Proposed legislation could delay U.S. e-log mandate

by Truck News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Opponents to impending legislation that will require the use of electronic logging devices (ELDs) to monitor driver hours-of-service in the U.S. are lauding a legislative push to delay the rule for two years.

U.S. Rep. Brian Babin introduced legislation that, if passed, would delay the mandate for two years, a move that was welcomed by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), a lobby group that represents owner-operators and small business truckers and that has been critical of the mandate.

“The (FMCSA) has failed to answer important questions from Congress and industry stakeholders about this mandate,” said Todd Spencer, OOIDA executive vice-president. “This includes issues related to enforcement, connectivity, data transfers, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and many other legitimate real-world concerns.”

Babin’s bill, H.R.3282, the ELD Extension Act of 2017, would extend the current implementation date from December 2017 to December 2019.

Industry forecaster and analyst ACT Research, opined that any delay will only push back the inevitable adoption of ELDs by the majority of industry.

“Short-term, it may provide procrastinators a reason – or an excuse – to postpone an ELD commitment,” the company said in a statement posted on Twitter. “But it’s only delaying the inevitable – ELDs will be an effective standard, even without regulation, before long.”

ACT did indicate if the mandate is pushed back, capacity relief for carriers will depend on freight growth, restraining freight rates into 2018. It’s widely believed an ELD mandate will push some capacity from the industry, putting upward pressure on rates.


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  • I can see so many problems with ELD. When a driver sits in the dock waiting to get loaded what’s going to happen when the dock hands don’t get into any rush to unload that trailer? I and others has been backed to the dock waiting to get unloaded for up to 8 hours. If you start the clock from the time you get up waiting to get a dock up to 2 or 3 hours then in the dock 8 hours or longer can be a problem. When you do get out of the dock and go to pick up your next load in rush hour. You could end up in trouble with your logs. Why don’t you go after the companies who keeps the drivers in the dock for more than a half hour. Companies were suppose to get detention pay for that,but I never once seen anyone get detention pay for anything.. I’ve been backed into a dock all day just to find out they didn’t have the load at all. That was 8 hours down the drain for me. You blame the drivers for everything . I can see more and more wrecks now on the road. When that log shuts them down in the middle of New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, St.Louis,or Chicago and etc. during rush hour. The driver will get the blame for your problems you created with the ELD.

  • Elogs are Dangerous !!they force drivers to drive regardless of rush hour traffic , sick , bad weather etc. pawning Elogs off in the name of safety is total Bullshit!!! Elogs and the 14 he clock have made the highways unsafe now you have inexperienced drivers speeding in parking lots.Construction etc. This coming from a 26 year 0 accident Truck driver.Elogs is a Joke and is all about the companies and lobbies selling the Bullshit.

  • I work in operations for a trucking company and my husband is an owner op. I honestly predict that once elogs are in full force and effect, the entire national supply chain will be slowed down. As stated before, unless shippers and receivers are also mandated to abide by rules and hours, truck drivers won’t be able to make a decent living any longer. also this whole thing is the government telling drivers when they are tired and when they aren’t. forcing them to run when they ARE tired to be able to make a check. the whole thing is ridiculous and only enables the big trucking companies to put the little guys out of business, which is their goal.

    • Your are right even 1 week and the gas stations would out of gas and the shelves in the grocery stores would be empty

  • Go back to the old rule of 16 and 8 and any time in the sleeper dose not go against your time of the day and then yes by all means logs would work the way it is now no

  • i m doing dedicated load very easily on paper log and stay fresh all day , if i m tired in middle of run i can take short naps but if there is e log i will have to drive all night , tired , and will have to drive 65 mph posted speed limit all the time (normally i stay 60mph )

  • Typical government b.s. Lawyers making rules not understanding the basics. They have never spent one day in a truck and likely couldn’t find the air brake. One size does not fit all. Wake up. The real problems will begin once this mandate is put into place.

  • I have been driving 33 years now I will retire when all this e log bullshit comes into effect, I won’t allow the govt to put my life in danger by firceing me to drive tired or sick or in bad weather raceing there clock, the people enforcing this have no idea how unsafe they r making our roads, Can’t wait until the public see livestock haulers loaded with live animals sitting for 10 hrs in extreme heat or cold weather conditions

  • I too feel the same way.. Not 2 a week is enough to put the whole country on hold.. Whoever invented this shit eld.. Is just making money..

  • My name is Ken brown owner opp there is no way in hell it will work Congress has no clue what we put up with out here they never drove big truck for living never had to del with shipping in delivery shit the people out there in the real word I think it a bunch of shit let us drive our trucks and they keep stilling from the hard working people out her trying to make a honest dam living thank u

  • Electronic logging devices do not make roads safer. There are so many ways legislators have failed to even remotely comprehend what’s going on in the trucking industry. Trucks stops are over crowded. Most states have inadequate rest areas if they even keep them open. Dock loading and unloading times wipe out large amounts of time. Drivers are losing wages. Higher pay means nothing when paid by the miles and miles decrease. Truckers have been losing money for years. Get gov,t out of trucking!

  • Continued. Over regulation has never done anything productive in any industry. You want less accidents how about making every driver in America pass a physical in order to drive at all. Yes I mean cars. High blood pressure. Over weight. Bad eyes and sleep apnea. Would wipe out so many dangerous people driving cars. How about law enforcement going after cars cutting off semis. There is no fair traffic enforcement. Trucks get all the blame

  • It’s all out of control. The dot are not enforcing safety. They are lining jurisdictions pocket books in name of safety. So many eneducated dot on roads. Lobbyists control Washington. Dot are ran by directors who watch the income of enforcement. The largest problem in trucking is the average person is ignorant when understanding the weight and braking distance of a semi. Electronic logs will fix nothing. Wast of time and money. We are screwed

  • The ELD make us speeding so we can catch up time that will create more accidents and problem and also the ELD time sometimes you have to work middle of the night sometimes during the day and sometimes afternoon that will make the drivers cause more problems Because some drivers cannot sleep during the day when the sun is out the ELD will make them drive at night that will be not safe. The ELD is not safe It’s really dangerous

  • I wish nation wide drivers shutdown for a week. Who ever thoght this idea pluse forcing this rule is unwise please treat as human being. We knows better than this bs rule