Good health and HOS compliance are important.  So are consideration of "reality" and ROI.   

Well that is a way to put the O/O and more drivers out of business.  Last thing any of us need is big brother on board.  Come on we all “sneak” that last 15-30 minutes to get to the customer or find parking from overcrowded lots.  This will get us all in lots of trouble.  Plus it just is not right!  It is an invasion not to mention the cost behind it all especially for the O/O.  As to the health, most drivers are overweight and as we age, we suffer with blood pressure issues.  Most of the drivers I know are reduced to 1 year cards and then limited on our employment options.  Neither of these items are good for industry. 

The recent reports on how the government is hurting small business people definatly rings true here. Does the government want to put all the O/Os out of business?

NTSB wants truck recorders

Mon Nov 10, 2008 3:28 pm (PST)

Trucking Headlines
NTSB wants truck recorders
By Jill Dunn

The National Transportation Safety Board’s 2009 Federal Most Wanted List of
safety improvements includes mandating electronic on-board data recorders.

On Oct. 28, the board released its 18th annual list, which is meant to raise
public awareness and support for transportation safety.

For more than 30 years, the NTSB has advocated EOBR to increase
hours-of-service compliance and collect more accurate data on accident
collisions. It says the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recorder
proposal is not applicable to all operators regulated by HOS rules, does not
establish the proper incentives or create a level playing field for
compliance.

Also high on the highway safety category list was improving motor carrier
safety operations in the area of vehicle safety and qualified drivers,
although the NTSB said the FMCSA was making slow but acceptable progress on
this.

The agency should do more to stop medically unqualified drivers from
operating commercial vehicles; this was also the subject of a heated U.S.
House transportation committee meeting earlier this year. The board said the
agency has made unacceptable progress on driver medical condition and
requiring EOBR.

Specifically, on driver fitness, the FMCSA should:
• Establish a comprehensive medical oversight program for interstate
commercial drivers
• Ensure medical examiners are qualified
• Track all medical certificate applications
• Enhance oversight and enforcement of invalid certificates
• Provide mechanisms for reporting medical conditions

Also, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration should help prevent collisions by using enhanced vehicle safety technology for all new trucks and passenger vehicles. It considered the agency’s progress on this slow but acceptable.

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See my earlier blog on HOS and EBORs in my Oct archive.