#ELDorME: Truckers Drive Up Protests And Raise Public Awareness As ELD Mandate Looms
by Jana Ritter - Published: 12/06/2017With just weeks before the ELD mandate is set to go into effect, truck drivers and industry players opposing the regulation are driving up the protests and demands for it to be delayed.
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On Monday, truck drivers from across the U.S. took to the streets and the nation's truck stops in an effort to bring public awareness to the mandate and to explain their reasons for opposing it. The protests took place at more than 40 locations across the country and James Lamb of the Small Business in Transportation Coalition (SBTC) said they were intended to be a “media blitz” that would help gain public support to convince the DOT or Congress to act in their favor. “While ELDs have been the biggest issue in trucking during the past year, the general public has virtually no knowledge of it,” Lamb said.
As of Dec. 18, the mandate will require truck drivers to replace paper logbooks with some form of ELD. (Currently there are more than 200 ELDs self-certified and registered with the US Department of Transportation). Several industry organizations such as SBTC and OOIDA (Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association) have been drumming up the fight in Washington and calling for a delay or exemptions from the mandate. One chief argument that relates to all truck drivers - is that forcing drivers to use ELDs rather than the paper logs violates their privacy and their right to commercial free speech. Another is that while the FMCSA’s Final Rule makes it mandatory that trucks be equipped with ELDs, there’s nothing in the wording that actually demands they must be used over paper logs.
Drivers gathered at a protest in Baytown, TX (just outside of Houston) also voiced their own reasons to local news channel KHOU. “That truck is my home, my business, my moneymaker. I have a right not to have a GPS tracking device on my home,” said driver Kim Schwindt. Driver David McKinney questioned the real reason behind the ELD mandate. “If you’re a safe operator, why must you be monitored by the federal government, like you’re a criminal?”
Rep. Brian Babin, R-Texas also joined truck drivers at the Baytown protest. He had introduced the ELD Extension Act of 2017 in July, but the legislation hasn’t moved. Efforts by Babin and 67 co-sponsors to advance the legislation in Congress before the Dec. 18 deadline have also failed. In September, the House rejected an amendment to a spending bill that would have delayed the mandate and last January, the US Supreme Court rejected an appeal of the appellate court decision, blocking further legal challenges to the ELD mandate.
Many drivers are still counting on President Donald Trump as their last hope and they've been trying to get their message out to him on Twitter using the hashtag #ELDorME. However, the Trump administration still has shown no indication of stopping or delaying the mandate.
Get rid of the ELD only the driver loses if they want to go after anyone go after the shipper and receivers who load driver and unloads them. Drivers have always had to put up with their scrap of loading times more often in a week if you have so many picks and drops costing drivers time and safety because of timelines for delivery. ELD nothing more than a cash grab for the lobbyists insurances and tickets for violations. Mass exodus of drivers heading for the door, if they think they have not enough drivers now just wait when the ELDS come about. Mayhem will ensue.
I don't think there will be that big of an exodus. People, including drivers, need to eat. They will try to do their job no matter what. I do agree that shippers and recievers taking hours to load and unload us does hurt though.
I think the only thing that will bring reality to shippers and receivers ,after this elf mandate is if we as drivers refused to drive out of the dock if we are out of hours
If They make you leave & you out of hours. Report it to DOT that is an immediate fine for THEM of 15,000. Per happening each time they & each driver
Maybe then the government will open their eyes and not there mouths
Scott Spencer Drivers are need it on local routes ,too they will transfer . question is how many new drivers will drive over the road or big companies they have to pay more per mile to make up the time with electronic log book and shipping.receiving times loss.
I have been saying that for years. To deaf ears. And I've also said there must be a requirement for shippers/receivers to be assholes. There is absolutely no reason for the way some of those knob polishers treat drivers. They think they have a little bit of power and have wet dreams of what they will next do to the trucker who comes into their "castle". They cause more headaches than they are worth.
Scott Spencer Oh yes drivers will leave. The pay cut alone is about 30 percent with elogs. Why would you put up with that when drivers end up increase work with slashed hours and time for every load lost per month and resets combined. You might as well apply to be a Wal-Mart greeter because they will be paid more than truckers with home time every night that the trucker also lacks. Anything time sensitive such as cattle, and reefer are the biggest hits.
Movius Marin Loblaws is already trying to nab their suppliers with higher fees and when that happens the elogs not only hurts the driver but consumers. The companies cannot continue to pay mileage but consider hourly wages and compensation on picks and drops or the way truckers are going for mileage will be just peanuts if they end up caught with violations . the trucker will be working for nothing.
I run safely just fine on paper logs. I don't need a babysitter, and I resent the hell out of being told how to do my job by a bunch of college pukes sitting in cubicles, whose asses have never polished the driver's seat of a rig.
Wahhhh
amen brother
On the other hand, ELDs protect the driver from overzealous companies and dispatchers that try to make the driver run unsafely. And this is not only common, but the rule in trucking. I have driven on and off for over 40 years and I like the protection the ELDs give the driver.
That's a crock of shit. ELDs have NOTHING to do with keeping overzealous companies from pushing drivers. There ARE, however, a small handful of DOT and FMCSA regulations that forbid companies from taking retributive action against a driver who refuses to operate fatigued and unsafely. Those regulations have NOTHING to do with ELDs, and they exist with ir without ELDs.
Although, I WILL give you the point that companies will push. They did it to my dad, and fired him for refusing to pop "Bennies" to stay up and keep pushing...back before the anti retribution regulations, and they tried it with me, but I took over my dad's watch after those regulations, so I told my dispatcher to get bent. -- Couldn't find a way to edit my previous post, so I'm saying here that you're half right, but ELDs aren't what stops companies from taking retribution, drivers knowing the regulations does. As always, knowledge is power.
Wrong fool.
That is not all companies who care about their safety records and you cannot punish the good companies because of some bad apples. You fine the bad companies and rip business licenses on safety records. Now they are only punishing drivers on the ELD. Paycut and wages only now go down because of loads you lose per month and home time just got worse because you have to work more to make up the loss.
Mark Weller You can't be fired for refusing to break the law! FMCSA Rules 392.3 "Ill and Fatigued", 396.7 "Unsafe Condition", and 390.6 "Coercion Prohibited" give us all the tools we need to stop a company dead in its tracks for trying to push drivers...and NONE of those rules requires ELDs equipped to be valid. So, with all due respect, you're the fool, and I am right. Get out of Werner's corner and support your brethren in the industry.
I stand by my many years of experience. Cry all you want.
I worked for Oakley running elks & they still forced me after not sleeping for 48 hrs & threatening me to run. There is always a threat to a driver to keep dispatch & customers happy & the hell with the driver, he will be replaced if they r not happy
Half right or crock of shit ?
You are fool of Sh*t Eld does not protect u and has nothing to do with companies pushing u
Stop drinking the koolaid! If you’ve been ELD’s your entire career, you’ve not been around long! I wish not to criticize, but, there is so much history, you know nothing about!
Fools, assume way too much, who said ELDs have been around my whole career? you are an ass pure and simple :) Can you read, reread the comment I made idiot.
Been on ELD my entire time in the industry, no late loads, no HOS violations. Why? Because I communicate with my companies, brokers and customers. If I'm behind due to a major traffic snarl in Austin, I make it known. The ELD mandate is to force brokers and companies alike to stop bidding nick-of-time on loads that end up pushing drivers to -and in some cases beyond- their safe limits. How many times have we all been called and asked to save a load that was at the wire? I've had it happen a couple of times and each time, Ive reminded my dispatchers that I am out of hours or that it would be too tight for me to make it and still fimd a place to shut down for the night. ELD may not be what everyone likes or wants -I lnow it's a pain in the ass for even me sometimes, but it is the law of the land. If you don't want it, hang up your keys and let the younger generation take care of things from now on.
Yeah and i bet u haven't taken 1000$ a week home after taxes. probly not even 800$ especially working at swift lol
Actually, I have no trouble with bringing home more than enough for my family and myself to live comfortably. The only time I struggled to do so was when my companies could not or would not plan me adequate miles. With Swift, I had numerous times that I would sit for days not because I refused loads, but because the planners refused to send me one citing freight shortages in a given area, though I knew that to be false. However, I have had some loads that were very tight schedules and still made them on time or, failing the promised time the company gave, the time that I gave. Again, never an HOS violation and never a service failure late. So, Allen Wojtasik, do you have anything meaningful to contribute to the conversation? Or are you going to try to mock me again so I can pick that apart as well?
You mean the migrants they chose for slave labour to drive the trucks nowadays. Guess people should keep off the roads because the younger generation are dangerous on the road compared to the old school drivers. ELD just pushed them all out the door ready to retire or not. The young ones will not be interested in the wage trucking pays now compared to paper logs, at least a trucker could make a decent living with paper logs. There will always be bad and good apples and ELD is no better they get into just as many accidents.
Allen Wojtasik Holy carp swift one of the worst. I take home 5000 a month but I am Canadian driver who does both USA also. We run paper in Canada it us not mandatory yet in Canada Elog but will be but we run elog stateside because we have too under USA laws. The only way around elogs what we hear if you have a semi under year 2000 does not require elog because it is grandfathered. As long as it never has to go to California it swerved the elog rule.
"Many drivers are still counting on President Donald Trump as their last hope and they've been trying to get their message out to him on Twitter using the hashtag #ELDorME. However, the Trump administration still has shown no indication of stopping or delaying the mandate." DUH!!!!! Why in the world would you think this buffoon cares about drivers? Let's do the math here. He's a millionaire. Owners of big companies are millionaires. The people who are at the top of ELD companies are millionaires....do all of you see the connection here? Why would Donald Trump care about the non rich people? This just another article with the same complaints for comments right after. It's a moot point now. We are 12 days away so you may as well get used to it. If you know how to work, then this won't affect you. If you don't know how to work, then you'll forever complain......a wise person once said, "Those who don't evolve, they perish." You all are extremely gullible for voting Trump and putting your hopes in him. In order for him to do something, he actually has to know something. Let that marinate.
You have no idea what your talking about !
Why don't you school me then? If that's all you had to say, then why did you waste both of our times with a reply?
Mike Crook Beg to differ. The statement by Oliver Von Bell is accurate. trump shows absolutely no indications of caring about others, and only a fool thinks otherwise. All the evidence is right in front of your face. All one needs do is open their eyes.
Mel Gesme you are one dam fool....your eyes are like the windows you look out they are dirty......when you look out that dirty window all you see is manure and stink of your soul.
Try blaming Obama he is the one at fault. Trump already pushed back the reset period what was 36 is now 34. Only President to invite truckers to the White house to ask their opinion and gave them a tax break. Who says Trump isn't planning to nab lobbyists because he already has put a ban on lobbyists for 5 years.
The ones that don't want it are the ones I worry about when I'm on the road.Been driving 20 yrs all over the country and have seen some devastating accidents from driver fatigue.ELD's keep the driver and company honest cause the DOT does audits every 6 months and if one thing is off just a little,the driver and company will be fined and possible shut down.
First of all you are not 20 years OTR trucker the way you talk. Maybe you will wake up when they introduce autonomous trucks that already in motion.
Keep trucking data proves you wrong. Do you understand that ELD makes it worse because of timelines delivery. They drive at all hours of the night. Rest 10 and the go, rest 10 the go.. Get the gist. Drivers once stayed after an 11 hour now have to race against time instead.
ELDs are a good thing for drivers that want to run safely.
I don't want to have to drive eleven hours "or else" late, delayed, the shipper is closed. Whatever. I once got clearance through US-50 in the winter 10hrs ahead of a record snowstorm while I was over on my hours. I had driven from western Nebraska into California. The HP escorted me through the toughest spots and told me to carry on. What the fuck would ELD do for me after that? Get me fired? Yay!
It's all a ploy for the IRS, that's it. Safety my ass! You want safe? Let me drive my truck, and decide what is safe.
Laughs.
Y'all help vote for Trump lol that why I'm local now I don't got time for the bullshit
You should get back in your closet "LIBTARD".
Trump? This is Obama’s doing! Big Trucking lined the pockets of the Dems, that’s were ELD’s come from!
After the 18th I flat out refuse to get in drivers seat if I'm out of hours, let them call the cops, there better bring dot with them
DOT is not even prepared they have no way or time to adjust to the massive ELD by many companies.
Barbara,You must drive for CR England...Lol. no one is going to tell you to get in the truck if your out of hours.. Drama
Well after the ELD'S,They will then push for those self driving trucks. Then all of us will be out of a job,an they will make more money.
Telsa has one for city driver. It will long time before they can replace the king of the road.
Self driving trucks taking over the trucking industry will never happen in our lifetimes.
STRIKE and tell those people to drive the trucks themselves(non-drivers). As fore Mark Weller stay out of it you don't drive OTR, dirt-bag
LOL fuck you puke. I think you might have meant for not fore :)
It will definitely raise our pay and make truck drivers a higher demand, due to the fact that loads will take more adequate time for delivery, and from what I'm reading and hearing is a good amount if veteran drivers going to hang up there boots. So if we play our cards right this could work in our favor, #STANDYOURGROUND...,!!!YOURS TRULY RANDY BISARD. FUEL HAULER ..!!!
Lol they aren't going to raise pay unless 50% or more of the drivers go on strike and that won't happen because most have bills lol.
SWIFT DRIVING ACADEMY!!!???? WTF???
Anyone against ELD”s is a scamming scumbag and I would bet my life they are running loose leaf pages or paper logs to keep running illegally, my company purchased a ELD app last month it’s easy to use and protects the Driver and the company to make sure we run legal (we are a local company) if a OTR Driver can’t make enough money under their 70 hour rule find another job and that goes for the unscrupulous Owner operators out there you are the ones who cause the most issues with your oops that trip never happened on your loose leaf logs
The way you talk you are not a truck driver but a scam bag manager or shipper maybe a trooper.
Gregg sounds like an absolute idiot.ELDs dictate how much a driver can earn by getting tied up in traffic,at a shipper/receiver etc. The biggest concern with all this should be the 14 hour rule.Then these companies neuter the trucks so they can't even do the speed limit on the interstate system. When you are on ELD and you get tired you are forced to keep driving because the 11-14 hour clock is running.
These ELDs are going to create a lot of problems financially for drivers and for companies. Also, I'm not a dam animal, so why would I want someone tracking me.
Consumers will hurt also there is no doubt about it, the only people who do not hurt are the ones imposing the elog they will make billions. The insurance companies will find out soon enough it wasn't such a good idea when their insurances goes up the roof in accidents and they are paying out and losing money when truck companies go under and not many rigs being insured.
My biggest issues with ELD are potential invasion of privacy, if it turns out to be a deal where I have to use my smartphone to do it, the general resentment of being forced into a nanny state situation, and the whole one size fits all box they're trying to cram us all into. We're not machines. We can't just shut down and start up driving when some computer says so. I ran on ELD before. The way the loads and scheduling was set up, I was constantly chasing the schedule, running against the governor, editing the fuck out of my On and Off Duty and Sleeper Berth lines, driving when I was tired, and expected to sleep when I was bright eyed and bushy tailed. Assholes like Walmart will take every fucking minute of whatever time your company allows them before they start charging detention, and if you run out of hours while they milk the clock and fuck you over on HOS, oh well, sucks to be you. They have no qualms with calling the Stateys to escort you off their property and ban you from that facility while they're at it. A lot of the big carriers still practice at forced dispatch and pressure drivers on loads. The flip side, some companies might give you all the time you need to get to places, but you're speed governed into oblivion, and the miles will be effectively metered. Pretty much limits your income capability. And of course, none of them wants to pay you decent for all of the bullshit you put up with, and the personal sacrifices you make to do this job. Seems like if they were really interested in safety, they would do some proper sleep studies, which would prove the current HOS Regulations aren't ideal. I don't know a single driver that actually sits in a sleeper for 10 hrs every night. We may take 10 or 12 or even longer occasionally, to shit, shower, shave, and do laundry, but personally, 5 or 6 hrs of sleep is all I need. They should just scrap the HOS Regulations and let us roll, deciding for ourselves when we need sleep or a break. If you get in an accident, unless you can prove that it wasn't your fault, you're done.
I found that ELDs make drivers less safe, because it can force you to drive during times you are fatigued and at the lower end of your circadian rhythm. On long 600 plus mile trips starting at 6pm you can't pull over and take a long nap, even if you could find a place to park. Safer roads would have 5 times more places for parking, and a special dispensation for taking a nap between the hours of 3am and 7am.
Yup because you are listening to a box tell you when to stop and when to go.
You'll be waiting a long time if you are waiting on trump to side with you......lol....He could give a shit about anyone but his self.....you should know this by now.
How many of them devastating accidents are drivers already on eld's? We are not robots and a eld can't tell me when I'm tired.just another way the government can control us
Many but they won't tell you that data that would not fit their agenda.
I left driving 5 years ago because I was getting shorter runs so i wouldnt run out of hours and thus lost a ton of money with the elds . I went from $1400 a week take home to $400 to 600 a week. I can stay home and make that in 40 hours. Until they get rid of those computer logs I won't drive.
As a 36 year veteran driver I agree with Scott Spencer. This is another money grab by special intrest groups and an over zelous DOT
What a bunch of cry babies , if you don’t want to run ELD’s find another job, to damn many trucks on the road anyway
Hopefully people will not cry and whine when nothing is delivered and in 3 days without truckers you can see Armageddon up front. More population equals more supply and demands on resources of everything. Just remember stores only stock 3 days worth on their shelves now that ELD will take more time for it to get there now they have to stock 4 days worth and how many truckers will they need for that. Companies cannot even keep up now and elog is not even mandatory yet. Let the crying and whining begin
I’m 59 yrs old, a 3rd generation trucker. Not as smart as I think, certainly not the dumb sheep, that some politicians, and big trucking think! This is not D.O.T. thing, at least not those that are out in the field. This is purely political. Big trucking sends highly paid lobbyist to DC, pushing their agenda! One would guess lining pockets of politicians. I remember big trucking, before they were big, and the things they did to get big. Greed driven dishonesty to be the biggest! Cutting rates to get the freight, with no regard for the small, very proud and respected truckers. They want us gone, unless, of course, we join them! They call this leveling the playing field, pushing ELD’s! They do not play fair! It’s a dog eat dog game they play! Safety is not a part of this at all. It forces driving, when it’s unsafe to do so. Driving into storms, dangerous road conditions, rush hours, etc. No, safety is out! It’s big business, big money, and politics, my friends! American Greed!
When I started driving I would run two log books. Now a days no log book. The devices communicate with the weigh stations so they know everthing immediately without you even getting out of your truck, esp. if you are in violation This save time and money. The only constant is change.
Geez... All it does is keep u honest... We haven't had a lot of accidents with drivers fudging there paper logs .. But when it happens its that 1 driver that screws it for us.. E logs ??paper logs?? Ahh don't care.. Those things break a lot too..
My company has an astounding excellent safety record in the USA and guess what all paper logs before elogs. People remember it is what type of driver you are and what company you keep and elogs have nothing to do with either.
They got everyone driving a truck now days, whats next? No driver, Cheetah pay him with bananas. Driving schools churning them out. Probably can get a CDL online next.
Oliver Von Bell, don't mean to waste your time but what did they pay all the other presidents. Don't think the job is without compensation.
the major trucking companies can teach them how to cheat,,,,if thats any help
The comments here simply show the low IQ of the majority of drivers.