Tester’s Bipartisan Bill Would Deliver Relief to Livestock Haulers

Senator’s Modernizing Agricultural Transportation Act Would Establish Working Group to Reassess Electronic Logging Device, Hours of Service

(U.S. Senate) – After securing a provision to temporarily stop the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) from enforcing electronic logging device (ELD) and hours of service rules on livestock haulers in last month’s government funding deal, U.S. Senator Jon Tester announced that he is cosponsoring a bill to find a workable long-term solution.

The bipartisan Modernizing Agricultural Transportation Act would require DOT to delay enforcing ELD and hours of service rules on livestock haulers until a new working group can reassess their impact and adapt them for the transportation of live animals.

“Ranchers hauling livestock have different needs than folks hauling other products, and the rules should reflect that,” Tester said. “This bill will give Montana ranchers the flexibility they need to get their product to market on time, while making sure the roads, the drivers, and the animals remain safe.”

Last May, Tester introduced the Transporting Livestock Across America Safely Act, and received praise from industry groups for his work getting the rules temporarily sidelined until a solution can be found.

The bill’s working group would identify obstacles and develop guidelines for the safe, humane and profitable transport of livestock, and would be comprised of representatives from the transportation and agriculture industries, transportation safety representatives, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Tester’s bill is cosponsored by Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Michael Rounds (R-S.D.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), James Risch (R-Idaho), Doug Jones (D-Ala.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.).