Here is a quick summary of the top trucking industry issues, Trucking Alliance policy positions in parentheses, and where the issues stand, either at the USDOT or in the three major bills before Congress.

Mandate ElectronicLogging Devices (Support)

Congress mandated ELDs in 2012 for implementation by October 13, 2014.

 

Milestone	Originally Scheduled Date	New Projected Date	Actual Date
To OST	05/11/2015	05/14/2015	06/01/2015
To OMB	06/12/2015	07/21/2015	07/28/2015
OMB Clearance	09/16/2015	10/26/2015
Publication Date	09/30/2015	10/30/2015	Missed

 

Create a National Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse (Support)

Congress mandated the creation of the drug and alcohol clearinghouse in 2012 for implementation by October 1, 2014.

Milestone Originally Scheduled Date New Projected Date Actual Date To OST 04/27/2015 10/21/2015 To OMB 06/02/2015 11/24/2015 OMB Clearance 09/02/2015 02/24/2016 Publication Date 09/16/2015 03/02/2016

 

 

 

Recognize Hair Testing (Support)

 

H.R. 3763 (House Transportation Reauthorization; passed; awaits ‘conference’ with Senate)

·      Includes hair testing as an option for carriers in lieu of a urinalysis

·      Does not exempt carriers currently using hair tests from doing a hair and a urinalysis during a rulemaking

·      Exempts anyone from a hair test for religious beliefs

S. 1732 (Senate Transportation Reauthorization; passed; awaits ‘conference’ with House)

·      Includes hair testing as an option for carriers in lieu of a urinalysis

·      Exempts carriers currently using hair tests from conducting hair and urinalysis if approved by the Secretary of Transportation

·      No religious exemption

H.R 2577 (Appropriations Legislation; passed House and awaits Senate vote)

·      No language

 

Mandate Truck Speed Limiters (Support)

This is a joint rulemaking with the National Traffic Safety Administration.

 

Milestone	Originally Scheduled Date	New Projected Date	Actual Date
To OST	11/20/2013		08/08/2014
To OMB	12/25/2013	05/15/2015	05/18/2015
OMB Clearance	03/18/2014	09/17/2015
Publication Date	03/24/2014	09/21/2015
End of Comment Period	05/22/2014	11/20/2015

 

Increase Minimum Insurance Level for Motor Carriers (Support)

H.R.3673 (House Transportation Reauthorization; passed; awaits ‘conference’ with Senate)

·      Transportation Secretary is authorized to increase insurance levels as allowed in MAP-21 but must justify increase to Congress

S. 1732 (Senate Transportation Reauthorization; passed; awaits ‘conference’ with House)

·      Transportation Secretary is authorized to increase insurance levels as allowed in MAP-21 but must justify increase to Congress

H.R 2577 (Appropriations Legislation; passed House and awaits Senate vote)

·      Strips funding from the Transportation Secretary’s budget to increase minimum insurance level of motor carriers until the Secretary submits a report showing what impact an increase will have on motor carriers, but not including victims of crashes

 

Allow Teenagers to Operate CMVs in Interstate Commerce (Oppose)

H.R.3673 (House Transportation Reauthorization; passed; awaits ‘conference’ with Senate)

·      Transportation Secretary to appoint task force to develop standards and program to allow persons between 19 years and 6 months and 21 years to operate commercial trucks in interstate commerce; report due in 2016

·      Secretary is allowed one year to review and amend the program, by late 2017

·      Conduct a one-year pilot program in 2018, with up to 10 motor carriers and 12 states in which younger drivers can operate in interstate commerce

S. 1732 (Senate Transportation Reauthorization; passed; awaits ‘conference’ with House)

·      No language

H.R 2577 (Appropriations Legislation; passed House and awaits Senate vote)

·      No language

 

Waive Shipper and Broker Liability (Oppose)

H.R.3673 (House Transportation Reauthorization; passed; awaits ‘conference’ with Senate)

·      Shippers, brokers, freight forwarders are waived from liability in litigation or claims for hiring a motor carrier accused of being negligent or unsafe as long as the carrier has a DOT number, minimum insurance, and a satisfactory rating

S. 1732 (Senate Transportation Reauthorization; passed; awaits ‘conference’ with House)

·      No language

H.R 2577 (Appropriations Legislation; passed House and awaits Senate vote)

·      No language

 

Reform CSA Safety Ratings System but Keep Public (Support)

H.R.3673 (House Transportation Reauthorization; passed; awaits ‘conference’ with Senate)

·      Directs National Research Council of the National Academies to conduct 18-month study on all aspects of the CSA program

·      CSA will not be available to the public during the study

·      Report due to Congress

·      Secretary to promulgate rulemakings subsequent to recommendations

S. 1732 (Senate Transportation Reauthorization; passed; awaits ‘conference’ with House)

·      Same general language as in H.R.3673

H.R 2577 (Appropriations Legislation; passed House and awaits Senate vote)

·      No Language

 

CSA Credits for Safety Technologies (Support)

H.R.3673 (House Transportation Reauthorization; passed; awaits ‘conference’ with Senate)

·      Authorizes Transportation Secretary to allow credits to motor carriers on SMS scores for advance safety technologies, equipment, enhanced driver fitness programs and fleet safety management tools

S. 1732 (Senate Transportation Reauthorization; passed; awaits ‘conference’ with House)

·      No Language

H.R 2577 (Appropriations Legislation; passed House and awaits Senate vote)

·      No Language

 

Study Extent of Delays in Goods Movement (Support)

H.R.3673 (House Transportation Reauthorization; passed; awaits ‘conference’ with Senate)

·      Directs the Inspector General to conduct a study on the average length of time that motor carriers are delayed waiting to load and unload shipments

·      Study these delays’ impact on the economy, efficiencies, motor carrier safety, and livelihood of the truck driver

S. 1732 (Senate Transportation Reauthorization; passed; awaits ‘conference’ with House)

·      No Language

H.R 2577 (Appropriations Legislation; passed House and awaits Senate vote)

·      No Language

 

Correlation Between Safety and Truck Driver Commuting (No Policy)

H.R.3673 (House Transportation Reauthorization; passed; awaits ‘conference’ with Senate)

·      No Language

S. 1732 (Senate Transportation Reauthorization; passed; awaits ‘conference’ with House)

·      Directs a study on the number, frequency and correlations to safety of truck drivers who commute more than 150 minutes to work where they go on-duty as regulated by the FMCSA.

 

Force States to Accept Double 33’ Trailers (Oppose)

H.R.3673 (House Transportation Reauthorization; passed; awaits ‘conference’ with Senate)

·      No Language

S. 1732 (Senate Transportation Reauthorization; passed; awaits ‘conference’ with House)

·      No Language

H.R 2577 (Appropriations Legislation; passed House and awaits Senate vote)

·      Forces states to allow tractor trailer combinations to include double 33’ trailers

 

Increase Federal Truck Weight Limit to 91,000 Lbs. (Oppose)

H.R.3673 (House Transportation Reauthorization; passed; awaits ‘conference’ with Senate)

·      Amendment to increase truck weight limit to 91,000 Lbs. defeated in the House

S. 1732 (Senate Transportation Reauthorization; passed; awaits ‘conference’ with House)

·      No language

H.R 2577 (Appropriations Legislation; passed House and awaits Senate vote)

·      No Language