South Dakota legislature puts forth resolution to ask Congress to repeal ELD mandate

South Dakota’s state legislature has introduced a resolution calling on Congress to repeal the ELD mandate.

Senate Concurrent Resolution 14 calls on Congress and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to overturn the rules regarding electronic logging devices, because of the “unintended consequences” caused by the mandate and the “undue financial and administrative burden” placed on drivers and operators. The measure was introduced on Feb. 2.

The resolution is cosponsored by 34 of the state’s 35 state senators, and 28 of the state’s 70 state representatives.

Other concerns raised in the resolution include the mandate’s cost, estimated by Congress at up to $2 billion for the trucking industry, the potential for logging devices to be used to invade a driver’s privacy, and the provision that allows device-makers to self-certify their compliance with the regulation, rather than having independent, third-party verification.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has long opposed the ELD mandate. The resolution continues to draw attention to the ELD mandate and the problems truckers are facing, said Mike Matousek, OOIDA’s director of government affairs.

“I think the resolution is a good thing,” Matousek said. “South Dakota (Congressional) Rep. Kristi Noem is doing her part to delay or repeal the mandate. Now we need the two South Dakota senators to step up to the plate and do the right thing.”