Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/873209
Voices 2 | Overdrive | September 2017 Texas Rep. Brian Babin's proposed bill to delay the electronic logging de- vice mandate two years continued to gain House cosponsors (43 at press time) as the mandate's Dec. 18 effective date neared. A legislative victory for ELD mandate opponents appears a tall order, if analysts are correct. It was referred to the House Transportation and Infra- structure committee the day it was introduced, July 18, with no further action as of a month later. If it emerg- es from the committee, it would need to be cleared by the entire body, then the Senate, to become law. Meanwhile, the "ELD or Me" trucker lobby is still planning, via its Facebook group and offline efforts, an Oct. 3-7 demonstration in support of the bill and against the mandate in Washington, D.C. The group plans for the Doswell Truck Stop in Doswell, Virginia, at Kings Dominion Blvd. and I-95, to be one gathering point. Participants will shuttle to and/or gather near the White House for five days of demonstrations. A trucker unaffiliated with that group was promoting a series of actions the same week under the "Operation Black and Blue" name. It's headed by the "Truckers Had Enough" Facebook page and its founder, Mike "Gunney" Faram, who encouraged supporters not only to travel to Washington but also to stage local rallies during that same first week in October. For those unable to shut down, Faram suggested logging hours to the letter of the law, including every mo- ment of on-duty not-driving time no matter the circum- stances, strict adherence to off-duty/sleeper distinctions and more. "If enough people do this," he speculated in a video message to support- ers on Facebook, truckers have the chance to illustrate to regulators issues with the hours rule and ELDs' restriction on "freedom of movement." Elsewhere, readers re- sponded to Overdrive Edito- rial Director Max Heine's July column on what one reader had dubbed the "real problem" with ELDs: the hours of service rule's one-size-fits-all approach to work time regulation. Heine's hypothetical prescriptions for hours flexibility drew a variety of commentary. Karen Martin of DKM Enterprises West agreed with the need to allow flexibility with greater levels of proven safe experience. "Our one-truck trucking company survives, and is successful, because of our concern for safety, skillful- ness in avoiding wasted time and energy, and respect for the customers' products we haul," Martin said. "With the ELD man- date, time and energy will no longer be in our control. Safety, the claim [that is made] for the ELD man- date's existence, is, was and ever shall be the responsi- bility of the driver." Granting hours flexibility to proven safe operators could incentivize com- panies toward safety, the reward being even greater control over how and when to run, she said. "Why do drivers insist that the regs be adjusted to suit their need to earn a liv- ing?" noted Pat Hockaday. "This is a backwards notion that drivers have been insti- tutionalized into believing! More available working hours lowers the value of the working hour. The laws As ELD deadline looms, opposition continues ELD I Stand with ME Owner-operators and drivers associated with the "ELD or Me" Facebook group have been encouraging those who are against mandating ELDs to change their Facebook profile picture to this image to raise awareness of the issues. Search "ELD or Me" at Facebook.com and visit the group's "Events" section for updates on a planned October rally in Washington, D.C. " With the ELD mandate, time and energy will no longer be in our control. " — Karen Martin, DKM Enterprises West