For Immediate Release

Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association

1 NW OOIDA Drive, Grain Valley, MO       
E-mail:ooida@ooida.com              
Web site: www.ooida.com

Phone: (816) 229-5791           Fax: (816) 427-4468 

OOIDA says electronic on-board recorder proposal misses the mark on improving highway safety

 Jan. 12, 2007, GRAIN VALLEY, MO - The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) believes the federal government's proposal to require electronic on-board recorders (EOBRs) on trucks is a misdirected attempt to deal with the root causes of hours-of-service violations.

 While the proposal put forth by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) this week does not require the entire trucking industry to install EOBRs and is limited to the worst HOS violators, it will still do nothing to assist drivers to comply with HOS regulations while they are still being economically threatened by motor carriers, shippers and receivers.

 Congress directed the FMCSA to consider on-board recorders in trucks. However, lawmakers also directed the agency to address loading and unloading time. Until the FMCSA resolves this drivers' safety dilemma and the hours-of-service scheme, technology as a solution will be little more than expensive eyewash.

 The FMCSA's solution to hours-of-service enforcement goes long on Big Brother and short on the real issue. FMCSA continues to ignore the inescapable fact that such devices are no more capable than paper logs in providing an accurate record of a driver's compliance with the hours-of-service rules. As long as an EOBR records only the movement of a truck, and requires a driver to manually input his or her on-duty not driving time, it will fail to be what EOBR supporters wish them to be - a tamper-proof record of HOS compliance.

 The real hours issue related to fatigue isn't time spent behind the wheel driving that can be monitored by recorders. It's the 30 to 40 or more hours drivers spend each week on loading and unloading docks that will not be captured by these devices. Driver's who are almost always paid only for miles driven, have no ability to change this colossal waste of their time. And, shippers, receivers and carriers have little or no incentive to address this waste since it costs them nothing - and it can even be a profit center for some.

 Given the clearly demonstrated shortcomings of EOBRs, it is astounding that FMCSA would consider economic incentives to encourage motor carriers to buy this technology while providing zero incentive or support to professional drivers squeezed in the economic/regulatory vise.

 Unfortunately, this proposal could even have a negative impact on highway safety. Many carriers already use recording/monitoring devices to push drivers to maximize their on-duty hours, regardless of the drivers' need for rest.

 For more information contact OOIDA Director of Regulatory Affairs, Rick Craig at1-800-444-5791.

 The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) is the national trade association representing the interests of small business trucking professionals and professional truck drivers.  Small business truckers (companies operating six or fewer trucks) comprise close to 90% of the motor carrier industry. OOIDA represents more trucking companies and more truck drivers than any other association in that industry.  The Association currently has over 148,000 members from all 50 states and Canada.