The US Poultry & Egg Association, National Chicken Council and National Turkey Federation submitted comments to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Proposed Rule Mandating the use of EOBRs. The proposed rule was published in the Federal Register on 1 February 2011.

Many of their member companies have already installed EOBRs in their fleets and enjoy the benefits of the technology, including enhanced record-keeping and other fleet management tools. However, the industry's opposition to the proposed rule centres on the fact that when properly administered, the existing paper log system allows motor carriers to comply with current hours of service regulations. In addition, the mandatory use of electronic systems adds an unnecessary expense to the costs of fleet operations.

The comments were prepared by the Joint Poultry Industry Safety & Health Council, which is made up of members from US Poultry & Egg Association, National Chicken Council and National Turkey Federation. Collectively, the three organizations represent companies that produce 95 per cent of the nation's poultry products and employ hundreds of thousands of workers.

In-depth details regarding the comments can be viewed on US Poultry & Egg Association's web site [click here].