Four more exemption requests from the electronic logging device mandate have been filed by three associations whose drivers operate within the trucking industry, and one of the nation’s largest intermodal fleets.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration also announced it has denied an ELD exemption request from the Pipe Line Contractors Association (PLCA) that was filed in July.
One new ELD exemption request comes from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). Another new one is from the Western Equipment Dealers Association (WEDA) on behalf of itself and seven other agriculture equipment dealer associations. Additionally, the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) has requested an exemption from the mandate on behalf of several livestock-hauling groups due to what it calls “an incompatibility” between federal hours rules and how the livestock industry operate. Finally, Hub Group Trucking (No. 30 on the CCJ Top 250) is also requesting an exemption from a portion of the ELD mandate regarding the grandfather period of AOBRDs.
FMCSA is seeking input from the public on the requests.
MPAA’s request is to allow truckers hauling equipment for theatrical, television and movie production sites to use paper logs at all times rather than ELDs. The group says it is seeking the exemption because drivers often work for different studios and production companies, who may use different ELD providers that are incompatible with each other. Therefore the drivers would be unable to transfer ELD data from one carrier or vehicle to another. MPAA says that allowing its drivers to continue keeping paper logs “will not jeopardize operational safety or increase fatigue-related crashes.”
The group says the approximately 6,500 drivers who operate within their industry often spend less than four hours a day driving and average 40 miles per day. It says few of the drivers qualify for the short-haul log-keeping exemption because many of them already operate under an exemption from typical hours-of-service driving and on-duty time limits.
Comments on this request can be made here through Nov. 27.
