FMCSA

Under California law, drivers making their way through the Golden State are entitled to a 30-minute meal break for every five hours worked.

FMCSA Administrator Martinez and his officials listened to truck drivers and fleet owners as they asked for more flexibility in the hours of service. The usefulness of split sleeping and breaking up the mandatory 30 minute break were brought up most frequently.

The popular electronic logging device (ELD) exemption for agricultural haulers is up for renewal before Sept. 30, but it’s longer-term fate may hang with Congress’ ability to pass a budget – or at least a Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the government open beyond Sunday.

Military members looking to become truck drivers may have an easier time in doing so as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has authorized states to waive the commercial learner’s permit (CLP) knowledge test and driving skills tests.

FreightWaves adds additional functionality to SONAR with tri-delta functionality on the Headhaul Index as well as the newly revised Trucks in Market, making it easier than ever to identify market disruptions.

Beyond the Hours of Service rule that is under consideration for changes by the federal government, the introduction of the hard ELD rule has created several other less-publicized problems.

FEMA stands ready to address the aftermath of Hurricane Florence and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has now issued a “Regional Emergency Declaration” for 13 states and the District of Columbia as the southeast braces for the historic storm.

Joe DeLorenzo, director of the Office of Enforcement and Compliance for FMCSA, went through some of the common problems the agency is seeing since the ELD mandate went into effect, and there have been plenty.

If there is just one word that can best sum up the official Listening Session on hours of service (HOS) that FMCSA held on Friday at the Great American Trucking Show, it would be flexibility.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is moving forward with plans to solicit public comment on current hours-of-service (HOS) regulations.

FMCSA has agreed to implement a series of actions as it works toward the possible implementation of a more data-driven to identifying at-risk carriers for intervention.

The waiver granted by FMCSA covers the federal code governing truckers, but only for their activities involving aiding the efforts to fight western wildfires.

Truck drivers involved in certain behaviors are more likely to have a future crash, ATRI research has concluded.

Chaos at the New York bus terminal could be a sign of a driver squeeze at Greyhound, but likely isn’t the result of federal regulations.

Despite repeated efforts, confusion still reigns when it comes to hours-of-service compliance and when drivers can use personal conveyance or the agriculture exemptions available.

Waste Management Holdings has applied for an hours of service exemption, asking the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to consider allowing its drivers to work extra hours without losing short-haul status.

The statistics on 2018’s spot brake check day on trucks and buses are remarkably similar to what was found in 2017.

Following the publication of a National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report last June that recommended changes to the way the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) records and displays SMS data, the agency has decided to scrap proposed changes.

Cashflow Corner presented by TriumphPay …Weigh station bypass systems are an often-overlooked way for drivers to save both time and money.

The Heartland Express pay increase, what commenters said about young military drivers, and oil tankers are getting scrapped quickly.

An OOIDA executive took to the airwaves a few days after its ELD exemption request was denied, and he had a few things to get off his chest.

The OOIDA request would have exempted companies meeting the definition of a small business along with various safety standards.

A rule last year by DOT on testing trucking applicants for drugs specifically left hair testing out, but the HHS needs guidelines if the push is to proceed.

A USDOT 3-year pilot program would allow drivers under the age of 21 and holding a military CDL to drive interstate commerce when sponsored by a participating trucking company.

Cashflow Corner presented by TriumphPay …Drivers can potentially benefit from added flexibility by utilizing the current split sleeper provision allowed under hours-of-service laws.

Understanding hours-of-service and ELD regulations and their exemptions can help fleets better manage driver’s time.

The FMCSA has posted a new infographic on its website, which it says it plans to update monthly.

The FMCSA and ATA talk regulations at SMC3; Cummins has to pay tariffs to import its own engines; Canadian National and Canadian Pacific investing in Port of Vancouver; why protectionist rhetoric is roiling the markets; key takeaways from OPEC’s Vienna meeting.

Most bills introduced now have little chance of passage, but this one may suggest something when reading between the lines.

A few thoughts in Today’s Pickup from a two-day visit to Washington.

U.S. Xpress goes public; retail sales numbers explode for May; BNSF seeks positive train control delay; Brussels airport goes to blockchain for air cargo management; American LNG exports expected to benefit the entire economy.

The new Trucker Path whitepaper finds that 70% of truckers have had to violate HOS, and 96% have parked in areas not designated for trucks. 48% spend an hour or more to find safe truck parking, driving time that does not translate into fleet revenues.

Cashflow Corner presented by TriumphPay …Starting your own trucking company takes time and planning, but it takes more than just buying a truck and choosing a load.

Also: jobs report, the FMCSA guidance, and who should pay for parking?

Freedom of movement in the 150-mile radius, and a loosening of the rules to get somewhere safely are part of FMCSA’s latest guidance.

Freedom of movement in the 150-mile radius, and a loosening of the rules to get somewhere safely are part of FMCSA’s latest guidance.

Hours of Service violations will be the biggest focus this year, but ELDs may hold their numbers in check.

Cashflow Corner presented by TriumphPay …If your ELD provider suddenly shuts down service and goes out of business, do you know what to do?

FMCSA chief touts military program as a possible model for bringing in younger drivers.

Autonomous trucks, CSA, hours-of-service and more were topics of a wide-ranging keynote address given by Dan Murray, vice president of ATRI, at the NTPC 2018 conference.

While April 1 turned out not to be the total disaster so many predicted, the hard enforcement date has brought pain to some individual truck drivers and fleets who continue to be tripped up by common mistakes.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has formally extended an ELD waiver for livestock and insect haulers until Sept. 30, 2018, under terms of the waiver that was included in the Fiscal Year 2018 Omnibus Appropriations Bill.

The FMCSA has formally moved to exempt the MirrorEye Camera Monitor System (CMS) from Stoneridge from federal regulations as the company seeks to begin on-road testing of the system on vehicles without side mirrors.

We have received word that the FMCSA is reportedly deploying military drones to beef up the ‘hard enforcement’ of the ELD mandate beginning April 1.

Used truck prices strengthen; trailer orders go crazy; Arizona suspends Uber self-driving; Canadian National trades at 52-week lows; aftermath of Harvey still affects Houston tanker traffic; Philadelphia freight market is heating up.

FMCSA Administrator Ray Martinez heard plenty of complaints from truck drivers over ELDs, hours of service, and parking issues during a Listening Session at Mid-America.

April 1st promises a surge of HOS violations; Uber pulls out of Southeast Asia; China starts trading oil futures; US Customs looks to upgrade their digital tools; Kansas City Southern hit by new tax bills.

The administrator said he is on an “aggressive listening” tour. 

FMCSA’s Joe DeLorenzo took plenty of questions from the audience as he tried to clear up confusion over the ELD rule during a session at the Mid-America Trucking Show.

Clarifying the grandfathering of AOBRDs in a fleet expansion.

The current exemption ends April 19.

The sector gets another 90 days to comply, while the rest of the industry faces April 1 enforcement.

Presented by Reliance Partners …For truly safe trucking companies, chameleon carriers are a problem. But it is one that data is helping solve.

The ATA recognizes that “technology is cool,” but also that it had better play its own vital role in adopting and adapting plans in a realistic manner.

Used Class 8 truck prices increased 2% year-over-year in January, but fell 3% over December 2017, according to latest data from ACT Research.

Psychemedics Corporation says they have developed a test which eliminates false positives and has been vetted by the FBI.

Drivers aren’t robots and one size doesn’t fit all, so in the absence of flexibility, wide-awake drivers attempt to sleep in rest stops on 10-hour breaks during the day, which is what makes the 14-hour clock so dangerous.

In all, 35% of Americans will purchase flowers this year, says the Society of American Florists, totaling some $2 billion in sales, and the most of them get to their destinations via the trucks.

Freight brokers’ revenues went up but margins went down in 2017; Amtrak blames CSX for yesterday’s crash; Hazelwood won’t testify in Pilot trial; oil tanker shipping rates crater; click through for more!

The race to self-driving and electric vehicles has focused medium and heavy-duty vehicles lately, even though many believe local and urban is the best place for electric trucks. udelv, though, is focusing on that last-mile.

Even trucking original equipment manufacturers are not immune to spot freight volatility. Because of that, Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA), is working to shore up its supply chain relationship with contracted freight carriers through a new digital platform.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is taking a survey of truck drivers’ commutes to and from work.

Have the good days of high rates ended? While not declaring an end to rising van spot rates, a blog post yesterday by DAT Solutions’ Matt Sullivan did note some indications that the rapid rise may be slowing.

A holiday week did little to slow the rising tide of rates as 2017 came to a close. According to DAT Solutions, national spot rates for van and refrigerated loads reached their highest point of the year.

Recently, there were a couple of Facebook posts from owner-operators asking for advice on where to look for new insurance. One poster said their insurance company was dropping them because their “maintenance scores” were too high. What, they asked, did that mean?

One of the big mysteries around hours of service is personal conveyance. When can a driver use a vehicle for personal reasons without it counting against their driving time? The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is now attempting to clarify that usage through regulatory guidance.

Nearly 17 years in the making since the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration first attempted to require electronic logging devices (ELDs) on commercial vehicles, the day has finally arrived for most of the nation’s 3 million plus driver workforce to begin using the devices.

The ELD mandate has finally arrived, but lets stop pretending this is a safety issue. Its not. The ELD mandate is about money. If we wanted to talk safety, our attention should focus on the real-evil: Hours of Service rules. 

To get a more detailed look at the impact ELDs are having on the industry, FreightWaves talked with drivers and a fleet that has been running the devices, and each has reported different experiences, but in the end, the concern of all of them is that the devices simply work.

An FMCSA pilot program to study the impacts of allowing drivers more flexibility in determined when they rest is being welcomed by many in the industry.

Two bills introduced in the U.S. House last week could potentially change the classification of port truckers, requiring them to become employee drivers.

FTR’s Shippers Conditions Index (SCI) took a tumble in August, the firm said, dropping to a negative 6.7 reading. Most of the decline was due to the short-term fuel cost increases because of disruptions due to Hurricane Harvey.

When the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) announced in late August that it would delay out-of-service orders for ELD violations until April 1, 2018, many cheered the decision. According to Collin Mooney, executive director of CVSA, many assumed that meant officials would not enforce the ELD rule at all until April. That is simply not true.

While the Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration (FMCSA) has issued an exemption to the electronic logging device (ELD) rule for certain rental vehicles, the exemption has opened up several questions, including whether there is a potential loophole in the rule.

President Donald Trump and Republican leaders introduced their long-awaited tax reform plan on Wednesday. As expected, the plan calls for a significant cut to the corporate tax rate, from 35% to 20%, and the elimination of four of the seven individual tax brackets, creating brackets of just 12%, 25% and 35%.

Continued tightening of capacity is driving up FTR’s Trucking Conditions Index (TCI). The TCI for July posted a positive reading of 5.75, reflecting tightening capacity, rising spot rates and a further impact this fall and winter from the implementation of electronic logging devices, FTR said.

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) and livestock groups have delivered a petition to Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao requesting a waiver from complying with the upcoming electronic logging device (ELD) rule.

C.H. Robinson has acquired Milgram & Company, a Canadian provider of freight forwarding, customs brokerage, and surface transportation. C.H. Robinson paid approximately $50 million in cash for the company.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has suspended certain commercial regulations in Texas and Louisiana, including hours of service, for drivers providing “direct assistance” for hurricane relief under regulation 49 CFR 390.5.

A new month, but the same old story. Spot rates rose again according to data from DAT, with the national van and flatbed rates each climbing 3 cents per mile and refrigerated rates rising 4 cents for the week of July 30 to Aug. 5.

DOT’s Private Investment Project Procedures rulemaking seeks to lower the barriers to private participation in infrastructure projects. While the government seeks to reduce barriers, though, states are concerned about reimbursements for projects and that has led to a drop in the number of projects, according to Reuters.

When the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration laid out the parameters of its electronic logging device (ELD) rule, it seemed pretty simple: Trucks newer than model year 2000 were required to have the devices. But the language, as is often the case, left some room for confusion.

Following years of complaints from the trucking industry that carriers are unfairly penalized for crashes that are not the driver’s fault, FMCSA is launching a 2-year demonstration program that allows carriers to dispute the findings of a crash.

The long-awaited U.S. outline for the goals of a renegotiation of NAFTA has been unveiled, and there are few surprises in the 17-page document. The document outlines the U.S. top priority of shrinking trade deficits with Canada and Mexico.

Surprisingly, a new survey from SOTI has found that nearly 70% of transportation and logistics executives have not grasped the importance of rugged handheld mobile devices in the field.

The Department of Transportation has revised and renamed its FASTLane program to “align [projects] with national and regional economic vitality goals and to leverage additional non-federal funding,” it said.

New Prime (Prime) has been granted an exemption by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for commercial learner permit (CLP) drivers to operate a truck without a CDL holder in the front seat under certain conditions.

As the industry prepares for the December enforcement of the electronic logging device rule, there remains one area of the law that continues to create confusion for drivers – personal conveyance. What is personal conveyance and why does it cause so many problems?

Commonly considered a driver protection rule, the federal coercion rule institutes large fines for companies that pressure drivers to drive in violation of federal regulations, including hours of service. But is it working?

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has proposed a pilot program on truck driver split-sleeper berth time and hot it affects driver safety performance and fatigue. Also, a new driver training rule has gone into effect and how do you value truck manufacturers? 

A Chinese e-commerce company wants to make deliveries weighing as much as 1 ton with drones. JD.com is already delivering smaller packages in rural villages. Also in the news, FMCSA officials will be meeting to discuss regulatory relief for the industry and GM is facing allegations it used defeat devices to bypass diesel emissions regs on its pickups.