Trucking news and briefs for Friday, Sept. 13, 2024:
FMCSA denies owner-operator’s request for ELD waiver
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has denied a request from an owner-operator seeking an exemption from the electronic logging device mandate.
Albert Ibraimi requested a one-year exemption from the ELD requirements, stating that he was a new owner-operator and had limited funds to support the purchase of an ELD. He told FMCSA that he would use the funds saved from not purchasing and installing an ELD to monitor the safety of operations and to incorporate safety management controls into its operation.
FMCSA said it received 122 comments on Ibraimi’s request -- 62 in support, 32 in opposition, and 28 taking no position.
“Commenters who supported granting the exemption expressed general opposition to ELDs,” FMCSA said. “They stated that ELDs are too expensive, and they create a stressful environment for drivers who feel pressured to arrive at their destinations before running out of hours.”
Commenters opposed to granting the request “emphasized placing safety first,” the agency noted.
Ultimately, FMCSA sided with those opposed to granting the request, noting that Ibraimi “failed to establish that it would likely achieve a level of safety equivalent to, or greater than, the level achieved without the exemption.”
The agency said ELDs “help drivers more accurately track driving time to ensure compliance with HOS regulations, which are designed to help drivers maintain alertness while operating CMVs. Additionally, ELDs decrease the likelihood that the RODS could be altered after the date the records were generated, without leaving an electronic trail.”
[Related: NTSB wants stronger ELD regs after fatal crash investigation]
ATBS hosting owner-operator benchmarks webinar
Business services provider ATBS, co-producer of Overdrive’s Partners in Business manual, will host a webinar next week covering benchmarks and trends in owner-operator businesses so far in 2024.
Twice a year, ATBS provides an analysis of the financial trends for owner-operators in trucking. The firm’s Independent Contractor Benchmarks and Trends Webinar will offer a recap of 2024 so far and answer questions including:
- The difficult market has certainly washed out some capacity, why haven’t rates improved?
- What are the latest trends with miles, rates, fuel costs, and maintenance?
- Has independent contractor income hit the bottom?
- What are successful owner-ops doing differently in a difficult market?
- What's in store for the rest of 2024?
The webinar will be held Wednesday, Sept. 18 at 6 p.m. Eastern. Those interested in attending can register online here. A recording of the webinar will be sent after the event to everyone who is registered. A version of ATBS's last update was Overdrive's Partners in Business seminar at the Mid-America Trucking show, which you can review below.
Kansas police remind drivers not to use median crossovers
Following a crash involving a tractor-trailer that made an illegal U-turn on an interstate earlier this week, the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) issued a reminder that “median crossovers are strictly for first responders.”
KHP’s “Trooper Ben” X account highlighted a Sept. 11 crash in which a truck attempted an illegal U-turn through the median on I-135 at mile marker 95. The crash caused an injury and disrupted traffic in the area, the post said.
“Remember: Median crossovers are strictly for first responders,” the post added. “Using them illegally can lead to serious accidents and put lives at risk. Always follow the rules of the road to keep yourself and others safe.”
