD Switch? Some Small Trucking Fleets May Be Required to Switch ELD Providers. (Photo: Jim Allen/Freight Waves) Sage Sullyblues Sun, June 28, 2026 at 5:07 AM GMT+7 7 min read For years, commercial trucking insurers have encouraged fleets to participate in telematics programs by offering premium discounts in exchange for access to electronic driving data. Programs that once focused primarily on rewarding safe driving have gradually become an increasingly important part of commercial underwriting. Progressive Commercial's Smart Haul program has been one of those initiatives, allowing eligible motor carriers to share telematics data with the insurer in exchange for potential premium savings. However, documentation reviewed by us and confirmed by Progressive indicates that, for some trucking applicants, participation in Smart Haul is no longer simply an opportunity to earn a discount. Instead, it has become part of the underwriting process itself.
The issue first came to light after we reviewed screenshots from Progressive's commercial quoting platform. The screenshots showed an insurance applicant progressing through the quoting process before being prompted to identify the fleet's current electronic logging device (ELD) provider. In the example reviewed by us, The applicant selected Samsara as the company's existing telematics provider. Rather than continuing with the application, the system displayed a message stating that the customer would be required to purchase and install Motive telematics devices and agree to share telematics data in order to proceed.
According to the website, the system advised that the applicant would not be able to receive a quote without agreeing to install Motive devices within 30 days. For many trucking companies, particularly those that have already invested heavily in an existing fleet management platform, that language represents more than a simple underwriting question. It suggests that, under certain circumstances, the choice of telematics provider may become a condition of obtaining commercial insurance coverage.