FMCSA to Crack Down on ELD Fraud
There is a reason why there are hours-of-service (HOS) requirements for truck driving: driving while sleepy can be worse than driving drunk when taken to its extreme of 20 hours or more. So naturally, the FMCSA, where the second-to-last letter stands for “safety”, has a vested interest in making sure people do not drive beyond their standard working hours. Which is why a recent discovery from Meiborg Inc. is harrowing.
Details
Recently, a driver working for Meiborg Inc. named Francis Buchanan drove his truck into Illinois State Police headquarter’s parking lot and showed state troopers the method by which the provider was giving him the ability to reset his Electronic Logging Device hours. He called up the provider, gave his company and truck numbers, and within ten minutes, his hours on his ELD were modified to say zero.
Zach Meiborg, CEO of Buchanan’s company of employment, is happy that Buchanan did the right thing by proving this potential loophole to the authorities.
“A truck costs $200,000, a trailer is $50,000 to $100,000, a compliant English-speaking driver costs $100,000” a year all-in, said Meiborg. “It costs us $300,000 to send a truck down the road, and if I can only work it eight hours a day, then my cost-per-mile is tremendously higher than these guys overseas that are running guys 16, 18, 20 hours a day.”
When Zach Meiborg says “guys overseas”, he refers to companies from outside the USA who are more willing to exploit this loophole to get their drivers working beyond the usual hours.
Conclusion
The FMCSA made a statement on this finding, saying that it is working around the clock to find ELD providers who skirt the rules and to disbar them from the list of approved devices.
“FMCSA aggressively investigates and cracks down on fraud across every corner of the commercial motor vehicle industry including electronic logging device manipulation,” a spokesperson for the agency said. “Deliberately manipulating hours-of-service records is a crime that endangers American lives.”
Just look at the number of ELDs that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration revoked in the last year, or since the Trump Administration began.
The FMCSA has been silent on whether or not punishment would extend not only to the providers, but the drivers who use their “hour resetting services.” All we can say is that it takes two to tango, and our advice is if you feel the need to reset your timer, don’t. Just imagine the potential fines!
Other Trucking Articles You May Like
- Department of Transportation Provides Disaster Repair Funds to 34 States
- ATA Names Mark Colson as New President and CEO
- National Retail Federation Predicts First-Ever Trillion Dollar Holiday Season
- FMCSA Approves Exemption for Driverless Trucks
- FMCSA Has Closed Over 10,000 Truck Driver Schools
- Trump Nixes Diesel Export Ban
- Trump Speaks at Peterbilt Plant
- The Financial Cost of Switching to Electric Trucks
- FMCSA Issues HOS Declaration for Gasoline and Diesel Haulers
- TxDOT Project to Add 175 Parking Spaces
- CVSA Conducts Surprise Hazmat Inspection Blitz
- NHTSA Rolls Back Obama-Era Fuel Efficiency Standards
ABOUT TOPMARK FUNDING
TopMark Funding is a top-rated semi-truck financing and trailer financing company located in Roseville, CA. We specialize in commercial trucking and heavy equipment. Our mission is to become your long-term financial partner by helping you grow your trucking business and fleet.
We’re not here for the short term; we’re on the long haul with you!
We have financing options for trailers, semi-trucks, commercial trucks, and small businesses. We have great rates, low down payments, and flexible monthly payments regardless of credit history.
Learn more about Trailer Financing.
Fill out the contact form or give us a call at (866) 627-6644. One of our truck financing specialists will contact you as soon as possible to go over your truck lease needs and learn more about you and your business financing goals.
