Rules proposed to put recorders on some trucks, buses

Thursday, January 11th 2007, 11:20 am

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Some truck and bus companies may be required to install devices to determine whether drivers are staying behind the wheel too long, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said Thursday.

Companies that have a history of violating rules limiting driving time would have to install the recorders in their vehicles under a rule to be proposed by the agency. If the rule is adopted, an estimated 930 truck and bus companies with 17,500 drivers would have to use the recorders.

``The goal is to get more trucks and buses using innovative safety technologies,'' said FMCSA administrator John Hill.

Congress told the agency in 1988 to consider requiring electronic on-board recorders instead of logbooks to ensure drivers follow the rules. The recorders automatically monitor the date, daily driving distance and when the drivers go on and off duty.

FMCSA hasn't required the recorders so far because it said it didn't know the costs or benefits of such systems, and because it didn't test the very few available recorders.

The agency has conceded that 3 million inspections between Oct. 1, 2002, and Sept. 30, 2003, revealed 18 percent of drivers broke the rules at least once.