Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/856429
Logbook 14 | Overdrive | August 2017 A bill filed in the U.S. House last month would delay the compliance date of the electronic logging device mandate to December 2019. Separately, a panel of House law- makers issued a report advising the U.S. Department of Transportation to study whether a "full or targeted delay" of the ELD mandate for small carriers was warranted. The ELD Extension Act of 2017, filed by Rep. Brian Babin (R- Texas), was introduced July 18 and referred to the House Transporta- tion and Infrastructure Committee. The House report on studying an ELD mandate delay was issued a day earlier by the House Appropri- ations Committee when it approved legislation to fund DOT through the 2018 fiscal year. The bill to delay the ELD man- date, however, faces an uphill climb in Congress. The American Trucking Associations was adamant at press time that the bill had little support among lawmakers. However, both bills are indications that last-ditch efforts by the Owner-Operator Inde- pendent Drivers Association to have the mandate overturned or delayed have gained traction. For the delay in ELD compliance to be enacted, it must pass both chambers of Congress and be signed by President Trump. The separate DOT funding bill, for which lawmakers issued a report advising FMCSA to consider an ex- tension, does not offer any relief from ELD compliance except for livestock haulers. The legislation also does not include a requirement that FMCSA perform the study on delaying the mandate. Rather, the direction for the study is included only in a corol- lary report explaining the legislation and the policy reforms it includes. "In light of the heavy burden of this mandate, especially on small carriers, the committee directs the Department to analyze whether a full or targeted delay in ELD imple- mentation and enforcement would be appropriate," the report reads. It asks FMCSA to produce its findings within 60 days. – James Jaillet House bill would delay ELD mandate AN ELD INSTRUCTIONAL TOUR by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administra- tion features presentations and panel discussions to help drivers and carriers comply with the Dec. 18 fed- eral electronic logging de- vice mandate. The remaining stops are Aug. 24-26, Great American Trucking Show, Dallas; Sept. 25-27, North American Commercial Vehi- cle Show, Atlanta; Oct. 14-15, California Trucking Show, Ontario; Oct. 21-24, Ameri- can Trucking Associations Management Conference & Exhibition, Orlando, Fla.; and Nov. 6-8, Women in Trucking Accelerate! Conference & Expo, Kansas City, Mo. TRANSCO WAS DENIED an exemption request for its drivers to be able to use unloading time at grocery stores and restaurants to meet the requirements for the mandated 30-minute break. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administra- tion said the half-hour break was "especially important" for drivers at Transco, which operates through McLane Co., because they accumu- late fatigue from unloading freight and driving. HEARTLAND EXPRESS acquired the outstand- ing stock of Interstate Distributor Co. for $113 million. Interstate provides dry van truckload services, including local, regional, dedicated and transcon- tinental offerings, in the Western and Southeastern United States. Heartland, based in North Liberty, Iowa, said that Interstate's headquarters in Tacoma, Wash., and its national terminal network over- lap with many of its own existing locations and will be consolidated. In addition to the legislation, a House panel advised the U.S. DOT to study whether delaying the ELD mandate for small carriers was warranted.