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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (November 2, 2020)

Survey Results Reveal Surprising Fleet Challenges With Hours of Service

J. J. Keller’s New HOS Compliance Study Highlights Top Carrier Concerns

Neenah, WI - In a survey conducted by the J. J. Keller Center for Market Insights — New Hours of Service Change Viewpoints: 2020 Transport Industry Study — fleets reported that while they perceived some benefits from the hours-of-service (HOS) rule changes, they also have specific challenges with HOS compliance.

“Our recent survey results provide some detailed information related to the findings in the ATRI 2020 Critical Issues Study, which ranked HOS as top ten driver and carrier concerns,” states Eden Weller, Sr. Customer & Market Insights Manager. “Surprisingly, our survey revealed that top carrier challenges were not with the new HOS per se, but rather with HOS requirements related to personal conveyance, yard moves, and unassigned driving events; and compliance with DOT recordkeeping, including the collection and maintenance of supporting documents. Basically, carriers are still wrestling with ELD mandate requirements.”

Regarding the new HOS rule, the J. J. Keller survey revealed that 15% of respondents hadn't “heard about the new regulatory changes” and 40% “did not fully understand” or “had not evaluated the impact of the rules on their operations.” Fleet professionals also shared their struggles with other HOS-related Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) requirements, including:

    • Compliance with the 30-minute break from driving,
    • Driver HOS training,
    • Understanding and managing 395.1 exceptions,
    • Understanding ELD technology, and
    • Developing and updating new HOS policies and procedures.

The survey, conducted one week before the HOS update on September 29, 2020, was designed to gauge fleet aptitude and preparation for new HOS rules. A copy is available for download.

“This data confirms the carrier struggle with ELD regulations and compliance continues, particularly with the management of DOT records,” states Tom Reader, senior director of ELD marketing at J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. “These challenges, added to the increase of FMCSA off-site audits, make it imperative that fleet professionals prioritize their compliance efforts, automate manual processes, and digitize records. Motor carriers that achieve HOS compliance bullet-proof their operation from risk and secure another competitive advantage in the marketplace.”

About J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.

J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. is the most respected name in safety and regulatory compliance. Since its beginning as a one-man consulting firm in 1953, the company has grown to over 1,500 associates serving more than 500,000 customers — including over 90% of the Fortune 1000® companies. The company’s subject-matter expertise spans nearly 1,500 topics, and its diverse solutions include ELogs and mobile technology; training via online courses, streaming video or DVD; online management tools; managed services; consulting services; online and print publications; forms and supplies.

Transportation professionals rely on J. J. Keller’s in-house expertise and wide selection of products and services to reduce risk and improve regulatory compliance, performance management, and operational efficiency. For more information, visit JJKeller.com

J. J. Keller Center for Market Insights

The J. J. Keller Center for Market Insights is the collaborative research arm of J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. The center originated in 2019 with a focus on sharing, with the public, trends and insights from an abundance of safety and compliance data gathered by J. J. Keller over decades serving more than 500,000 customers across the United States.

Through historical data, new proprietary studies and partnerships with reputable, research-focused third-party organizations, the center publishes ongoing reports to spur discussion and advancements in safe, respectful workplaces, job sites and highways.

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