Trucking news and briefs for Monday, Nov. 21, 2022:
Electronic ID comment period closes Tuesday
Owner-operators have until the end of the day Tuesday, Nov. 22, to file comments on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s notice requesting public comments on whether it should require every truck to be equipped with an electronic device "capable of wirelessly communicating a unique ID number when queried by a Federal or State motor carrier safety enforcement personnel."
Since the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) was published on Sept. 22, the agency has received nearly 2,000 comments. Those interested in filing comments before the deadline can do so here.
As previously reported by Overdrive, operators have expressed concerns over electronic IDs on trucks, with some saying it's simply more needless red tape in an already over-regulated industry, to others worried about their privacy and even some worried about enforcement agents using electronic devices while driving at highway speeds.
FMCSA said it is considering the changes to its regulations “to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the roadside inspection program by more fully enabling enforcement agencies to focus their efforts at high-risk carriers and drivers.”
For commenters, the agency asked that respondents provide information regarding the best possible technical and operational concepts along with associated costs, benefits, security, vulnerability, privacy and other relevant deployment and operational implications. A full list of questions FMCSA is seeking information on can be found here.
Find further reading/listening on the proposal:
[Related: Electronic IDs for trucks: 'Big brother' or a step forward]
New York modifying HOS for intrastate fuel movement
The State of New York Department of Transportation has modified hours of service regulations for haulers of certain fuels through Nov. 30.
The order, issued Nov. 16, cited a supply chain issue resulting in the shortage of petroleum products used for winter heating and transportation. Hours of service regulations contained in the New York Code (17 NYCRR 820.6) for intrastate transportation of fuels are modified as follows:
- The 70-hour maximum on-duty period in 8 days is modified to be 84 hours
- The 60-hour maximum on-duty period in 7 days is modified to be 74 hours
- The 14-hour maximum workday is modified to be 16 hours, and an 8-hour off-duty period must be taken to reset the 16-hour provision
- The 34-hour restart provision is modified to be 24 hours
- On-duty time for the purposes of computation of the 60/70 or 14-hour rules shall not include time spent waiting in a CMV while on the property of a hazardous materials shipper or carrier, loading/unloading point, or terminal immediately subsequent to or preceding loading/unloading operations
[Related: Only 25 days of diesel left? What to make of low inventories]
I-81 rest area reopening delayed
The reopening of a rest area on southbound Interstate 81 in Virginia has been delayed indefinitely.
The Virginia Department of Transportation last week said the reopening of the Troutville Rest Area located on southbound I-81 near mile marker 158 has been postponed. The rest area has been closed since May for work on a $4.9 million project to extend the ramps at the facility.
VDOT said it anticipated contractor Branch Civil Inc. would reopen the rest area by Thanksgiving, but delays with completing the work have extended the closure. VDOT said it is uncertain when the rest area will reopen.
The agency said the contractor must complete paving on the ramps and road shoulders at the rest area before it can be reopened to the public. This paving can only be scheduled when temperatures are warm enough and there is no precipitation, so an exact time frame for opening the rest area cannot be determined.
"The contractor will make every effort to complete the remaining paving before winter," said a statement from VDOT. "However, if schedule and weather prevent the paving from being finished, the rest area may have to remain closed until spring."
A concrete barrier wall is currently in place in front of the rest area, and motorists are not able to enter the facility or use the parking lot and restrooms.
Portable toilets and parking will continue to be available temporarily for commercial vehicles at the Troutville Weigh Station located on southbound I-81 at mile marker 149, according to VDOT.
