Editorial: Mandating Logging Devices

Yes, American Trucking Associations is a staunch supporter of the federal mandate requiring electronic logging devices to monitor hours-of-service compliance for the nation’s truck drivers.

ATA supports these electronic devices because we believe that research shows that they promote compliance with the national work rules for drivers and that they lead to fewer accidents by reducing fatigued driving.

Congress correctly agreed with us and added the provision for onboard recording devices in the federal highway bill that finally made its way into law on July 6.

But it appears that some people just can’t let it go.

As noted in this week’s issue of Transport Topics, Rep. Jeff Landry (R-La.) is leading a one-man band trying to prevent the federal government from complying with the new mandate.

And he’s doing it in the name of helping small businesses that, he professes, would be hard pressed to pay the cost of buying and installing the devices.

Rep. Landry got the House of Representatives to tack on an amendment to the transportation appropriations bill ordering the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration not to do anything toward implementing the mandate.

Rep. Landry would have you believe that the mandate is apparently part of some conspiracy to boost the cost of doing business for small companies.

“The potential impact” of the mandate “on small businesses is catastrophic,” he said recently. And Landry said he doesn’t believe FMCSA’s projections that the use of recorders would actually save fleets millions of dollars in the long run.

He said that if the Senate refuses to accept this amendment on the appropriations bill, he might introduce a stand-alone bill containing the mandate. Fortunately, the Senate appears to have little interest in accepting his proposal.

If Rep. Landry is worried about how fleets are going to pay for the electronic logging devices, and is also concerned about improving highway safety, he should spend his energy getting Congress to provide tax incentives to help offset the costs of the devices.

One FMCSA official recently noted that the costs of electronic onboard recorders has been dropping sharply; in 2011, the agency estimated that EOBRs cost about $1,775, while the official said recently they now cost as little as $500.

We believe it is imperative that the government move ahead with the mandate in the name of highway safety.