Washington, DC – U.S. Reps. Brian Babin (R-TX-36) & Steve King (R-IA-04), along with 23 other Members of Congress, today sent a letter to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) asking them to support the pending application for an exemption from the electronic logging device (ELD) mandate for small trucking businesses with exemplary safety records.

“For the last six months, I have worked every day to try and delay the implementation of the electronic logging device (ELD) mandate. Unfortunately, on December 18th of last year the mandate did in fact go into effect, and the only realistic option for relief at this time for most independent truck drivers is through a waiver issued by the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the FMCSA. So while I continue to believe in and fight for a waiver for all American truckers, I am proud to support the exemption request for small business trucking fleets recently filed by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA).  Along with my good friend Steve King from Iowa, we have assembled a bipartisan coalition of our colleagues from all across America in support of this common-sense request.  I sincerely hope that FMCSA will listen to our request and prevent this mandate from causing any more harm to the small business truckers who help make America work.”

The full letter can be read below:

February 1, 2018

The Honorable Cathy F. Gautreaux
Deputy Administrator
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
U.S. Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE
Washington, DC  20590

Re: FMCSA 2017-0356, Hours of Service of Drivers: Application for Exemption; Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association, Inc.

Dear Deputy Administrator Gautreaux:

The best course of action with regards to the electronic logging device (ELD) mandate is still to issue a 90-day relief period for all sectors of the trucking industry as your agency continues to examine and adjudicate the numerous applications for exemptions and waivers. We write to you in support of one of those applications today: the ELD exemption of small trucking businesses with exemplary safety records.

We encourage the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to grant this application submitted by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), which would provide reasonable relief from the costly and burdensome regulation for many of the trucking industry’s safest and most experienced drivers.

OOIDA’s request is responsibly constructed to ensure only motor carriers defined by the Small Business Administration (SBA) as a small-trucking business would qualify for relief from the $2 billion mandate. Additionally, the application stipulates that only motor carriers with a record of no at-fault crashes would be exempted and those with an ‘Unsatisfactory’ safety rating from FMCSA would not be eligible. By sustaining impeccable safety records, the motor carriers that would qualify have already demonstrated the use of an ELD will do nothing to improve their operations. Furthermore, OOIDA’s request would prevent small trucking businesses, who operate on the slimmest of margins, from maintaining costly fleet management devices that provide them no economic or productivity benefits.

FMCSA has already granted several requests for exemption from the ELD mandate. Clearly, the agency is capable and willing to provide relief for industries who have demonstrated that exemptions will not decrease safety. In this regard, OOIDA’s application for exemption is unquestionably consistent with those previously granted and merits the agency’s approval. We believe this request is also wholly consistent with the Trump Administration’s goal of providing relief from costly and burdensome federal regulations to American small businesses. Granting OOIDA’s request would further illustrate the administration’s commitment to delivering regulatory relief that will help sustain economic growth.

Sincerely,

U.S. REPRESENTATIVES: Brian Babin, D.D.S. (TX), Steve King (IA), John R. Moolenar (MI), David Young (IA), Sean Duffy (WI), Kevin Cramer (ND), Jason Smith (MO), Darin LaHood (IL), Adrian Smith (NE), Collin Peterson (MN), Ralph Norman (SC), Clay Higgins (LA), Austin Scott (GA), Scott Perry (PA), Neal P. Dunn, M.D. (FL), Thomas Massie (KY), Kristi L. Noem (SD), Jack Bergman (MI), Dave Brat (VA), Alexander X. Mooney (WV), Ted S. Yoho, D.V.M. (FL), Greg Gianforte (MT), David G. Valadao (CA), Bill Huizenga (MI) and Mike Kelly (PA).