Surface transportation funding bill includes EOBR mandate

Washington – President Barack Obama on July 6 signed into law a multiyear bill (.pdf file) that will fund surface transportation safety agencies and programs through September 2014.

The bill includes a mandate requiring commercial motor vehicle drivers to install electronic onboard recorders to track hours-of-service regulation compliance. It also requires the Department of Transportation to develop by July 6, 2014, a national clearinghouse containing CMV drivers’ alcohol and drug test results. According to the bill, the clearinghouse will aim to improve highway safety by preventing unsafe CMV operators from evading detection by simply obtaining a commercial driver’s license in a new state. Among other provisions in the bill:

• DOT must develop new motorcoach vehicle safety standards on safety belts, rollover protection and vehicular structural safety.
• DOT must conduct a field study on the restart provision in the 2011 HOS final rule that allows CMV drivers to “reset” their weekly driving hour limit one time after 34 hours of continuous time off.
• Oversight and penalties will increase for CMV carriers that are non-compliant with out-of-service orders.