Yesterday the Senate passed an amendment that would exempt livestock haulers from ELD regulations through 2019.
The livestock hauler amendment was added to the Minibus Appropriations bill by U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb).
Though this is a major development, the bill will not become law until a version of it is also passed in the House and signed by President Trump. If passed, the bill would extend the ELD exemption for livestock haulers through September 30, 2019.
Fischer praised her fellow senators for passing the bill: “Nebraskans who transport livestock face unique challenges. Today the Senate passed my amendment to delay electronic logging device requirements for livestock haulers for one year. With this extension, we will have more time to bring common-sense to these rules and provide additional flexibility.”
Under current regulations, livestock haulers are exempt from ELD regulations through September 30, 2018.
Fischer has met with Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao and with leadership at the FMCSA to ask for relief for truck drivers from ELD regulations. She vows to continue work on expanding ELD regulation flexibility for truck drivers.
If the bill passes, it may provide enough time for more permanent ELD relief legislation to progress. In May, Nebraska Senator Ben Sasse introduced the “Transporting Livestock Across America Safely Act”, which would provide permanent relief from ELD regulations to livestock and insect haulers. You can click here to read more about Sasse’s bill.