The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) recently requested states’ attorneys general review the electronic logging devices (ELD) mandate.
The request follows one made by Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill, Jr. to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). Hill suggested the mandate’s implementation be delayed.
OOIDA said comments made by FMCSA, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance and others illustrate that drivers and motor carriers do not understand their legal obligations under the mandate.
The association is most concerned about the exemptions for older model trucks. FMCSA’s website offers confusing and contradictory information on which models are exempted, OOIDA said.
There is no consensus among the states on how to enforce the exemption.
“The states have taken positions that range from following the plain language of the rule to following FMCSA’s guidance, to an approach similar to CVSA’s and, in some cases, to taking no position yet,” OOIDA said.
The mandate provides no safety, economic, or productivity benefits, OOIDA said.
States only should adopt new statutes to protect the privacy of drivers and should limit the use of data to hours of service compliance determinations, OOIDA suggested.
OOIDA’s letter was copied to each state representatives for the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program. The program provides states with financial assistance.