FMCSA Delays Publication of Electronic Logging and Other Rules
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) announced that its final rule on electronic logging devices (ELD) is going to be published on October 30, 2015 - a month later than the agency had initially expected.
The FMCSA had been planning on a publication date of September 30, 2015, but, according to a report from the Department of Transportation (DOT) last month, the rule had to be pushed back due to the need for "additional coordination." The rule is expected to affect more than 3 million truck vers who will have to convert from paper to electronic logs within two years of the final rule going into effect.
That same report offered updated estimates on the progress of several other proposed rules, including the following:
- The "anti-coercion" rule, delayed until October 29, 2015
- A proposed rule for standards for new truck drivers, delayed until November 16, 2015
- A final rule for creating a database of commerical drivers license holders who have failed a drug test, delayed until March 2016
Did you know?
Cyber attacks are a growing concern in all commerical sectors, but the trucking industry faces a particularly costly cyber threat: telematics jamming.
Telematics jamming is a fairly straightforward threat - criminals hijack a truck, then disrupt or "jam" the communications between a truck's GPS system and its satellite, making it more difficult for the authorities to track the stolen truck down. Though jamming is still rare in the United States, it's common in Europe and elsewhere around the world.
Female Commerical Drivers on the Rise
The number of female truck drivers in the United States has increased recently, according to the American Trucking Associations, and that could be a good thing for trucking companies, as women are outperforming men in a number of categories.
Women now account for 5.8 percent of the nation's 3.4 million truckers, up from 4.6 percent in 2010. Industry experts cit a number of factors dthat may have contributed to the increase. A labor shortage made some companies actively recruit women, and industry improvements - better terminals, safer truck stops and schedules that allowed for more time at home - also likely played a part.
TSA: Truckers Service Association
Truckers Service Association is a non-profit organization we work with to deliver specialized benefits and insurance products to owner-operators to optimally protect their businesses and families. Find out more about TSA by visiting their website, www.tsatruck.com. TSA offers a number of value-added benefits to drivers with membership.
TrueNorth Keeps You Safe on the Road
At TrueNorth, our mission is to assist transportation companies and their people with protecting and maximizing assets, resources and opportunities. Learn how TrueNorth's Transportation Division can help you achieve your goals and provide peace of mind while you're on the road. Call us today at (800) 877-9637.