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Temporary ELD rule waiver is well-received

Livestock groups and farm-state lawmakers are applauding the additional 90-day waiver from the electronic logging device (ELD) rule for ag-related transportation.

The National Pork Producers Council says the waiver will allow more time to work with the Department of Transportation and Congress on a longer-term solution. The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association said the waiver will allow more time to educate livestock haulers on the ELDs, “while industry works on solutions to the current Hours of Service rules that simply do not work for those hauling live animals”.

Ag Secretary Sonny Perdue also weighed in, saying the ELD mandate lacks the flexibility necessary for the “unique realities of hauling agriculture commodities”.

Joe DeLorenzo with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration says they are working to address concerns.

“One of the things that we’re working on is a specific exemption available for the transportation of agricultural products, including livestock,” says DeLorenzo. “We call it the 150-mile radius exemption. It basically means the hours-of-service rules and all those accompanying rules, like ELD, don’t apply with a 150 mile radius.

“There’s also another exemption we call the occasional use exemption. So even if you do go outside the 150 mile radius, if you don’t do it regularly, you may not be subject to the electronic logging device rule.”

More information can be found on the FMCSA web site.

AUDIO: Joe DeLorenzo