Laws & rules4 min read
FMCSA said no to paper logbooks
A driver group asked to let truckers write their hours on paper again. On September 29 the agency turned that down. The electronic log stays the rule.
On September 29, CDLLife reported that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration denied an exemption asked for by the Federation of Professional Truckers. The group wanted professional drivers to have the option to record their hours by hand, on paper, instead of with an electronic logging device.
What they argued
The group said paper logs are something officers already know how to check, and that the electronic device is a cost small carriers should not have to carry. An electronic logging device, or ELD, is the unit in the cab that records when a driver is driving, on duty, or off. It replaced the paper log for most drivers who have to track their hours.
Who opposed it
CDLLife reported that the request drew opposition from the Truck Safety Coalition, Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways, Parents Against Tired Truckers, the American Trucking Associations, the Institute for Safer Trucking, and Road Safe America.
Why the agency said no
FMCSA said the application did not show that paper logs would be at least as safe as the electronic rule. The agency also said Congress already required electronic logs, in the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, for drivers who must keep a record of duty status. A record of duty status is the legal name for that hours log. The agency said it cannot hand out a blanket exemption to any driver or carrier that simply wants out.
Sources
The Ro-Mac Brief summarizes public reporting for a general reader. Figures can be revised by the agency that published them. This is not legal advice.
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