Sens. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) on March 29 reintroduced the Modernizing Agricultural Transportation Act, bipartisan legislation to reform the Hours of Service (HOS) and Electronic Logging Device (ELD) regulations at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).
The bill would establish a working group at DOT comprised of representatives from the transportation and agriculture industries, transportation safety representatives, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to consider the impact of existing HOS and ELD rules on the commercial transport of livestock, insects, and agricultural commodities, and to develop guidelines on reforming these rules.
Within 120 days of receiving the working group’s report, the bill would require the DOT to propose regulatory changes to the HOS and ELD regulations, taking into account the group’s findings and recommendations. In addition, the bill would delay enforcement of the ELD rule until the required reforms are formally proposed by the DOT.
The impact of HOS and ELD rules on the transportation of fertilizer or other crop inputs is not included in the language of the bill, according to Richard Gupton, Senior Vice President for Public Policy and Counsel at the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA).
“We’ve worked to provide needed certainty and flexibility to our agricultural haulers under the HOS and ELD regulations so that they can get their products to market safely and efficiently,” said Sen. Hoeven. “This legislation builds on our efforts, establishing a process to address unnecessary burdens under these regulations and advance reforms based on the input of agriculture producers, while also ensuring roadway safety is maintained.”
This bill follows Sen. Hoeven’s successful efforts through the appropriations process to secure delays of the ELD rule in Fiscal Years 2018-2021. Cosponsors of the bill include Sens. Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), James Risch (R-Idaho), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Mike Braun (R-Ind.), and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.).
“It is important that we maintain safe roads while also recognizing the unique flexibility needed to move Colorado’s agricultural products to markets,” said Sen. Bennet. “I look forward to working with Senator Hoeven and our colleagues to give farmers and ranchers a seat at the table as we push for more sensible rules around the transportation of agricultural goods.”
The bill is supported by numerous farm groups, including the National Pork Producers Council, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Livestock Marketing Association, American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, American Sheep Industry Association, the National Turkey Federation, and the National Aquaculture Association.