Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts, agricultural leaders and the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) were on hand earlier this month to unveil new guidelines for livestock hauling in the state. A statement from the governor’s office said the guides are designed to “keep Nebraska roads safe and keep livestock moving.”
The collaborative effort to craft the protocols includes several key points that will assist livestock haulers in complying with the rules of the road. It also provides for a system to rapidly assess situations in which a livestock hauler is put out of service for various reasons, the governor’s office said. It also explained that NSP understands that an enforcement action that places a truck out of service can have a direct impact on livestock haulers, including the health and safety of the livestock being transported.
Ricketts thanked those involved in developing the guidelines and said, “This is a great example of the public-private partnerships we see all over our state. This effort provides much-needed input from different perspectives related to both public safety and agriculture, Nebraska’s No. 1 industry.”
Ansley Mick, Nebraska Farm Bureau director of state government relations, told WLJ the discussion came about in part due to a cattle truck being taken out of service for a significant amount of time. She noted, “It was at that time that we realized the livestock industry—the ag industry—needed to sit down with the state patrol carrier enforcement division and work out expectations and protocols for both sides. That’s what we did, and it was really successful.”
Developing the guidelines, as noted, was a collaborative effort, and Mick said the timing came at a good point as the Nebraska Extension Service had just completed a training video discussing how to handle livestock in emergency situations. “It helped answer some of the questions of when animals are involved, who should be the first and second calls,” she said.
The guidelines include checklists for troopers and truckers that outline standard operating procedures to move animals to a safe location in the event of an out-of-service designation or an accident. Information is also provided regarding temporary housing sites in the state. Gerry Krolikowski, NSP, captain, carrier enforcement, told WLJ most of those sites are livestock sale barns.
Where to safely unload or temporarily house animals is one point still being finalized, according to Mick. She said additional steps may include volunteers or producers along trucking routes who may have available space. She noted, “It is very unlikely that it will be necessary to contact or find space, but if folks have it, we are obviously continuing to look for locations, besides just the sale barns to offload the animals.”
With the mandatory use of electronic logging devices (ELDs) for livestock haulers currently on hold, WLJ asked Krolikowski if the guidelines were developed with full implementation of that rule in mind. He said, “While a violation of the Hours-of-Service Rules is often one of the most common driver out-of-service violations we find roadside, the decision and determination to accomplish this had nothing to do with the implementation of the Electronic Logging Device Rule(s).”
Mick also noted that the guidelines were not developed because of the pending ELD rules, but the program definitely helps to raise awareness.
When the program was rolled out, Krolikowski said, “One goal in this partnership would be to help haulers stay up-to-date with the latest safety concerns before they take to the road. This conversation has been important for all stakeholders to consider the priorities and challenges we all face in our day-to-day operation.”
At the program’s unveiling at the state capitol, Galen Frenzen, president of the Nebraska Cattlemen (NC), commented, “Nebraska Cattlemen is very appreciative of this collaboration. These proactive steps will help haulers comply with the law while also mitigating animal welfare concerns that arise when livestock trailers are put out of service.”
The following list provided by Krolikowski shows Nebraska’s six most common driver and vehicle violations that would cause an out-of-service designation.
Driver
• Operating a commercial motor vehicle (CMV) without a commercial driver’s license.
• No record of duty status when required.
• Hours of service, driving beyond 14-hour duty period (property carrying vehicle).
• Record of duty status, failing to retain previous seven days.
• Does not have valid license for CMV being operated (improper class, missing endorsement, disqualifying restriction).
• Hours of Service, driving beyond 11-hour driving limit in a 14-hour period (property carrying vehicle).
Vehicle
• Brakes defective, service brakes out of adjustment or not operational.
• Defective parking brake system.
• No or improper load securement.
• Leaking/spilling/blowing/falling cargo.
• Low or flat tire.
• Fuel system leak.
Asked if this program was unique or modeled after a similar effort in other states, Krolikowski told WLJ documents from a similar program in Kansas were reviewed. He said, “The in-state group vetted the details of the Nebraska program thoroughly, so while some similarities may exist with the Kansas or some other program, I am not aware of anyone holding/viewing the Kansas program or any other as a template.”
Mick also acknowledged similar guidance developed by the Kansas Livestock Association and said Nebraska took some cues from that group. She said she isn’t sure if Nebraska’s in-depth program is the first of its kind, but said in putting together the information, “We haven’t seen anything that is quite this collaborative, that has buy-in from all sides.”
The partnership included the NSP, Nebraska Department of Agriculture, University of Nebraska, Nebraska Farm Bureau, We Support Agriculture, NC, Nebraska Pork Producers, Nebraska Poultry Industries, and Midwest Dairy. — Rae Price, WLJ editor
