YRC Worldwide (No. 5 on the CCJ Top 250) is following in UPS’ footsteps and requesting a temporary exemption from certain provisions in the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s electronic logging device mandate.
UPS (No. 1) requested its exemption back in June. YRC’s request is identical to UPS’, which asks FMCSA to (1) allow the installation of automatic on-board recording devices (AOBRDs) on new tractors that are replacing old tractors with AOBRDs beyond Dec. 18, 2017; (2) allow for an exemption from the requirement that an ELD automatically records certain data elements upon a duty status change when a driver is not in the truck; (3) allow ELDs to be configured to a special driving mode for yard moves; and (4) allow vehicle movements of less than a mile on UPS property by non-driver UPS employees to be annotated in the ELD as “on property – other.”
In its exemption request, YRC says current requirements restricting the use of new AOBRDs during the transition period would cause company drivers to operate a “mixed fleet” of ELDs and AOBRDs, causing “significant training challenges and inefficiencies.” The fleet adds having a “mixed fleet” would make it more difficult for driver trainers, who would be responsible for training on both ELDs and AOBRDs.
Unlike UPS, YRC’s fleets still use paper logs, and the company says its longer-tenured drivers “may face challenges in adopting the new system.” Additionally, YRC drivers are not assigned a tractor, so all drivers would have to be trained on AOBRDs and ELDs to meet the requirements of the rule.
The second provision of the rule YRC is seeking an exemption from deals with ELDs recording data when a driver changes his or her duty status and when a driver logs in to or out of an ELD.
Based on drivers’ union contracts, they are required to clock in through an electronic system to begin their days, and once clocked in, they must perform non-driving duties, the company says. The exemption asks that YRC be allowed to “systematically annotate that the driver was performing other work” to ensure accurate recording of on-duty, non-driving time.
To save time for its drivers, YRC is also seeking an exemption to allow the drivers moving trailers around yards to be able to select the “yard move” special driving status and remain in that status, even if the truck is turned off and back on. The company says the ELD would switch to “driving” if the driver inputs “driving,” if the truck exceeds 20 mph, or of the truck exits a geo-fenced yard.
