Farmers, ranchers and agribusinessmen are invited to attend an educational meeting on the electronic logging device and hours of service mandate held Feb. 26 at 6:30 p.m. at the Okmulgee County Fairgrounds.
Hosted by Okmulgee County Farm Bureau, Oklahoma Farm Bureau, Okmulgee County Fair Board and Okmulgee County Extension, the meeting will cover the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s electronic logging device mandate and hours of service requirements for agriculture.
Representatives from the FMCSA and the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Troop S will lead the meeting and answer questions.
Most farmers and ranchers should be exempt from the ELD mandate because they can claim covered farm vehicle status, but drivers who haul livestock, live fish and insects are likely to fall under the requirements.
Drivers who have to use ELDs would be limited to current hours of service rules, which restrict a driver to only 14 “on duty” hours, with no more than 11 active driving hours. Once a driver hits those maximum hour allotments, he or she must stop and rest for 10 consecutive hours, which would be problematic when transporting livestock and other live animals.
Several organizations, including the American Farm Bureau Federation, have petitioned the FMCSA for an exemption from the ELD rule for a delay in implementation. Many think the HOS rule is unrealistic for hauling live animals, recreational horses or perishable commodities.
For more information on the event, contact Gage Milliman at 918-629-1101, Marla Peek at 405-523-2437 or the Okmulgee County Extension Office at 918-756-1958.
