Inside the crucial new Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Regulations recently 
released, is the rule of mandating electronic logging. This congressionally mandated rule needs all the ‘interstate’ motor carriers that operate commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) to install ELDs or Electronic Logging Devices. ELD is nothing but a new term used by the federation for what was previously known as Electronic on-board Recording (EOBR) device.
This new rulemaking, a part of the New FMCSA regulations was published on March 28, 2014 in the Federal Rulemaking Register at the start of a 60-day public comment period which was to end on May 28. Later, FMCSA reviewed all the submittals and then issued the final rule.
There are exemptions to this requirement of installing ELDs. For instance, if the driver is supposed to operate under the existing exemptions to maintain a log book, there would be an exemption. At any rate, the most widely used exemption is the ‘short-haul’ radius that allows you to use a time card instead of using the logbook. This is only for drivers who operate within the 100 mile radius of their reporting point, and those who don’t exceed 12 hours of duty. However, you can’t change your normal location of work reporting if need be.
This rulemaking has had various different effects on the construction trucking industry. California based trucking industries, for instance, can work up to 100 miles in the Border States with the help of the rule, without needing to install ELD till the time normal work reporting location is fixed on California side of the border. Also, the new rule exemption is for drivers who have been frequently observed to exceed the requirements of ‘short haul’. The rulemaking will also allow the drivers to select GPS enabled devices or any other devices that use cellular positioning. The ELD will be connected to the trucks’ ECM. If the truck is equipped with mechanical engine, then expensive upgrades need to be made so that approved ELDs can work properly.
This is just one of the 8 required mandates by FMCSA that affects the entire trucking industry. To know about all the new FMCSA Regulations, join the session New FMCSA Regulations: 8 Required Mandates Affecting Every Motor Carrier by expert speaker Mark Dixon on Thursday, August 20, 2015 where he will explore all the 8 mandates which will affect all the drivers and motor carriers in the industry. The webinar will focus on controversies and implications and will also explain how the motor carriers and drivers are affected. To know more about transportation industry you can attend many transportation industry conferences at AudioSolutionz.
