You Need to Know What The Senate DOT Bill Contained

The DOT bill released by the U.S. Appropriations Committee did not contain any trucking policy reform such as the ELD (Electronic Logging Device) mandate and Denham Amendment. The bill passed but the Senate Appropriations Committee differs from its counterpart passed by the House Committee. So what was included? You need to know what the Senate DOT bill contained.

You Need to Know What The Senate DOT Bill Contained

The bill passed by the U.S. House included the proposed changes to the ELD mandate for livestock haulers. It also prevented the Safety Fitness Determination (SFD) rule without the implementation of the Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) program.

Unlike the House bill, the Senates does not heavily impact the trucking industry. It mainly focuses on general litigation and FMCSA mandated deadlines.

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 lawmakers should “consult with stakeholders, the Department of Agriculture and Congress on legislative solutions for drivers with unique working conditions.”

The current DOT funding expires at the end of September, however, the Senate has not set a date for considering the bill. Once consideration begins in the Senate, legislatures can add trucking reforms during the amendment process. The U.S. House has yet to bring the DOT appropriations bill to the floor as well.

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. 

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