ATA implores FMCSA to keep e-log rollout on schedule

by Truck News

ARLINGTON, Va. – The American Trucking Associations (ATA) is urging the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) not to delay the implementation deadline for electronic logging devices (ELDs).

“Over the past week we have heard from our members, loudly and clearly, that they are vehemently opposed to these attempts to delay this important regulation,” said Bill Sullivan, ATA’s executive vice-president of advocacy. “The industry stands ready and is prepared to implement ELDs.  As our letter explains, it is incumbent on regulators and on Congress to dismiss this last-ditch try by some to evade critically important safety laws.”

The ATA wrote, in part: “With the December deadline approaching, opponents of electronic logging are making one last attempt to influence policymakers to reconsider the impending implementation deadline. These efforts are misguided, are supported by misinformation, and are simply an attempt to evade compliance with the existing laws and regulations governing duty hours and driver fatigue.”

It cited research that found carriers using an ELD saw an 11.7% reduction in crashes and a 50% drop in hours-of-service violations over those using traditional paper logs.

“This and other evidence has convinced ATA and many other industry supporters, along with law enforcement, Congress, FMCSA and numerous federal courts, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, which became the most recent court to reject arguments opposing the ELD mandate, to support the ELD final rule,” the ATA wrote in its letter.

“Supporters of a delay are attempting to accomplish, almost at the 11th hour, what they’ve been unable to do in the courts, Congress or with the agency: roll back this common sense, data-supported regulation based on at best specious and at worst outright dishonest arguments.”


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  • This is all good, ELD is the tool to work with and at first
    it was hard to get use to it but now it is a rush to do as much miles in 10.75 hours pehaps 650 miles and with a mandatory 30 minutes break.
    If stuck into construction delay, road closure, or traffic jam say good bye 600 miles and perhaps will have to rush to find a truck stop and also parking that are very limited.
    All of this bring stress and fatigue, as for produce haulers it is a nightmare to deal with ELD because most of pick up are late at night like 2000to 2359 hours and delivery 00.00 t0 0300am so every body cries and are disgusted with the no answer to the question how do you stay legal with the electronic log device?????
    Any answer out there???
    I know companies have the way to fix the reading and for how long???

  • Hoping someone is smart enough to realize that the ATA is not the only player in the industry and that THEIR membership actually is the minority in the trucking business. They just have deeper pockets and bigger mouths.