All Delivery Driving Jobs Could Include EOBRs by Fall

Keeping up with the various government regulations that affect the trucking industry is a full-time job. It’s possible that a new one regarding onboard recorders could be handed down for later this year.

Delivery driving jobs are seeing an upswing as the economy continues to recover, but along with that recovery comes new guidelines and rules regulated through the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. One of the officials from that group said recently that the MAP-21 highway funding law, which is full of various new requirements, would include an electronic log mandate, possibly by September of this year. As Congress considers these regulations, the trucking industry, which is currently offering deliver driving jobs, is keeping a close eye on what will be required of the fleet in the coming months.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration official said during a House of Representatives’ committee hearing recently that the electronic log device is an “effective mechanism” used for tracking the status of deliveries and that drivers actual prefer the device. President Barack Obama signed the omnibus highway bill last July. The bill has a 27-month shelf life. The onboard recorders are part of what’s known as Jason’s Law, named after Jason Rivenburg, who was murdered in 2009 in a robbery at an abandoned service station. Mr. Rivenburg was parked and resting when the murder occurred.  The electronic logging device will record the driver’s hours of service and duty status automatically. Jason’s Law also requires the Department of Transportation to update parking supply and demand surveys.

The devices, which are also known as EOBRs, ensure that drivers are in compliance with their agency’s hours of service rules as well as other rules of the road. Drivers can also use the devices to track their mileage and fuel taxes as well as utilize a built-in GPS device. In many ways, it brings a level of automation to deliver driving jobs that can ease the burden of paperwork.

While it’s likely that the devices will become law, some companies have already voluntarily put them in their fleet vehicles due to the conveniences inherent in the technology. The devices help ease fatigue scores in drivers and reduce the number of violations they might rack up in the hours-of-service rule.

While critics worry about the cost associated with installing the devices in every vehicle, companies with experience in the EOBRs can attest to the value and return on investment.