This video gives a glance into what goes on in meetings concerning the ELD mandate; in this meeting of the House Small Business Committee, Representative Brian Babin advocates for the delay of the ELD mandate.
Texas Representative Brian Babin is responsible for introducing and sponsoring the ELD extension Act of 2017.
He believes that we can and should do more by offering relief to all sectors of the trucking industry just in time for the holiday season.
He said in the meeting, “Our office had recently sent a letter to the President asking for a delay for all sectors of the trucking industry until April 1, 2018. Since DOT has granted a waiver for 3 months for AG haulers and cattle haulers.
I think that is proof that the DOT certainly has the authority to grant a waiver to whomever they wish in this process.”
He also asked other representatives that were present if they think that all other sectors of the trucking industry should have a waiver for a temporary period of time, like the three months that other sectors have been granted.
One representative responded, “Yeah, I would agree with that. I think its a lot of things. I think that [the waiver] needs to go farther than that, but any reprieve to work out some of the problems associated with [the ELD mandate] would be welcome.”
A second representative said, “I would agree and that it does need to go…. If logs were the answer to safety, why does the government on FEMA loads throw them out the book, throw the logbook for FEMA drivers if they are running FEMA loads? There are 26 states still operating with all these trucks bringing emergency relief propane. These guys are running way over their hours and it is not a problem.
What happens if my customer has a problem with a plant shut down and I have to get something there so that people won’t be out of work, what’s the difference between what the government allows and what our customers might need.”
Mr. Garbini stated, “I think that your example of the relief given to the livestock haulers is evidence again that the federal government and the agency Motor Carrier Safety have recognized that there are flaws in [the ELD mandate]. There needs to be time taken with a stay on the entire process and have industry work the regulators to come up with common sense – one size does not fit all.”
Babin continues, “If a company likes their ELD and there is a history of it, and some of these companies really do, then keep it. But, I have talked to far more of my constituents, and outside my district who drive, that they have grave concerns about the unknowns and the question marks regarding [the ELD mandate].
If it saves a company money and if it actually does make the highway safer, I’m not trying to abolish by any stretch of the imagination the ELDs.
In the words of our previous administration, ‘if you like your ELD, you can keep your ELD.'”
Babin is not trying to abandon this idea altogether, but instead, gather more data and information on the true effects that it will have on the trucking industry as a whole. Further, the financial strain it would put on the industry across the board hardly compares to the $2 million compliance cost necessary to get the ELD mandate rolling.