In the Driver’s Seat

Though a nearby trucker was able to veer into another lane to avoid the crash, Jimmy was cruising next to the median and had nowhere to go. He saw the car coming and knew he had no choice but to brace for impact. Luckily, no one was seriously hurt, but the accident did damage Jimmy’s beloved truck (which has since been repaired and is as good as new).

Rules, Restrictions, and Regulations
Electronic Logging Devices
Unlike many of his brethren, Jimmy still uses a hard-copy logbook, jotting down information at every stop, and has no intention of switching to an electronic onboard recorder unless forced to do so. This may well come to pass sooner rather than later.

Many drivers have embraced the new electronic logging devices, believing they can simplify life behind the wheel. Others find them cumbersome and intrusive, Big Brother in the cab, and feel FMCSA is harassing drivers and threatening their livelihoods if they don’t install the devices. Jimmy falls into the latter group because he’s comfortable with his routine and a longtime member of the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ crowd.

Despite indications to the contrary, he continues to hope small trucking outfits with good safety records will be exempt from the requirement. Though the logging devices won’t be overly difficult to install or use, they will be a substantial expense for independents like Jimmy, as the electronic recorders will reportedly cost about $3,500 each, and drivers will also have to pay monthly user fees.

While he understands the push to modernize, the wisdom of electronic logs escapes him. His written logs are carefully composed and exact; does the form truly matter? But the new electronic recorders do far more than track stops and starts, they monitor speed and some have in-cab cameras as well.

For old-school truckers, the monitoring systems not only represent a major loss of control but are an invasion of privacy. Younger drivers, who have grown up with electronic devices influencing nearly every facet of their daily lives, have voiced few objections to the recorders and have, for the most part, simply embraced the new technology.

Recent comments on trucking association websites and responses to blogs and articles about the devices show the industry fairly divided on the subject, with veteran drivers against the electronic loggers and younger generations not understanding what the fuss is about.

Liability Insurance and Hours of Service
Another proposed mandate truckers are fighting is an adjustment in the minimum liability insurance requirement (currently at $750,000 per crash) to match the rise in consumer and health care costs.