Ag haulers get 90-delay on ELD mandate, FMCSA to provide further ELD guidance

With the electronic logging device (ELD) mandate less than a month away, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has announced several steps intended to ease the transition for many drivers and carriers. Among the actions announced November 20 is a 90-day temporary waiver from the ELD requirement for transporters of agricultural commodities and soon-to-be published formal guidance related to the existing hours-of-service (HOS) exemption for the agricultural industry.

The agricultural segment has been especially concerned about the impact of the ELD mandate, and livestock haulers recently petitioned the agency for an exemption. and Congress is considering an exemption as part of the House-passed version of the government funding bill. While livestock haulers would be included in the 90-day waiver of the ELD mandate, the waiver would have a far broader impact.

FMCSA also announced that it will be providing further guidance to the broader commercial vehicle industry, including guidance on the "personal conveyance" provision and on the existing 150 air-mile HOS exemption.

Publication of the guidance is expected within two weeks and will include a public comment process.

"FMCSA has listened to important feedback from many stakeholder groups, including agriculture, and will continue to take steps to ease the transition to the full implementation of the ELD rule," said FMCSA Deputy Administrator Cathy Gautreaux.

For the latest information on ELDs, visit FMCSA's website.