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proliferation of ELDs and other technologies in recent
years, there are mountains of data being produced. It
has made it much easier to make the case not only
that reform is needed, but also regarding what that
reform should look like.
That data comes from the industry. Whatever
eventually comes out of HOS reform, this shows what
happens when enough interested parties demonstrate
their concern. But, Heller pointed out, even if the
process yields HOS reform that checks off every box
on every driver’s wish list, it’s not a cure-all. Trucking
will still have plenty of other issues that will need
addressing.
Martinez concurred. “It’s always a work in progress,”
he said. “Once you’ve established that level of
communication, let’s say we’ve moved past hours of
service and full implementation of ELDs, there are
going to be other issues. And talking with this crowd,
I’m interested in hearing from people who have the
data, who are trying out new technologies, what
works, what doesn’t work, where your data is telling us
we should go. Because you have information that we
would like to be privy to.”
Nevertheless, he’s encouraged that the walls are
coming down, that more people in the industry are
understanding that his job and theirs are ultimately
pushing toward the same results.
“The agency’s goal, as always, is safety,” Martinez
said. “If in doing so, it also can be more efficient, that’s
a huge win for everyone.”
TCA 2019 www.Truckload.org | TRUCKLOAD AUTHORITY 35