The agriculture industry ebbs and flows around the calendar in Iowa and other states with an emphasis on farming. While many larger farms have dedicated trucks owned by the business for transporting crops to elevators and processors, smaller farms rely on third-party truckers, and even then long lines and sudden surges in harvests slow down the transportation lines.
What changes trucking regulation are impacting the industry and trucking insurance in Iowa?
Most trucking companies face a December 18 deadline for implementing ELDs, or electronic logging devices, that monitor daily drive times. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration currently limits drive time to eleven hours within a fourteen-hour window. But the federal mandate for ELDs does not apply to farmers, and the requirement is delayed for livestock haulers.
Iowa has also recently changed the allowed use of a Restricted CDL to let drivers use the license up to 180 days throughout the calendar year instead of restricting that use to specific seasons. If you have truck drivers in your company operating on a restricted CDL, or you frequently contract work out to third parties with Restricted CDLs, make sure your insurance policy is similarly changed to adapt to the new schedule. Some insurance plans allow for seasonal coverage based on the previous CDL schedules and do not incorporate the flexibility of the new provisions.
Whether you want to know more about how ELDs and the federal mandate can impact your insurance premiums, or you need trucking insurance that can incorporate drivers on a Restricted CDL, go to J.E.B. Insurance Services, LLC to find the right coverage for your business. We also provide commercial truck insurance in the following states: Florida, Georgia, Texas, North Caroline, South Carolina, Tennessee, Illinois, and Nebraska.
