The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Tuesday granted livestock haulers an additional 90-day waiver from a regulation which could have a negative effect on animal wellbeing. The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) applauded the move.
A Department of Transportation (DOT) rule first issued in 2015 required all commercial truckers involved in interstate commerce to replace paper driving logs with Electronic Logging Devices, or ELDs, by December of last year. In September of 2017, NPPC petitioned the agency for a waiver or exemption from the requirement, and the DOT issued an initial 90-day waiver until March 18 of 2018. A final decision on the NPPC request for a waiver is still pending.
The National Cattlemen?s Beef Association (NCBA) is also pleased with the additional 90-day waiver. NCBA president Kevin Kester says this is good news for cattle haulers and producers.
?It will provide the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration more time to educate our livestock haulers on ELDs while the industry works on solutions to the current Hours of Service rules that simply do not work for those who are hauling live animals,? says Kester.
Kester also thanked Transportation Secretary Elaine Cho and FMCSA Administrator Ray Martinez for listening to their concerns and working with NCBA to find a permanent, workable solution.
