Trucking news and briefs for Thursday, May 23, 2024:
FMCSA reinstates recently-revoked ELD
The Blue Star ELD, which the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration revoked from its list of registered devices on Tuesday, has been reinstated, the agency announced Thursday.
Truck drivers and motor carriers utilizing the Blue Star ELD, if they had stopped using it since Tuesday, can now return to using the device for technical compliance with the agency's electronic logging device mandate.
FMCSA did not provide any information about why the device was revoked in the first place, but noted that if an ELD provider corrects the deficiencies with the devices, it would be reinstated to the registered devices list.
The ELD Mandate Plus device, which was also placed on the revoked devices list Tuesday, remains revoked. ELD Mandate CEO Ratan Baid told Overdrive Tuesday that the company was working to “remedy any deficiency and get our software reinstated.” In the meantime, drivers using the device are required to stop using the devices and revert to paper logs or logging software to record required hours of service data.
[Related: Two more ELDs off FMCSA's device list]
TA launches campaign benefiting St. Christopher Fund
TravelCenters of America is conducting its annual Round Up campaign in support of the St. Christopher Truckers Relief Fund (SCF).
Beginning Friday, May 24 and running through July 31, drivers stopping at TA and Petro locations will have the opportunity to round up their purchase to the nearest dollar. That extra change will directly benefit professional truck drivers out of work due to illness or injury. Last year, the Round Up campaign raised more than $120,000.
Since 2010, TA has raised more than $3 million through campaigns and initiatives for SCF.
“This organization is an invaluable safety net for professional drivers when they’re experiencing a difficult time in their life,” said Debi Boffa, TA CEO. “We are grateful to our generous guests who recognize the value SCF brings to these incredibly hardworking men and women during their time of need.”
In addition to helping drivers facing financial hardship, SCF offers several other benefits for the professional driver community, including tobacco cessation programs, health and wellness guidance, free vaccines, and preventive cancer screening tests.
“We are so grateful for the support TravelCenters of America provides in helping our driver community,” said Donna Kennedy, Executive Director, SCF. “Our safety net is only as strong as our amazing partners and sponsors, and we have the best.”
New oversize/overweight routing service to help states with permitting
Software provider AASHTOWare -- a division of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) -- recently announced a new strategic alliance with ProMiles Software Development Corporation and the release of AASHTOWare PermitRoute powered by ProMiles. The goal: increase accuracy, compliance, and oversize/overweight-permit turnaround time for customers.
The product is a cloud-based automated technology offering tailored for real-time oversize/overweigh permitting and routing needs of state and local transportation agencies. The alliance between AASHTOWare and ProMiles will offer users integration into all major load rating tools, such as AASHTOWare Bridge Rating, to provide a convenient and efficient load rating process that is in accordance with Federal Highway Administration regulations, the companies said.
“AASHTOWare PermitRoute powered by ProMiles analyzes a variety of factors ranging from route restrictions and load attributes to jurisdiction preferences, equipment type and commodity in order to create real-time routing and permitting guidance for state transportation agencies,” said Ryan Fragapane, product director at AASHTOWare. “That helps ensure greater safety and efficiency for the trucking community nationwide.”
