International Roadcheck June 5-7, 2018

April 10, 2018

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) International Roadcheck will take place June 5-7, 2018. Over this (72) hour period, commercial motor vehicle inspections across North America will conduct inspections of commercial motor vehicles and drivers. The focus this year is on the hours of service compliance.

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) International Roadcheck will take place June 5-7, 2018. Over that 72-hour period, commercial motor vehicle inspectors in jurisdictions throughout North America will conduct inspections of commercial motor vehicles and drivers. This year’s focus is on hours-of-service compliance.

“The top reason drivers were placed out of service during 2017 International Roadcheck was for hours-of-service violations,” said CVSA President Capt. Christopher Turner of the Kansas Highway Patrol. “Thirty-two percent of drivers who were placed out of service during last year’s three-day International Roadcheck were removed from our roadways due to violations related to hours-of-service regulations. It’s definitely an area we need to call attention to this year.”

“Although the electronic logging device (ELD) rule that went into effect on Dec. 18, 2017, does not change any of the underlying hours-of-service rules or exceptions, the ELD mandate placed a spotlight on hours-of-service compliance,” said Capt. Turner. “We thought this year would be a perfect opportunity to focus on the importance of the hours-of-service regulations.”

During International Roadcheck, inspectors will primarily conduct the North American Standard Level I Inspection, a 37-step procedure that includes an examination of both driver operating requirements and vehicle mechanical fitness.

The vehicle inspection includes checking brake systems, cargo securement, coupling devices, driveline/driveshaft components, exhaust systems, frames, fuel systems, lighting devices, steering mechanisms, suspensions, tires, van and open-top trailer bodies, wheels, rims and hubs, and windshield wipers. Additional items for buses include emergency exits, electrical cables and systems in the engine and battery compartments, and seating.

Drivers are asked to provide their operating credentials and hours-of-service documentation, and will be checked for seat belt usage. Inspectors will also be attentive to apparent alcohol and/or drug impairment.

If no critical inspection item violations are found during a Level I Inspection, a CVSA decal will be applied to the vehicle, indicating that the vehicle successfully passed a decal-eligible inspection conducted by a CVSA-certified inspector.

If an inspector does identify critical inspection item violations, he or she may render the driver or vehicle out of service if the condition meets the North American Out-of-Service Criteria. This means the driver cannot operate the vehicle until the vehicle and/or driver qualification violation(s) are corrected.

International Roadcheck is the largest targeted enforcement program on commercial motor vehicles in the world, with around 17 trucks and buses inspected, on average, every minute in Canada, the United States and Mexico during a 72-hour period. Since its inception in 1988, more than 1.5 million roadside inspections have been conducted during International Roadcheck campaigns.

International Roadcheck is a CVSA program with participation by the U.S. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators, Transport Canada, and the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation (Mexico).

New ELD waiver effective 3/18/2018!

March 14, 2018

FMCSA Announces New ELD Waiver for Transporters of Agricultural Commodities and Additional Transition Guidance

March 13, 2018

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) today announced additional steps to address the unique needs of the country’s agriculture industries and provided further guidance to assist in the effective implementation of the Congressionally-mandated electronic logging device (ELD) rule without impeding commerce or safety.

The Agency is announcing an additional 90-day temporary waiver from the ELD rule for agriculture related transportation. Additionally, during this time period, FMCSA will publish final guidance on both the agricultural 150 air-mile hours-of-service exemption and personal conveyance. FMCSA will continue its outreach to provide assistance to the agricultural industry and community regarding the ELD rule.

“We continue to see strong compliance rates across the country that improve weekly, but we are mindful of the unique work our agriculture community does and will use the following 90 days to ensure we publish more helpful guidance that all operators will benefit from,” said FMCSA Administrator Ray Martinez.

Since December 2017, roadside compliance with the hours-of-service record-keeping requirements, including the ELD rule, has been steadily increasing, with roadside compliance reaching a high of 96% in the most recent available data. There are over 330 separate self-certified devices listed on the registration list.

Beginning April 1, 2018 full enforcement of the ELD rule begins. Carriers subject to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) that do not have an ELD when required will be placed out-of-service. The driver will remain out-of-service for 10 hours in accordance with the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) criteria. At that point, to facilitate compliance, the driver will be allowed to travel to the next scheduled stop and should not be dispatched again without an ELD. If the driver is dispatched again without an ELD, the motor carrier will be subject to further enforcement action.

The Agency is committed to continuing the ongoing dialogue on these issues.

The waiver and guidance will be published in the Federal Register.

For more information on ELDs please visit: www.fmcsa.dot.gov/eld

New FMCSA Administrator

February 22, 2018

raymond-martinez-240x300 Ray Martinez was approved by the U.S. Senate on February 13, 2018, to lead the federal agency responsible for creating regulations and motor carrier safety. Previously, he ran the motor vehicle departments for New York and New Jersey at different times, aided in the New York State Senate, served in the Reagan administration and worked as an attorney.

Martinez has stated he intends to uphold the agency’s electronic logging device mandate and institute data-driven reforms to the agency’s regulatory process and, specifically, the oft-criticized Compliance, Safety, Accountability program. “We need to be using sound science,” he said then. “The key thing is whether the data we use to compile these assessments are accurate, reliable and fair. If the data is unreliable, we lose credibility with stakeholders and the entities we regulate. And we do a disservice to the public.”

Hopefully Mr. Martinez will bring new ideas to the table and help trucks for hire, private carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, etc exceed business goals!

ELD Mandate Requirements

February 5, 2018

The ELD mandate went into effect on December 18, 2017. Driver are required to have the following information available at all times if requested by a safety officer:

— The ELD Device Instruction Card
— ELD User Manual
— The last 7 days of logs plus that day’s current log (either paper or via the ELD system)
— Record keeping procedures during an ELD malfunction
— Malfunction Reporting Requirements Instruction Card (this is sometimes found on the ELD device instruction card depending on your ELD provider)

— IF you’re under the (90) day waiver through March 18, 2018, you must have documentation in the vehicle stating you are in compliance to operate under the waiver.

— IF you’re in an accident while under the (90) day waiver through March 18, 2018, and are in an accident, it must be reported to the FMCSA within (5) business days.

— Back office support MUST have a signed/dated form from each driver using the ELD that states training has been received to operate the installed ELD.

ELD Mandate Update

February 5, 2018

On December 23, 2017, DOT released details on an Initial 90 day waiver from ELDs for Agricultural and Livestock haulers. What that means is anyone hauling non-processed foods, feed, fiber, livestock or any agricultural commodity has a 90 day window starting on December 18, 2017, to become compliant with the ELD mandate.

If you have been asleep for the past few years and don’t know what the ELD mandate is: It is an electronic logging device (ELD) required in all commercial vehicles with engines younger than 1999 and driven by someone required to prepare hours of service records of duty status to go from paper logs to the ELD.

The waiver is to give more time to further examine an exemption request while developing additional guidance for agricultural haulers. This waiver applies through March 18, 2018.

Please remember, even though you may be exempt, drivers operating under this waiver must carry a copy of the notice and present it to safety officials upon request. Also, any carriers operating under this waiver must notify the FMCSA within five business days of any accident.

Drivers operating under the waiver must carry a copy of the notice and present it to motor carrier safety enforcement officials upon request. In addition, any carriers operating under the waiver must notify the FMCSA within five business days of any accident.

ELD Mandate

February 5, 2018

The FMCSA published the final electronic logging device rule in December 2015 and it went into effect on December 18, 2017.

In 2012, Congress enacted the “Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century” bill. It’s more commonly referred to as MAP-21 and outlined the criteria for highway funding and included a provision requiring the FMCSA to develop a rule mandating the use of electronic logging devices.

The ELD is used to electronically record a driver’s record of duty status (RODS). It replaces paper logs used to record hours of service (HOS). If your fleet was equipped with the AOBRDS prior to December 18, 2017, you have until December 2019 to ensure compliance with the specifications published.

ELDs and AOBRDS reduce paperwork. All devices must meet the standard covered in the FMCSA’s rule 395.15 requiring the devices to automatically record a driver’s duty status and changes in status, as well as the amount of time the vehicle was operated. Drivers must understand how to operate the equipment and be able to immediately produce the last seven days, plus the current day’s logs. If the driver is unable to produce logs or explain working knowledge of the installed device, a citation may be issued.

To capture the hours of service of the driver, the system synchronizes with the truck’s engine. The system will then pass data along to the back office support set up to receive the information within fifteen minute sequences allowing everyone to be up to date on the driver and the vehicle. No system on the market, approved by the FMCSA, will allow drive time to be manipulated.

Make sure your team is compliant with the ELD mandate so you’re not affected financially. Fines can go up as high as $11,000.00 per citation when safety officers step in.

We’ve had hands on experience with several types of the ELD equipment and thus far, we suggest the Transflo ELD. It’s a simple system with a multitude of services included in the monthly subscription without being considered an “add on” feature.