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Spending bill includes ELD delay for livestock haulers

ELD mandate could not be enforced until October

Posted March 22, 2018

A massive government funding bill nearing completion in Congress includes a provision that would exempt livestock and insect haulers from needing to use electronic logging devices (ELDs) before October 2018.

The $1.3 trillion “Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018” would prevent the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) from spending any funds during this fiscal year to enforce the ELD mandate on commercial vehicles transporting livestock or insects. The government’s fiscal year ends September 30th.

Congress faces a Friday deadline to pass a spending bill before the government is forced to shut down. Legislators tried to pass a similar ELD delay for livestock last fall, but the measure failed to garner enough support at the time.

The term “livestock” includes cattle, elk, reindeer, bison, horses, deer, sheep, goats, swine, poultry, fish used for food, and other animals that are part of a foundation herd.

Though most long-haul interstate motor carriers were required to start using ELDs in place of paper logs on December 18, 2017, the FMCSA temporarily waived the requirement for drivers transporting livestock and other agricultural commodities under the provisions of 49 CFR Sec. 395.1(k)(1).

Though that waiver was due to expire on March 18, the FMCSA recently extended it until June 18, 2018.

This article was written by Daren Hansen of J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.


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