2 minute read
Chairman’s Message
SDTA’S EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE ROBERT CHRISTIAN, CHAIRMAN JERRY OLLERICH, VICE CHAIRMAN BOB WILLEY, TREASURER JUSTIN ANDERS, SECRETARY DAVID BULTSMA, PAST CHAIRMAN RICK HOOGENDOORN, ATA CHAIRMAN MYRON L. RAU, PRESIDENT
SDTA’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS GREG BALDWIN TOM BEUZEKOM STEVE BENNING LINDA BICKFORD LLOYD BULTSMA KRISTAL FISER SHANNA GRAY EVAN GRONG PETE HALVERSON ERIC HAMIEL JEFF HANNAHS RANDY HARTLEY STEVE HOFFMAN LARRY KLAAHSEN IRINA KLEINSASSER JERRED KOPPMANN JUSTIN LARSON THOMAS MURPHY MATT PARKER BRIAN STERN RYAN VIESSMAN
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SDTA’S PAST CHAIRPERSONS STAN ANDERS LARRY ANDERSON ROBERT APPELWICK DAVID BULTSMA TED BULTSMA RICH BURNS DARROLD DEAN BERNARD FELDHAUS MIKE HABECK RICK HOOGENDOORN ALTON PALMER JEFF PARKER GENE PHILLIPS MICHELLE SCHIPPER RANDY THOMPSON WAYNE VIESSMAN STEPHEN WILLERS
Well it seems like it has taken forever or maybe I am just a little impatient. Secretary Elaine Chao announced that on May 14th acting FMCSA Administrator Jim Mullen released the four approved revisions pertaining to the HOS requested by the trucking industry. First, the 30 minute required rest break after eight hours of driving can be satisfied by 30 minutes of on duty not driving status. Second, sleeper birth periods can now be split into an 8/2 or 7/3 split. Third, a maximum of two hours driving can be extended for adverse weather conditions. Fourth, for the short haul exemption, the 12-hour day will be extended to 14-hours and the 100 miles air radius will be extended to 150-miles. The frustrating part is that the rule changes won’t be in effect for 120 days after the posting. I guess we have waited this long, a bit longer won’t hurt. This may not be everything we had hoped for, but I feel these were some positive changes. Who knows if we can prove these changes to be safe and effective. Maybe we will have some room for more changes down the road. One thing for certain this industry is forever changing to ensure safety and serve the needs of the American people. FMCSA has also extended the emergency declaration relaxing HOS for operations considered to be essential for COVID-19 relief efforts until July 14th. However they have modified the list of operations to now be considered essential. (1) livestock and livestock feed. (2) medical supplies and equipment related to the testing, diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19. (3) supplies and equipment necessary for community safety, sanitation and prevention of community spread of Covid-19. Other operations were previously considered to be essential. The FMCSA feels there is no longer a need for emergency relief. We may all not agree with some of it when we walk into a grocery store, but I think we can all agree it is getting better all the time. I look forward to seeing the luxury we were accustomed too. July SDTA east river golf event and September’s SDTA Convention are still being planned for, conditions are looking favorable to continue and I think we are all ready for some social activity. Everyone please stay safe and healthy. Every precaution we take today will just make tomorrow that much easier.
