FMCSA’s Hill stands firm on EOBRs. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Administrator John Hill told the Senate subcommittee on transportation yesterday that the agency is currently reviewing comments to its proposed rule on electronic onboard recorders (EOBRs). He said no decisions have yet been made on where FMCSA is headed with this rulemaking No decisions have been made on the next stage of the EOBR rule. Acknowledging criticism from safety advocates that the proposed rule is too weak because it doesn’t mandate the industry-wide installation of EOBRs, Hill said the costs far outweighed the benefits. “FMCSA recognizes the views of many in the highway safety community and the general public about mandating EOBRs,” Hill said in a prepared statement.
“However, there are several million CMVs (commercial motor vehicles) on America’s roads today. The proposed rule would require that motor carriers that have a 10% or greater violation rate within a two-year period for certain HOS regs install EOBRs. FMCSA wants on-board recorders for worst HOS violators. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration today announced a proposal that would require bus and truck carriers with histories of serious hours-of-service (HOS) regulations non-compliance to install electronic on-board recorders (EOBR) within two years of a final rule and operate the recorders for at least two years.
Violating carriers that already had equipped their vehicles with automatic on-board recording devices meeting agency standards — and could demonstrate to FMCSA that its drivers understand how to use the devices — would be exempt from new installations. The proposal only covers HOS and does not require any “black box” functions such as automated recording of vehicle speeds, brake applications and other vehicle operating data. For mandatory EOBR installation, a carrier would have to have exhibited a 10% or greater violation rate based on HOS records reviewed during each of two compliance reviews conducted within a two-year period, according to John H. Electronic Onboard Recorder (EOBR) digital tachograph have significant differences. There are significant differences between U.S. needs for an hours-of-service electronic onboard recorder (EOBR) and the digital tachograph mandated for all commercial drivers in Europe as of last August, according to Ralf Bosch, director of international relations for Siemens AG.
The company's automotive electronics division — Siemens VDO — is one of the largest suppliers of digital tachographs. The first difference is that European recorders capture both hours on-duty and vehicle speed, while it's clear that any U.S. required EOBR would only capture HOS information, Bosch told Fleet Owner. More significantly, European trucks are generally integrated products from a single manufacturer, while U.S. truck users tend to specify their own preferred components from a number of suppliers, making integration of a secure recording system more difficult in America, he said.
Current FMCSA standards governing use of voluntary EOBRs are “not good enough,” Bosch said. House Democrats Craft Transportation Bill. Lautenberg 'Concerned' About Truck Safety Nominee. Jump to navigation JOC › Regulation & Policy Lautenberg 'Concerned' About Truck Safety Nominee The chairman of a key Senate subcommittee today told trucking industry official Anne S. Regulation & Policy Trucking Logistics For the full story: Log In, Register for Free or Subscribe Log In Forgot your password?
Sign Up Not registered with JOC.com? Register Or, for unlimited access to timely news and analysis: Subscribe More on JOC SCFI: Asia-Europe Rates Slide Container Lines Ocean Carrier Rate Revision Roundup for April 18 Profound Challenges Confront Seattle, Tacoma Ports Port of Tacoma US Spot Truck Rates Stay High Truckload Freight Advance Filing Rules Hit US Agricultural Shippers International Freight Shipping MORE News & Analysis » Recommended Resources ON DEMAND Shipping Perishables Coast-to-Coast: Are You Following Best Practices? Apr 3, 2014 2:00PM EDT Register Now » ON DEMAND Trans-Pacific Maritime Mar 20, 2014 2:00PM EDT Register Now » ON DEMAND: 2014 Outlook: Maritime Jan 16, 2014 2:00PM EST Register Now »
Transport Topics Online | Trucking, Freight Transportation and Logistics News Electronic Recorder Rule Sent to DOT. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has sent its final electronic onboard recorders rule to the Department of Transportation for review, acting agency Administrator Rose McMurray said. The Bush administration was close to finalizing the rule, which former FMCSA Administrator John Hill said would expand the number of carriers required to use the devices, but withdrew its proposal in order to let the Obama team review it. The EOBRs would monitor hours-of-service performance by commercial drivers. Once approved by DOT, the rule then must go to the White House Office of Management and Budget for a final review. McMurray also said the agency was getting closer to implementing its new safety rating system for carriers, known as Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010, or CSA 2010. CSA 2010 aims to make “significant changes in the way we assess [carriers’] individual safety fitness,” she said.
. © 2009, Transport Topics Publishing Group. Oberstar seeks mandatory truck EOBRs. The mandatory use of electronic onboard recorders (EOBRs) to ensure compliance with trucker hours-of-service (HOS) rules is clearly stated in the 90-pg. white paper Rep. James L. Oberstar (D-MN), chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure has issued to blueprint his vision for the Surface Transportation Authorization Act of 2009 as a bill written to deliver “investment and reform” to our nation’s transportation system.
The paper declares that the act would improve commercial driver safety by prescribing regulations to require all commercial motor vehicles subject to HOS be equipped with EOBRs. The argument for this need is tied in part to the 2007 proposed rule issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to only require EOBRs by companies with a pattern of HOS violations. Other safety-related actions the bill would require of FMCSA include: