WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) today announced a proposal to require interstate commercial truck and bus companies to use electronic logging devices (ELDs) in their vehicles to improve compliance with safety rules that govern the number of hours a driver can work.
The proposed regulations would significantly reduce the paperwork burden associated with maintaining hours-of-service records for interstate truck and bus drivers — the most important in the federal government after tax filings — and improve the quality of log data. on board.
Electronic logging devices and documents supporting hours of service
Action: Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking; request for comments.
Summary: The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is proposing amendments to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSR) to establish: minimum performance and design standards for electronic hours-of-service logging devices (ELDs); requirements for mandatory use of these devices by drivers currently required to prepare HOS Records of Duty Status (RODS); requirements for HOS supporting documents; and measures to address concerns about harassment resulting from the mandatory use of ELDs. These regulations supplement the Agency’s February 1, 2011 Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) and address issues raised by the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in its 2011 decision striking down the final rule of the Agency of 5 April 2010 concerning ELDs as well as subsequent legislative developments. The proposed requirements for ELDs would improve compliance with HOS rules.