3 regulations that could change trucking
Just like any other business, the trucking industry experiences changes over the years. New regulations are constantly being formed, and sometimes it is hard to keep up with all that is occurring. We are here to keep you up to date.
Our team has assembled some of the new updates in the trucking industry to help you out! We want to make sure you are up-to-date on what is happening, and answer any questions that you may have for us. We know we may not cover all your concerns and that you may have further questions once reading this. Leave your questions in the comment section below and we will do our best to respond ASAP!
- ELDs are here
What is an ELD? An ELD is an electronic logging device that connects to the truck’s engine. The purpose of this device is to record the driving hours of the trucker, and ultimately make a more a
ccurate logging history than manually recording the hours.
How may this affect you individually? Well, the regulations are being enforced as early as December 2017 which means that you may have to adjust your truck to fit the regulations. However, there are certain people that may be exempt until 2019.
How do you know if you are exempt or not? If you do any of the following, then you should be good until 2019:
- Drivers who us AOBRDs
- Trucks that are older than 2000
- Short-haul drivers who use the 100 or 150 air-mile radius
- Drivers who conduct drive-away-tow-away operations (where the vehicle being driven is the commodity being delivered)
- Drivers who use paper RODS no more than 8 days out of every 30-day period
Should you be concerned? Authorities won’t place trucks out of service until April of 2018, but truckers can still be penalized or fined for not attaching the ELD before then. There are positive effects from the being installed, but this will immensely change how truck driving has operated until now.
- Greenhouse gas standards
The Environmental Protection Agency, as well as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued three different greenhouse gas standards. These standards will affect manufacturing of trucks beginning in the model year of 2021, 2024 and 2027. There will be a cost-hike in tractors and trailers temporarily due to the new standards, however the EPA claims that the fuel savings within two years will cover the additional expenses.
- Increase to drive trucks
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has proposed an increase to drive trucks. If allowed, this could cost up to $5.6 billion over the course of ten years due to tuition and compliance audits. Groups have petitioned for these new regulations to be revised. The FMCSA has proposed for 10 hours of training on a driving range and an unspecified amount on a public road.
