The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has scheduled two more "listening sessions" March 27 and April 2 to obtain feedback from carriers and others interested in a proposal for new electronic on-board recorder standards, according to information in the Federal Register March 14.
On January 18 this year, FMCSA proposed to establish new recorder standards, require the use of the devices by certain motor carriers, and provide incentives for the voluntary use of such devices by the industry. It scheduled an earlier session March 12 in Washington DC.
The proposed rule (49 CFR Parts 350, 385, 395, and 396), if mandated, would require carriers with a history of serious hours-of-service (HOS) violations to install the electronic recorders and use them for a minimum of two years. Voluntary incentives would include using a random sample of drivers’ records of duty status as part of a company compliance review and partial relief from hours-of-service (HOS) supporting document requirements.
The FMCSA "listening session" is set for 9:30 am to 4:30 pm March 27 in Phoenix AZ at the Crowne Plaza West Hotel, 2532 West Peoria Avenue, and April 2 in Chicago IL at the Harold Washington Library, 400 South State Street. Individuals who wish to make a formal presentation should contact Deborah Freund at 202-366-4009 or e-mail her at [email protected].