Reps. Gianforte, Peterson introduce bipartisan ELD relief bill

A bill aiming to bring relief to truckers from the mandate requiring electronic logging devices has been referred to the U.S. House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Introduced by Reps. Greg Gianforte, R-Mont., and Collin Peterson, D-Minn., H.R. 5948, the Small Carrier Electronic Logging Device Exemption Act of 2018 would completely exempt businesses that operate 10 or fewer trucks from the requirements of the ELD mandate.

“Electronic logging devices are another layer of unnecessary red tape that continues to tie up truckers and puts livestock and Montana livelihoods at risk,” Gianforte said in a news release announcing the bill. “This measure is a step in the right direction as we reduce the burden this mandate places on Montana’s small trucking operations, farmers, and ranchers.”

In the same news release, Peterson is quoted as saying the legislation would “eliminate costly and time-consuming regulations for small trucking companies and individual owner-operators, which constitute much of the rural trucking industry.”

In addition to Peterson and Gianforte, the bill also has the support of Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa.

Collin Long, OOIDA’s senior legislative affairs director, says the number of champions for small-business truckers in Congress continues to grow.

“We appreciate that there are members in Congress who are paying attention to the concerns of small business truckers,” Long said. “It’s proof-positive that congressional outreach can yield positive results.”

Long said that introducing an ELD relief bill is “an important initial step” but more work remains.

“Now we’ll focus our efforts on getting more bipartisan support,” he said. “That’s where OOIDA members and our DC team need to work together on outreach. Truckers need to continue to call their lawmakers and tell them why ELDs don’t work and why relief is still necessary.”