ELD mandate boots HOS as carriers’ top concern

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Updated Oct 5, 2016

PeopleNet_TABLET_InCab_HomeScreen_061913More than 65 percent of respondents to a recent American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) annual survey listed the looming implementation date of the federal mandate on the use of Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) as worrisome – enough to give the pending mandate the dubious distinction as the trucking industry’s top concern.

The agency revealed the results of its latest survey, which includes the list of the top critical issues facing the North American trucking industry, at the 2016 Management Conference and Exhibition of the American Trucking Associations (ATA) meeting in Las Vegas Monday. 

Carriers’ top concern about ELDs were that they could hinder productivity as full deployment of ELDs rolls out.

ATA Chairman Pat Thomas, who is also senior vice president for state government affairs at UPS Inc., says the results of ATRI’s survey reflect what he’s heard from carriers and drivers alike as he’s traveled the country this year on behalf of ATA.

“The ever-increasing regulatory burdens placed on the industry, coupled with the sluggish economy, are creating challenges for trucking as we work hard to keep America moving forward,” he says.

Hours-of-Service (HOS), the top concern for the last three years, slid one spot to No. 2 thanks largely to ongoing uncertainty of a final HOS rule.

The cumulative economic impacts of trucking regulations, a newcomer to the worrisome list, came in third and Thomas says reflects the industry’s collective frustration with increasing and costly regulatory requirements.

The lack of available truck parking moved the issue up again this year to fourth place overall, and the state of the nation’s economy rounded out the top five.

Here’s the full Top 10 list:

  1. ELD mandate
  2. Hours-of-service
  3. Cumulative impact of regulations
  4. Truck parking
  5. Economy
  6. CSA
  7. Driver shortage
  8. Driver retention
  9. Infrastructure funding
  10. Driver distraction
Jason Cannon has written about trucking and transportation for more than a decade and serves as Chief Editor of Commercial Carrier Journal. A Class A CDL holder, Jason is a graduate of the Porsche Sport Driving School, an honorary Duckmaster at The Peabody in Memphis, Tennessee, and a purple belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu. Reach him at [email protected].Â