Effective January 1, 2024, intrastate trucks in California must be equipped with Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs), following in the steps of other states that have made similar mandates. Trucks making interstate deliveries have been required to be equipped with ELDs since 2017. 

ELDs are small devices, but the impact they’ve had on the trucking industry is monumental. Monitoring devices that track when the truck is in motion and for what duration, ELDs are largely intended to address road safety issues associated with drivers pushing themselves too far for too long. But some say ELDs are having the opposite effect and are a violation of trucker privacy and workflow.

“It just seems like the trucking industry is getting regulated out of existence,” wrote one trucker, Allen Boyd, in response to a request for comments on ELD regulation updates by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) in 2022.

Why ELDs?

Long-haul trucking used to be a secure and respected career. Today, it’s a job with high turnover and a lack of security. Many headlines today talk about the future of trucking, which includes the possibility of autonomous fleets replacing human-driven ones at some point down the line. But the predicament in which truckers find themselves now actually goes back in time by several decades.

The Fair Labor Standards Act, which created a guaranteed minimum wage, passed in 1938. An exemption was included for truckers, so they could earn more and be more productive. But, in 1980, when the Motor Carrier Act was passed, truckers for the first time encountered Hours of Service rules, capping how many hours they were allowed to be on the job. While this is a pretty standard labor regulation, the fact that truckers still didn’t have a minimum wage created the issue as it stands today: Many truckers are paid by the mile, but they are limited in how many hours they can work. To earn a comfortable wage means there’s an implied and incentivized race against the clock. This, of course, is a dangerous combination on the open road.

ELDs are attached to the engine and can set very firm boundaries on how long the truck can be in operation and when it’s time for a mandated break. The FMCSA estimates that ELDs will lead to 1,844 fewer crashes and 26 prevented deaths every year.

The issue, says Karen Levy, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Information Science at Cornell University and author of Data Driven: Truckers, Technology, and the New Workplace Surveillance, is that ELDs don’t address what she believes is the actual root cause of fatigue-related crashes or unsafe driving.

According to Levy, these problems can be traced back to the standard pay structure for long-haul truckers, which is compensation for miles driven. There’s a common saying in the trucking industry, “If the wheels ain’t turning, you ain’t earning.” The issue with this is that there are tasks inherent to the job—getting gas, loading the truck, unloading the truck—that take place when the truck is stationary. As the saying implies, money isn’t earned during these periods, even if they take hours. This can incentivize driving longer without breaks than is safe. 

“One of the things that has really been striking to me is it can’t really be overstated how fundamentally dependent we are on this system that hardly works,” says Levy.

A truck dashboard with an ELD screen. (Photo: Shutterstock)

Not only do ELDs not solve the problem, says Levy, they could even make it worse. Firm constraints on driving time, while the pay structure remains based on distance traveled, means that drivers are implicitly encouraged to drive faster and more recklessly to maximize their mileage within the allotted time.

“We haven’t changed the economic structure of the industry or the rules,” says Levy. “All we changed is how they are monitored.”

It’s only been a few years since the 2017 mandate, but one study suggests that accident rates haven’t gotten better yet and might have even gotten worse.

One of the reasons for this, says Levy, is that it takes the flexibility out of the work. She gives a hypothetical:

Before, if you had 11 hours to get somewhere, and it takes you 11 hours and 10 minutes, it’s not a big deal. That’s just part of being on the road.

But, with an ELD, if you have 11 hours to get somewhere and taking a minute over would put you in violation, you might handle that drive differently.

“You’re probably going to drive much more recklessly, much faster, you’re not going to take the time to go get a cup of coffee if you feel like you need it,” says Levy. “You’re not going to stop and check on something that sounds weird on your truck.”

And, at the end of the allotted drive time, the trucker might not be anywhere near a place they can pull over to rest. If they drive further looking for a truck stop, they risk being in violation. In response to a request for comments on ELD regulation updates by the FMCSA in 2022, an anonymous trucker voiced their concern.

“In my honest opinion since ELD there has been more accidents because drivers are always being forced to race the clock so they can get loaded/unloaded and to [the] next pickup or safe spot to sleep for the night because they are out of hours.”

Another commenter agreed, saying that the ELDs make it harder for drivers to take breaks when they need them. And if they hit traffic, construction or unreliable road conditions, the driver loses miles and hours.

“We keep getting told that these laws, [these] rules are put in place to make it easier and safer for the driver. In doing so, it makes it harder.”

The road ahead

There’s a path forward, says Levy, but it’s got to go beyond just technology. “I don’t think there’s a tweak we could make to the ELD that would solve all the truckers’ problems,” says Levy. Safer roads probably require an approach that focuses more on trucker pay and labor rights. Trevor Ralphs, in a comment response to the FMCSA prompt, echoed Levy’s point about trucker pay structure.

“If you really want to make driving more safe for not only truck drivers but everyone else on the road, you would make it so that truck drivers are all paid hourly. This would make sure truck drivers are not in a rush to make the most money but instead they are taking things slow, steady and safe because you will be paid more for your time.”

Trucks at a truck stop in Missouri. (Photo: Shutterstock)

While the industry pay regulations haven’t changed, some companies have started shifting toward time-based pay in the ELD era. Nathaniel Hosea writes in response to the FMCSA prompt:

“I personally like ELDs as a company driver, it keeps everything organized and I get a[n] hourly pa[y] now. Before ELDs, I got paid CPM [cents per mile] and lost lots of money waiting time in stopped traffic and not being paid at warehouses. Finally, with ELDs and hourly pay, I don’t have to be pressured to speed and driving unsafe to deliver loads.” 

Hosea goes on to say that driving per mile should be a thing of the past. “There should be a law to end CPM [cents per mile] wage payments, traffic is too congested today to make any money on CPM.” 

We should remove the trucker exemption from the Fair Labor Standards Act, so that truckers can be paid more fairly, says Levy.

“I think, fundamentally, the problems in the industry are political and economic,” says Levy. “Truckers don’t have the political power to successfully argue for labor rights that would really make us all safer.”

More broadly, says Levy, there’s been a cultural shift from seeing truckers as the heroes of the highway to seeing them as on the fringes of society. But, at the end of the day, our country—and our food system—would not function without long-haul truckers and the work that they do. 

“Building dignity back into the job,” says Levy—not barring them from using business bathrooms or filming them constantly—“those are good places to start.”

***

Interested in learning more about this topic?

You can find Levy’s book here: https://press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691175300/data-driven

Truckers are paid a little differently than most other professions. A breakdown of why can be found in this article from FleetOwner. For a longer history of the trucking industry, check out this podcast called On the Move.

The post Driven Out appeared first on Modern Farmer.

While you might still be cautious about getting on a plane during this pandemic, there are plenty of food-related road trips that can satisfy your travel itch. Wherever you are in the country, there’s a journey waiting for you.

So, stay safe, pick out your favorite tunes for the drive and hit the trails.

The Great Cheese Trail – Wisconsin

If you want cheese, your first stop has to be Wisconsin. Known as America’s Dairyland, Wisconsin produces roughly 25 percent of all the cheese in the US, and there are award-winning cheese makers and mongers throughout the state.

This trail loops down from Madison, WI, traveling around the southwest corner of the state, and hits more than a dozen cheese makers. From delicious cheddars and colbys to chevre and squeaky fresh curds, this is the road trip for any cheese head.

The Bourbon Trail – Kentucky

Start in Louisville, where Main Street sits in the heart of its Bourbon District. From there, more than 35 distilleries await, and each has taken Kentucky’s bourbon heritage to heart. You’ll want to head east to Lexington, then loop south to Danville, before curving back around. Along the way, you can stop at distilleries for tastings, tours and innovative cocktails. 

For those who want the traditional classics, you’ll find distilleries such as Maker’s Mark and Woodford Reserve on the trail. If you want to try something new, craft distilleries such as Rabbit Hole offer up an exciting twist on the beloved spirit.

The BBQ Trail – North Carolina

With 20 historic barbecue pits across North Carolina, there is a chance to watch the best pit masters at work as you travel this trail. In order to earn a spot on this trail, these pits have to make their own sauce and be running for at least 12 years. That means each stop you make along the barbecue trail has been carefully vetted for the best taste possible. 

The trail runs east-west, so you can start at either side of the state and work your way across. Don’t forget to stock up on bottles of unique bbq sauce to recreate the flavors at home. 

The Donut Trail – Ohio

If you need help planning your tour along this sweet trail, don’t worry. You can call the Donut Concierge to help customize your trip, and create the bespoke donut-filled (or filled-donut?) adventure of a lifetime. 

Starting in Middletown, about 30 minutes south of Dayton, you can hit a baker’s dozen of donut shops along this loop. From classic crullers to candy toppings, each donut spot puts its own flourish on a fried favorite. Don’t forget to download your donut passport and get a stamp at each spot. If you complete the journey, you can earn a Donut Trail T-shirt.

The Taco Trail – California

It’s no surprise that California’s Bay Area is overflowing with great Mexican food. But this trail in Concord, just east of San Francisco, boasts 39 different family-owned restaurants and taquerias, which each meet specific benchmarks. Each restaurant is a single location, so no chains, and each place serves primarily Mexican or Latino food. 

Along this trail, you will find handmade tortillas and salsa recipes that have been perfected over generations. The taco recipes include classic al pastor and carne asada versions, and they branch out to include vegetarian tacos, grilled tilapia and filet mignon. 

The Beer Trail – Virginia

Richmond, Virginia is home to dozens of craft breweries, which is why it’s one of the best craft beer destinations in the country. The brewers in this area are inventive and passionate about beer, creating some of the best drinks in the country. This trail includes some of  Richmond’s oldest tap rooms, farm breweries growing their own local hops and barley, and brewpubs featuring beer styles from around the world. 

As you crawl through the city, you’ll hit more than two dozen breweries, many of them in the Scott’s Addition neighborhood. If you’d like to head just outside of the city, there are even more breweries waiting for you. Plus, don’t forget to grab a map and passport. If you get five stamps from brewery stops, you can trade them in for Brewery Trail swag. 

The post Hit the Food Trails This Summer appeared first on Modern Farmer.

There’s a beef pot roast with wasabi sour cream or a chicken shisomboca with orzo and a soy yuzu jus. For dessert, there’s a chocolate haupia crunch cake. And while you wait, there’s the beloved pau hana snack mix with roasted almonds, rice crackers and flax chips. 

This menu is a blend of Hawaiian flavors and global classics, designed to showcase Hawaii in an exclusive setting while appealing to a broad range of tastes. It is, of course, just one of the menus that Hawaiian Airlines is currently offering to customers flying from the mainland United States to Hawaii. 

Now, as parts of the world begin to open back up from COVID-19-induced shutdowns, airlines are starting to bring passengers back on board, and chefs such as Wade Ueoka are creating new menus to welcome them back.

One major focus for some airlines, as they try to entice travellers back onto their airplanes, has been local food, which can be a bit confusing for an airline with hubs and flights around the world. For Air Canada, local means looking to sustainably source ingredients from across Canada for its international flights. 

“It’s always nice to add a local flair. It could be cheese from Quebec or salmon from the pacific coast,” says Andrianna Pischos, manager of catering product design with the airline. “Pre-pandemic, depending on the flight, there could have been thousands if not millions of meals. So, we look at what can be sustained from a supply chain perspective.”

For Ueoka, who is the executive chef of Hawaiian Airlines, that means showing passengers the “flavors and basically comfort foods that I grew up eating.” Because Hawaiian cuisine is a mix of many traditions and cooking techniques, Ueoka says he tries to incorporate that blend into every menu he makes. That’s why you might see Hawaiian meals like pork lau lau or ingredients like taro, pineapple or macadamia nuts when you pull down your tray table on a Hawaiian Airlines flight. 

While the menus are refreshed regularly, there is a new aim among some airlines of working with local producers, which means weather patterns can occasionally cause issues, Pischos says. It can also be difficult when producing items at the scale these airlines do, cooking in warehouse kitchens, creating thousands of portions at a time.

Ultimately though, she says the concentration on local ingredients and menus is something customers want. The push for bright, tasty and unique in-flight options is, in part, a backlash from notoriously bad airline food (and the accompanying jokes) a decade or two ago. But as  travellers are looking to fly after more than a year of being grounded, there’s a renewed push from airlines to focus on their food quality as one way to convince passengers to fly. And as consumers have become more invested in where their food comes from, airlines have moved to catch up. Why not bake with local grains or work with local cheese producers to get ingredients that showcase your destination, especially if it gets people excited to tuck into a meal on your flight? 

“At our international stations, [we ask] what’s a typical meal that you would see out of Brussels or that you would see out of Hong Kong? What would you want to eat with your family or your friends?” Pischos says. “It could be either at the ingredient level or the recipe inspiration itself can be more local.”

Pischos says that Air Canada does have plans to launch new food “enhancements” later this summer, likely when it will expect a wave of newly vaccinated passengers. The airline has already started trialing new bistro options on some flights, allowing passengers to purchase new food items on board. 

As COVID-19 continues to flare in other regions of the world, some airlines are pulling back menu options for now, instead looking to a future of new menus. Qantas, Australia’s flagship airline, says it doesn’t expect to return to long-haul flights until October. Before the pandemic, the airline worked with chef Neil Perry for more than 20 years, serving up items such as grilled salmon with squid-ink noodles and its signature steak sandwich with tomato relish. Representatives from Qantas say they’re continuing to work with Perry, with a spotlight on seasonal ingredients, although it’s too early to say what their new menus might look like once flights resume.

“Everyone has different comfort levels, and some people are OK with more interaction or less interaction,” says Pischos. “It’s [finding] that sweet spot that works for most people and making sure, most importantly, that the customer feels safe and comfortable and that they enjoy their experience.”

For some passengers, that enjoyment just might be heightened knowing that the warm pineapple cake they’re eating was prepared right in Honolulu by the Hawaiian Pie Company. The renewed focus on fresh ingredients and local flavors might just help air travel take off again. 

The post From Farm to Tray Table appeared first on Modern Farmer.

It was with a desire to improve the lives of poor communities that we launched Acceso some 13 years ago. We decided to focus all our efforts on agribusiness given its high social impact. Our approach to poverty alleviation is through building and scaling “social enterprises” because we want our solutions for farmers to be sustainable.

Our enterprises look to connect large companies with smallholder farmers and fishers. We help them buy from small producers by removing the risk barriers normally associated with directly dealing with them. We saw the success of our model yesterday when we visited our operations in El Salvador. Our large client here was initially Super Selectos, the biggest supermarket chain in the country. We subsequently added Subway, Pizza Hut and Wendy’s. Although they had a willingness to buy locally, they didn’t have the expertise to work out the logistics, nor did they want to take the risk of buying from a large number of small farmers.

To get rid of this hurdle, we started by negotiating floor prices and volume commitments for the specific produce these large companies needed. We also took note of their quality standards and delivery schedules. Next, we organized a number of small local farmers and fishers to train them on sustainable agricultural and fishing practices. Most importantly, we provided them with credit in the form of inputs like seeds, fertilizer, and fish food. In this way, we ensured they could produce consistent volumes of quality produce while giving the producers the financial flexibility and steady income they didn’t previously have. In essence, we reverse-engineered demand.

To enhance the value of these partnerships, we’ve also made smart investments in storage and delivery logistics. This ensures our buyers get timely delivery of fresh product. An added bonus is that we create new jobs in this supply chain. We ended up with happy farmers, who saw their income increase by two to three times and happy buyers, who not only purchased the local products they needed, but also fulfilled some social good in the community.

Since we started our initiative in El Salvador five years ago, we’ve created a network of more than 1,000 farmers and fishers, producing more than 75 products that we deliver to more than 100 Super Selectos stores and more than 80 Subway restaurants. We have built a seedling nursery, a produce processing plant, invested in various processing machines, and developed a fingerling fish hatchery. A fish processing plant is in the works and I feel like we’re just getting started.

I had a conversation with a woman farmer during my visit who told me about one of her sons that moved to the US five years ago because there were no decent job opportunities in El Salvador. When her second son recently suggested he might do the same, she convinced him not to go by showing what a great opportunity he would have in the avocado farming business she had built up by partnering with Acceso. Perhaps, by creating jobs that pay well, I hope we can also help reverse the flow of immigration of the many people that have been leaving this region seeking better lives elsewhere.

But the moment that really made my day was meeting a very young farmer named Hugo. He started with one employee five years ago and now employs 15 people on his farm. When I asked him what his dream was, he said “to keep growing so I can continue generating jobs and make a better life for other families.” I don’t believe that anyone could have said more to inspire me to continue our work. People like Hugo deserve not only our gratitude, but our support. People like Hugo don’t need handouts. They are proud and hardworking. Our role is simply to give them the opportunity to fulfill their dreams.

The post Helping Salvadoran Farmers Through Social Enterprise appeared first on Modern Farmer.