September/October 2019 - 24

LOGISTICS
SHIPPING & RECEIVING
" Some of the larger carriers and
brokers are beginning to rate shippers
for their in-and-out times, " Arling
said. " We have customers all the time
where you'll find a truck and tell them
where (the warehouse is) and they'll
say, 'Thanks, but no thanks; last time I
was there I got hung up all day.' "
ELD agriculture exemption
To help reduce the likelihood of
perishable products going to waste,
the FMCSA allows drivers moving
agricultural commodities to turn off
ELD devices when they are within 150
air miles of their destination.
Boyle fee l s t he ag r icu l t ure
exemption is widely underused and
could be a major asset to the industry.
Arling and Pace said the reason the
exemption isn't used more often is
because it's vaguely defined, opening
it to inconsistent enforcement from
state to state.
" It's fairly gray. They have attempted
to clarify it, but I don't know that
anybody feels terribly confident that
they can implement the proper usage
if they're unfamiliar with it, " Arling
said. " We're going to generally stay
away and let (drivers) follow state
and federal laws as they understand
them. We don't want to get people
into a situation where a state trooper
might have a different interpretation
of that law and then you have a mess
on your hands. "
The IGSA went an extra step by
working with the governor's office and
Idaho State Police to create an official
letter that details how the state would
enforce the rule.
" We give this letter to drivers in case
they are pulled over and there is any
question, " Boyle said.
Arling and Pace said such additional
clarification would be helpful in other
states and regions.
" If you're particularly active in a
certain region, certainly familiarize
yourself with the folks who will be
on the enforcement side, " Arling said.
Rail
While the current truck-rail rate of
shipping for IGSA members is in the
60-40 or 70-30 range, Boyle said an
ideal ratio would be closer to 50-50,
given Idaho's isolated locality.
Current IGSA efforts include having
a rail-center facility built in eastern
Idaho. Part of the reasoning is to reduce
the distances drivers have to travel.
" I've focused on a lot on rail as a
possible solution. We're working with
a business out of Salt Lake to build an
intermodal facility in Pocatello, " he said.
" We'll have trucks transporting it to
that location - so they're making short
runs - and then rail heading east or to
the west coast to be exported by ship. "
Boyle feels that while additional
rail shipping would be a positive
development, in many cases, trucks
would still be the preferred option.
" You can put so much more product
in a rail car, but a lot of times people
just don't want that much product at
one time, " he said.
We Specialize in Design, Engineering, and
Custom Equipment Fabrication for the
Produce Processing Industry
Successfully serving the
fresh-cut industry
since 1982
208-795-5749
PROCESS EXPO
BOOTH
#4707
Phone: 800-234-4821
22 SEPTEMBER /OCTOBER 2 019
* New Facility Design
* Turnkey Processing Lines
* Automatic Packaging Solutions
* Continuous Improvement Programs
* Custom Equipment Fabrication
* Waste Collection Systems
* Project Management
Brian Hill
(847) 922-8671
bhill@palconsystems.com
www.palconsystems.com
http://www.palconsystems.com
September/October 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September/October 2019
