An exemption for older trucks from the electronic logging device mandate isn’t going away.
Despite recent rumors to the contrary, the U.S. Department of Transportation affirmed the continuance of the exemption when it released a “Pro-Trucker Package” on June 27. The package includes nine initiatives “designed to improve the lives of America’s truck drivers.”
Among those initiatives is a commitment to maintaining an ELD exemption for pre-2000 engines.
“(Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy) is committed to not extending the ELD mandate to pre-2000 model year trucks,” the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration wrote in a fact sheet detailing the “Pro-Trucker Package.”
When the controversial ELD mandate took effect in 2017, pre-2000 trucks were exempt and could continue to use paper logs to track hours of service.
In 2022, FMCSA sought information on whether that exemption should be removed.
OOIDA, which fought the original ELD mandate by petitioning the U.S. Supreme Court, was quick to oppose any attempts at removing the exemption.
“Our members have vigorously opposed the ELD mandate since its inception,” OOIDA wrote in comments signed by President Todd Spencer in 2022. “There was never sufficient research indicating the mandate would improve highway safety, and the agency still lacks data demonstrating any positive safety results since its full implementation.”
As part of the DOT plan, the administration confirmed that it would not be moving forward on a rulemaking that would mandate the use of ELDs for older trucks.
(H2) Recent rumors
The announcement from the DOT was especially important as rumors recently surfaced that the exemption was ending.
Land Line debunked those rumors in a June 23 article. Then, the DOT removed all doubt about the current administration’s intentions with the June 27 announcement.
(H2) ‘Pro-Trucker Package’
The ELD exemption announcement was part of a larger package aimed at improving the truck driving profession.
The nine initiatives:
- Increase truck parking capacity
- Withdraw speed limiter rulemaking
- Increase hours-of-service flexibility
- Improve FMCSA’s driver resource page
- Reform DataQ
- Modernize National Consumer Complaint Database
- Address unlawful brokering
- Maintain ELD exemption on pre-2000 engines
- Remove “needless” regulations
OOIDA played a big role in advocating for all nine initiatives in the “Pro-Trucker Package.” LL
Land Line Managing Editor Jami Jones contributed to this report.
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