Washington, D.C. – This week Congressman Frank Lucas (R-Okla.) joined two of his colleagues in sending a letter to the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development requesting a one year delay for the implementation of electronic logging devices (ELDs) for livestock haulers. Lucas, along with Congressman Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kan.) and Congressman Jason Smith (R-Mo.), highlighted the unique nature of transporting livestock, writing, “in this industry, it is imperative the animals arrive to their destination as quickly as possible, with limited offloading.”

“This mandate disproportionately impacts livestock haulers and could lead to fewer transportation options, steeper trucking costs, and stress or damage to cattle,” said Congressman Lucas. “In order to ensure ranchers can reliably and affordably access markets, we must provide flexibility to livestock haulers as we explore the implications of this rule and develop long-term solutions.”

Excerpt from the letter:

Livestock haulers across the country have the difficult task of ensuring motorist safety while also tending to the health and welfare of the animals transported. Unfortunately, the pending December 18, 2017 ELD enforcement date and existing hours of service rules do not adequately accommodate this subset of the industry. A one year delay would allow time for industry members and authorities concerns to be addressed, as well as receive sufficient training to ensure uniform compliance and enforcement.

Full Letter Here (PDF)