NTA News
Two more electronic logging devices have been kicked off the list of registered ELDs by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, meaning drivers or motor carriers using them will need to replace them with ones on the list. Electronic logging devices are required to monitor commercial drivers' hours of service and must be registered as complying with the minimum federal specifications for these devices. On December 18, 2024, FMCSA removed the following ELDs from the list of registered ELDs due to the providers' failure to meet the minimum requirements established in 49 CFR part 395, subpart B, appendix A.
Traffic congestion on U.S. highways added $108.8 billion in costs to the trucking industry in 2022 according to the latest Cost of Congestion study published by the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI). This finding, part of ATRI’s ongoing highway performance measurement research, marks a new record-high national congestion cost. ATRI utilized a variety of data sources, including its substantial truck GPS database and Operational Costs benchmarks, to calculate the impacts of trucking delays on major U.S. roadways. The total hours of congestion decreased slightly in 2022 from record 2021 highs due to a softening freight market, but the cost of operating a truck during this period increased at a much greater rate.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has removed four devices from the agency’s list of registered electronic logging devices, or ELDs. Motor carriers or drivers using the following ELDs must take steps to stop using and replace them.
This is just a reminder of the changes to come for 2025. AB 2754 was a newly passed legislation , signed into law on September 27, 2024, that will impact employment contracts and agreements in the port drayage motor carrier’s industry.
Securing a load on an open-deck trailer presents a unique set of challenges, with no walls to contain cargo. Those who secure the payload to the trailer’s structure (most often the driver) have to be knowledgeable about federal regulations, understand some basic laws of physics, and be familiar with the characteristics of the trailer they are hauling. If they don’t, it can result in the accumulation of CSA points, an out-of-service citation, or a catastrophic cargo securement failure.
With winter on the way, now’s a good time to deal with the mess beneath your fifth wheel. Several pounds of gunk laced with rocks, sand, and other debris may have collected beneath the top plate over the summer. Those grease gobs thicken at sub-zero temperatures and can interfere with the movement of the locking mechanism.
You can almost hear the cooling systems of the nation heaving a sigh of relief as the hot summer weather abates in most parts of the country. But don’t kid yourself – winter isn’t any easier on the cooling system. As temperatures dip and the leaves change from green to yellow and red, it’s time to think about winterizing your trucks for the siege ahead.
Why the heck didn’t I …?” That’s a question we hope you never ask yourself. Usually, it means you should have done something that would have had some bearing on your current predicament. Preparing the truck for another long, cold winter is a perfect illustration of the expression, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” With fall upon us, now is the time to get the truck prepped for winter before the snow starts flying. There’s lots to be done, especially on equipment that is past its prime.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration removed three more devices from the agency’s list of registered electronic logging devices, or ELDs. Keep Tracking Rollingtrans ELD - ACCURATE ONE RT ELD Plus - ACCURATE PLUS These devices were placed on the Revoked Devices list due to the companies’ failure to meet the minimum requirements established in 49 CFR part 395, subpart B, appendix A. The removals are effective November 18, 2024. If the ELD providers correct all identified deficiencies for their devices, FMCSA will place the ELDs back on the list of registered devices and inform the industry of the update. Motor carriers that use these revoked ELDs must take the following steps: Discontinue using the revoked ELDs and revert to paper logs or logging software to record required hours of service data. Replace the revoked ELDs with compliant ELDs from the Registered Devices list before January 17, 2025.
The compliance date for the second Clearinghouse final rule (Clearinghouse-II) is fast approaching. Beginning November 18, 2024, SDLAs will be required to remove the commercial driving privileges of drivers in a “prohibited” status in FMCSA’s CDL Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse , which would result in a downgrade of the driver’s commercial driver’s license (CDL) until the driver completes the return-to-duty process. Some States have already begun downgrading CDLs for drivers in a “prohibited” status. The Clearinghouse-II rule supports FMCSA’s goal of ensuring that only qualified drivers are eligible to obtain and retain a CDL. FMCSA has created a Return-to-Duty Quick Reference Guide outlining the return-to-duty process that drivers with a “prohibited” Clearinghouse status must complete so they can get their status back to “not prohibited.” For more information about the return-to-duty process, visit the Clearinghouse Learning Center or frequently asked questions . FMCSA Updates SMS Website FMCSA has updated the Safety Measurement System (SMS) Website with the October 25, 2024 results. Complete SMS results are available to enforcement users and motor carriers that are logged into the SMS Website . Note: the Prioritization Preview Website continues to be updated monthly alongside the SMS Website. Motor carriers can visit the Preview site and log in to see what their prioritization results would be under the proposed new methodology.
Our mission is two fold. First, to provide the independent trucker and small private fleets with the tools needed to survive and succeed as small business owners and Second, to help the motor carrier maintain the necessary relationship required by the IRS and still make available a wide array of services their independent contractors would not otherwise be eligible for.
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