Starting later this month, trucks crossing the United States/Mexico border as part of a new demonstration program will have global positioning systems (GPS) on board that allows them to be monitored as they pick up and deliver their loads, according to information from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
FMCSA said the decision was made after members of Congress expressed a desire to know whether participants in the program are complying with federal safety and trade laws.
The agency will initially spend approximately $367,000 to outfit all trucks from the United States and Mexico that take part in the program, and will use the information gathered from the equipment to ensure trucks comply with hours-of-service laws and rules that govern the trips into and out of the country. The GPS-based technology also will allow real-time tracking of truck location, documenting international-border and state-line crossings.
The satellite-based technology, developed by San Diego-based Qualcomm Inc, will be used to track trucks by vehicle number and company only. No driver information will be collected, according to FMCSA.