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Investor interest in trucking technology remains strong, as venture capital firms have recently put a total of $100 million into two companies that seek to upgrade the way data is used to ensure driver compliance, monitor vehicles and make fleet operations more efficient.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has issued revised guidance permitting motor carriers that were using automatic onboard recording device software prior to the effective date of the electronic logging device mandate to add trucks to their fleet without having to update those new trucks to electronic logging device software until mid-December 2019.

Several lawmakers are calling for an extension of the electronic logging device waiver granted to livestock haulers, who were given temporary reprieve from the mandate in late December.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Fleets can promote smooth roadside inspections of electronic logs by ensuring that their drivers understand the devices installed in their trucks and keep proper documentation in the cab, enforcement and technology experts said.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is allowing carriers that have deployed electronic logging devices from J.J. Keller & Associates to temporarily revert to paper driver logs until Feb. 28 as the technology supplier works to resolve technical issues with its ELDs.

More than 4,000 comments were filed in response to a petition that seeks a five-year exemption from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s electronic logging device rule for small carriers, but whether any contained strong enough arguments to overturn Congress’ intent in adopting the rule is an open question.

Federal trucking regulators have granted a 90-day waiver to agricultural commodities and livestock haulers from installing electronic logging devices in their trucks, and issued a separate clarification on potential miles that are exempt from hours-of-service requirements for agriculture haulers.

As the electronic logging device mandate takes effect in the United States, Canada has published its own first draft of rules that would require the devices for truck drivers.

With the electronic logging device mandate quickly approaching, websites for ELD information and reviews have emerged to help carriers sift through the multitude of systems on the market and find the right fit for their operations.