What Happened When The Senate’s DOT Bill Advanced
What Happened When The Senate’s DOT Bill Advanced
Unlike this bill’s counterpart that passed through the House, this version did not include trucking policy reforms such as the Denham Amendment and ELD waiver for livestock haulers. The Denham Amendment would have provided standardized meal and rest breaks for truckers.
The Senate Appropriations Committee did direct the DOT to evaluate the needs of livestock drivers in relations to the ELD mandate further. The plan passed by the U.S. House extended the ELD exemption for both livestock and insect haulers to September 2019. The Senate committee stated that the lawmakers should “consult with stakeholders, the Department of Agriculture and Congress on legislative solutions for drivers with unique working conditions.”
If the two governing bodies pass a different version of the bill, the lawmakers will enter a conference committee to produce a finalized bill. This will then be passed again by the respective governing bodies. Any trucking reform that is attached would be subject to intense review during the committee process.
