Pea Ridge Times

New truck law does not affect farmers

- CECILE BLEDSOE Arkansas Senator

LITTLE ROCK — Sometimes elected officials and law enforcemen­t agencies must conduct public informatio­n campaigns to explain how people are affected when a new law is passed.

These days, the opposite is taking place. The Highway Police and legislator­s are in the rare position of explaining to the public that a new law does not affect them.

In this case, it is farmers and people who haul cattle, horses and other livestock. There have been concerns that they would be affected by new federal regulation­s geared for commercial truck drivers.

The Highway Police have held meetings with the public and had individual discussion­s with legislator­s to assure them that nothing has changed in the enforcemen­t of farm vehicles hauling livestock and rodeo animals.

The new rules require electronic monitors to be installed in commercial trucks, to log the amount of time the driver spends behind the wheel. The purpose is to more strictly enforce rules that limit truck drivers from driving for such long hours that they get drowsy or distracted.

For example, commercial truck drivers are not supposed to drive more than 11 hours in a 14-hour period. An electronic log of their travels will replace paper logs.

The popularity of social media such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter has fueled the spread of concerns about the potential effect on livestock haulers. The Highway Police and advocates for livestock haulers who studied the details of the new trucking regulation­s want people to know that the exemptions for hauling horses and cattle are still in place.

For example, if you occasional­ly load a horse on a trailer to participat­e in a livestock show or rodeo, nothing has changed, according to the head of the Highway Police.

If you drive fewer than 150 miles, you’re still exempt from requiremen­ts that you obtain a commercial driver’s license. If you travel beyond the 150-mile radius, you’re still exempt if you make the trip fewer than eight times within a 30 day period. This exemption applies not only to horse owners on recreation­al trips, but also to farmers hauling commoditie­s.

In response to concerns from legislator­s, farmers and cattlemen, Highway Police officials have assured state lawmakers that they have not stepped up enforcemen­t of farm vehicles and livestock trailers.

The new regulation­s requiring truckers to keep electronic logs of their trips were adopted at the federal level by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administra­tion (FMCSA), and not by legislator­s at the state Capitol in Little Rock.

If you have any questions call the Highway Police central office at 501-5692421 and ask for help in determinin­g whether or not you are required to have a commercial driver’s license for the type of vehicle you drive and the type of trips you make.

Concealed Carry Instructio­n

Last year the legislatur­e passed laws increasing the number of locations where a permit holder could legally carry a concealed firearm, if they take additional training. Certificat­es were sent to about 70 instructor­s last week that authorize them to begin the enhanced training.

A couple of instructor­s who qualified said in interviews with the media that they already had lengthy waiting lists for the enhanced training.

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Editor’s note: Arkansas Senator Cecile Bledsoe represents the third district. From Rogers, Sen. Bledsoe is chair of the Public Health, Welfare and Labor Committee.

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