By Timothy Cama, Staff Reporter This story appears in the Jan. 14 print edition of Transport Topics.
American Trucking Associations called for more action last week from state and federal government officials on the group’s proposals to increase trucking and highway safety, including a national speed limit of 65 mph for all vehicles and a study into possible graduated licensing for commercial driver licenses.
The proposals were part of ATA’s 2009 “safety agenda” of major issues for which the federation pledged to lobby, and it issued a progress report on the agenda Jan. 8.
“Regulators and lawmakers at the state and federal level have answered ATA’s calls in several areas, but there is still much more work to be done,” ATA President Bill Graves said in a statement.
Graves singled out a mandate for electronic logging devices in commercial vehicles and allowing motor carriers to use hair samples to test drivers for drug use as two proposals that policymakers have implemented.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration proposed an ELD mandate in 2011. Congress then asked for such a mandate in Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century, the major transportation law that President Obama signed in July.
Congress asked that FMCSA issue a final regulation on ELDs by Oct. 1, and that it take effect by Oct. 1, 2015.
Hair testing recently gained favor in Congress. A bill introduced in December would direct the Department of Transportation to study the use of hair samples for drug testing.
The bill died when the session of Congress ended Jan. 3, but Rep. Reid Ribble (R-Wis.), the bill’s sponsor, said he would reintroduce it. As of last week, he had not done that.
Graves said ATA will continue to press for progress on both ELDs and hair testing “until meaningful changes are finally implemented.”
The National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners was another bright spot in ATA’s progress report. FMCSA finalized a regulation creating the registry in April.
Under the regulation, all medical examiners will have to be trained and tested on FMCSA regulations regarding medical qualifications for commercial drivers. Starting in May 2014, all drivers will need to have their biennial physical exams conducted by certified examiners.
Pre-employment screening for truck drivers was also a success, ATA said. Launched in 2010, the Pre-Employment Screening Program gives carriers access to driver employment records prior to hiring, for a fee.
ATA has pushed for the 65 mph speed limit in regulatory comments and testimony on Capitol Hill, the group said. It will continue to do that and to work with individual states to reduce speed limits as well, ATA said.
The trucking federation will also advocate for legislation to study graduated CDLs for drivers aged 18 to 25, it said.
