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Small business ELD exemption ‘not likely’, analysts say
BLOOMINGTON, IN – The rollout of mandated Electronic Logging Devices (ELD) continues in the U.S. And while some trucking operations have secured temporary waivers, analysts at FTR Intel believe a bid to exempt small carriers outright is unlikely to succeed. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) has asked regulators to exempt small businesses making less than US $27.5 million in revenue, that don’t have an unsatisfactory safety rating, and have a safe record with no attributable at-fault crashes. It would last five years. An exemption like that – already rejected during the regulatory review process – would essentially gut the mandate for ELDs, and has been opposed by the American Trucking Associations and safety advocacy groups. Eighty-one percent of over-the-road trucking companies, and 93% of one-truck operators among them, have had no DOT-recordable crashes in the past two years, FTR notes.
CTA wants harmony on 11 issues
TORONTO, ON – Leaders of the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) and provincial trucking associations have come together to identify 11 industry issues that could benefit from improved harmonization. The call is designed to support a new task force under the Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety, established in September 2016, and complements existing initiatives like the National Task Force on Weights and Dimensions. “This is a great opportunity for further collaboration between industry and government,” said Stephen Laskowski, president and Chief Executive Officer of the alliance. “CTA commends the provincial trucking associations for their efforts in contributing to our submission and looks forward to working with all interests in addressing the issues identified.”
Stable economic growth to continue in U.S.
LAS VEGAS, NV – The U.S. government itself shut down over the weekend, but the overall economy of Canada’s largest trading partner seems to be in good shape. The country’s Gross Domestic Product expanded by 2.3% over the past year. “This is, all in all, a decent number but not an impressive number,” said Bill Strauss, senior economist and economic advisor with the Chicago Federal Reserve. Annual growth experienced in the 1990s was closer to 3-4%. But steady growth like this can be good news, easing the concern about a market correction, he told a crowd at the Heavy Duty Dialogue in Las Vegas. The country is in the midst of its third-longest expansion in history, now in its ninth year.
NAFTA transformed truck making
LAS VEGAS, NV – U.S. President Donald Trump continues his threats to pull Canada’s largest trading partner out of NAFTA. But when it comes to heavy truck manufacturing, Canada may have experienced some of the biggest losses. “If I were Canada, I’d be upset because all the business is gone,” observed Stu MacKay of MacKay and Company, sharing statistics during the annual Heavy Duty Aftermarket Dialogue in Las Vegas.
U.S. rentals get 90-day ELD waiver
WASHINGTON, DC – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued short-term rental trucks a 90-day waiver from mandated Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs), lasting until April 19. Trucks rented for 30 days or less will be able to use paper logbooks to record Hours of Service until the waiver expires. Carriers cannot simply replace one rental vehicle with another one within the 30 days, and must also have a satisfactory safety rating. They also need to report any collisions involving these vehicles within five business days. The Truck Renting and Leasing Association had known since December that a waiver was forthcoming, and is telling affected truck operators to print out the notice and carry it in the cab during the waiver period. Once this waiver expires, those who rent trucks for eight days or less will continue to be exempted from the ELD mandate.
NAFTA deal still in question
TORONTO, ON – The future of NAFTA remains uncertain as negotiators prepare for their latest round of meetings, this time in Montreal. Months into discussions, nobody even knows if U.S. President Donald Trump will decide to outright scrap the deal that governs every load of cross-border freight. With about 10 million trucks crossing between Canada and the U.S. each year, there is plenty of business at stake. A recent survey by Export Development Canada even found that 26% of exporters would shift their business to the U.S. if the agreement was revoked outright. Trade between the U.S. and Canada tripled between 1986 and 2017, Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association executive director Ruth Snowden observed, during a January 17 seminar hosted by the Fernandes Hearn law firm in Toronto. “If [NAFTA] goes, it could be very significant.”
Wildfires not affecting freight volumes: FTR
LOS ANGELES, CA - While some of the wild weather of 2017 had a dramatic impact on freight movements in parts of the United States, the Thomas wildfires moving through California isn't having an impact, according to analysts at FTR Intelligence. Hurricanes Harvey and Irma affected movements in the Gulf Region of the southern U.S. during the fall, but FTR says the current fire, which has destroyed more than 270,000 acres of land triggering the evacuations of thousands, has not disrupted freight so far.
