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New federal regulation requires truck drivers to log hours electronically

A new federal rule requires all interstate truck drivers to install an electronic logging device, or EDL, that logs their hours.
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DAVENPORT - Imagine someone keeping track of every second you're driving, for truckers across the country, Big Brother will soon be sharing the ride.

"I had a truck stop where I was going to, I missed my exit turned back around and I ended up going past my drive time because I missed the exit and with paper logs I could have worked that out," said Daniel Zimmerman, truck driver.

A new federal rule requires all interstate truck drivers to install an electronic logging device, or ELD, that logs their hours.

"It makes it a little easier, you don't have to worry about all the paperwork, it does actually make it easier to work with," said Scott Chappell, truck driver.

It electronically enforces a federal law requiring truckers to drive no more than eleven hours a day.

Wenger Truck Line has used the tracking system in its trucks for the last four years.

"The electronic logs makes them do their job legally, if they fail to do it we'll know it here, we get messages on our computers telling us that this driver is illegal," said Mike Jurczyk, Senior Vice President of Wenger Truck Line.

Jurczyk says it keeps his drivers legal and safe, he can track where his drivers are, how many miles they have gone and how many they have left.

"The cost on them is approximately $1,200 per truck plus installation lets say is $200 to $300," said Jurczyk.

For some truckers it is a burden, "it's gonna be sad for people that own their own truck," said Sergio Ferrer, truck driver.

One thing may offset some of the high costs, the government will let some drivers use smartphones and tablets to keep track of their hours, as long as it meets the ELD requirments.

The deadline to install the electronic devices is December 18th.

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