Congress passes spending bill exempting livestock haulers from ELDs until October

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The bull wagon edit
Matt Hopkins hauls in a 1999 Peterbilt 379 powered by a Caterpillar 3406E rated at 600 hp and a 15-speed Eaton transmission, but he takes more pride in his trailer. The 53-foot Wilson 406 livestock trailer is a 2004 model on spread tandems. “They call it the ‘hog combo’ – I can put sheep or pigs on it, and all the gates work like I want them to, just how I like it. … I spend as much time with the animals as I do with the truck.”

Update: President Trump has signed the bill into law despite a threat to veto the bill. 

Both chambers of Congress on Thursday passed a $1.3 trillion spending bill that allows livestock haulers to run without electronic logging devices through the end of September.

Unlike two ELD waivers issued by FMCSA to livestock haulers, Congress’ 2018 spending package does not grant an ELD exemption to truckers who haul agricultural commodities. Ag haulers will still need to adopt an ELD by June 18. Under  livestock haulers and insect haulers will have until the end of the 2018 fiscal year to switch from paper logs.