New bill seeks more relief for livestock haulers

WASHINGTON — New legislation would give truckers hauling livestock relief from regulations governing hours of service and electronic logging devices in addition to what they already receive.

Introduced last week by U.S. Rep. Jeff Hurd, R, Colo., the bill, Hauling Exemptions for Livestock Protection (HELP) Act, aims to “exempt certain livestock hauling vehicles from regulations related to hours of service and electronic logging devices,” according to a draft copy of the bill.

The legislation states that vehicles and drivers hauling livestock, insects, and aquatic animals shall be exempt from:

Any requirement relating to hours of service established under subchapter III of chapter 311 of title 49, U.S. Code, or chapter 315 of title 49, U.S. Code.
Any requirement relating to electronic logging devices established under section 31137 of title 49, U.S. Code.

ELD and hours-of-service agricultural exemptions are already in place for drivers hauling within a 150 air-mile radius from where the livestock is sourced. In addition, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act signed into law by President Biden in 2021, allows them to also be exempt when driving within a 150 air-mile radius from the livestock’s final destination.

In 2022, FMCSA denied a joint petition for further exemptions filed in October 2018 on behalf of livestock haulers by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) – which is based in Colorado – and five other lobbying groups.

The petition sought exemptions from the current 11-hour driving limit and 14-hour driving window, contending those rules “were not drafted with livestock haulers in mind” and therefore did not take into account the needs of live cargo.

But FMCSA ruled the groups did not provide evidence that they could achieve a level of safety equivalent or greater than what would be achieved without the exemption.

NCBA’s petition received support from owner-operators and trucking companies that haul livestock, but was opposed by National Transportation Safety Board, the Commercial Vehicles Safety Alliance, and the Truckload Carriers Association, among others.

NCBA notes in its policy priorities for 2025 that it will engage with the Trump administration and Congress to “pursue regulatory actions that enhance producer profitability,” including a “push for further hours-of-service flexibility and continue delaying ELD requirements for livestock haulers.”