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FMCSA considering electronic IDs for large trucks and buses

October 24, 2022
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Bus drivers Commercial motor vehicle Commercial motor vehicle drivers Commercial motor vehicle operators Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Truck driver safety Truck drivers
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Washington — The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is seeking stakeholder comment on whether to require universal electronic identification for commercial motor vehicles operating in interstate commerce.

“FMCSA currently does not require CMVs to be equipped with a system capable of transmitting a unique electronic ID for operation,” the agency says. “However, FMCSA provides grant funding to states for technology projects that electronically identify a CMV; verify its size, weight and credentials information; and review its carrier’s past safety performance while the vehicle is in motion and then communicate safely to the driver to either pull in or bypass the roadside inspection station.”

According to an advance notice of proposed rulemaking published in the Sept. 23 Federal Register, FMCSA is considering amending its Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations in response to a 2015 petition from the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, after the agency denied a similar request in 2013.

FMCSA says it’s considering implementing an electronic ID requirement “to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the roadside inspection program by more fully enabling enforcement agencies to focus their efforts at high-risk carriers and drivers.”

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CVSA contends that “mandating an electronic identifier requirement will not only save money in the long run – for both enforcement and industry – but will also enable more effective enforcement, improve safety and save thousands of lives every year.”

FMCSA is requesting feedback on a number of questions, including:

  • Should a device that can transmit an electronic ID be permanently affixed or removable/transferrable to CMVs in operation? Would FMCSA’s rule need to specify?
  • What data should be included as part of the electronic ID? Should it include information specific to the driver? Should it also include information that may vary from trip to trip?
  • How far in advance (time, distance) does a state need to gather the electronic ID information to positively ID a vehicle and message the vehicle whether further inspection is required?
  • Are there privacy, health or coercion concerns FMCSA should consider in a future proposal?

The deadline to comment is Nov. 22.

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Fred Garner
October 28, 2022
FMCSA, I believe it's necessary for one to know the background of the commenter. I'm a Supervisor in a small unit of NCDMV called School Bus and Traffic Safety. Our primary mission is to train, retrain, observe and certify a school bus driver who has demonstrated proficiency in the classroom and BTW. We also oversee and inspect every Commercial (private) Dr. Ed. school. I'm also a retired law enforcement officer and middle school teacher. In Wake Co., N.C. and surrounding there have two wrecks in the past 2 weeks that have involved tractor trailers where the driver simply went to sleep. Miraculously no one was killed. Raleigh, Wake Co., and surrounding are constantly seeing these serious accidents primarily caused by speeding CMV's who are not paying attention and do not care. On the interstates in Wake, Durham, and Johnston According to recent statistics the average age of CMV drivers is 48. There are approximately 240K job openings each year as young men and women pursue other careers. Therefore, it's common sense that the average of CMV drivers will continue to increase. While a Detective I had the unfortunate duty to provide assistance to the Patrol Division with a tractor trailer/passenger vehicle. The CMV driver was speeding approximately 65 in a 45-mph zone entering the city. His truck literally jumped in the trunk of the car, then pushed the car app. 250 ft., veered off and hit a tree exploding on impact. The violent and catastrophic driver of the car survived in critical condition for weeks. His wife was killed.
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Fred Garner
October 28, 2022
As a follow up, I believe that this new electronic ID is a must to help to keep the motoring public to include the CMV operators safer reducing catastrophic accidents, injuries and fatalities. Q 1: Yes. FMCSA's rule would need to be specific regarding being affixed temporarily so the ID could be moved to another CMV. However, the rule should also specify under what circumstances the ID can be moved to prevent the operator/company from moving it from one CMV to another at will. Q 2: The ID should be specific to driver and CMV. While it may be a logistical issue it is not prohibitive. Information about each individual trip should be available via the electronic tag. ID should include the ID of the driver (operator's license no.), the CMV vehicle VIN, and the exact destination of the trip both coming and going. Q3: Each driver/owner should relay the above information 3-5 days before departure of his trip. If the trip is cancelled this info should be transmitted to the monitoring state agency within 24 hours. Q 4: Negative. the OL of the CMV driver will provide all his/her information needed and the VIN number are public records. As to the destination info, who cares who knows. I would include as a primary concern to me that DOT medical certification examiners are not as stringent as they should be. My assessment based on my own experience is that many corporate medical facilities do a bare minimum examination and charge anywhere from $125-$250 in our area for 15-20 minutes with a P.A. And let's face it, CMV drivers will not tell the whole truth if their livelihood depends on it. There has to be some significant punishment to both the driver, owner, and the issuer of the Med card. Conversely, my personal Dr. was extremely thorough, so I felt good about the Med. certificate. Thanks for the opportunity to comment.
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Erick Kestila
October 31, 2022
Electronic ID if this is what you want it should stay Basic. With just the pertinent information that you need for the Vehicle. Company Name, Address, Contact phone number, USDOT number MC number, Year and Make, GVWR, MCS90, LAST annual inspection Date. That will give you all the information you will need to fill out an Accident report, a citation, a complaint and any other investigation information you will need for the company and the vehicle. This should be capable of updating easily and annually. the only time device would be transferred is when the vehicle is sold or taken out of service. For lease vehicles the owner of the Vehicle and who it is Leased to and for how long should be added to the Information and it should be programed in by the lease company. it should be easily programable by plugging into a device or blue tooth to change the information. if you require it to be updated more frequently with to much information Independents and small companies will not comply it will be to complicated. I was a commercial vehicle Enforcement office for 31 years and am now a safety specialist for a truck safety company. Keep it simple and do not complicate this with information that may seem useful but its not. Stick to the basics. get compliance and go from there.
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