Potential Legislation Looming
There are several pivotal rulemakings on the Department of Transportation’s horizon. They include decisions on speed limiters, entry-level driver training, and a CDL Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse.
The Heavy Vehicle Speed Limiter rule was created jointly by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and has been ten years in the making. This decree may require all trucks weighing over 27,000 pounds to install governors. A projected date of March 15th has been set for this rule.
The bid for entry-level driver training standards has cleared the White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The particulars of this “negotiated rulemaking” have not been made public. NASTC was a member of the Entry-Level Driver Training Advisory Committee (ELDTAC). We cast a vote against requiring a set number of hours to the behind-the-wheel portion of the proposal. You may read the Committee’s Entire Statement at: https://cms.fmcsa.dot.gov/sites/fmcsa.dot.gov/files/docs/ELDTAC%20Written%20Statement.pdf. Once the DOT decides to publish the proposed rule, there will be a 60-day comment period.
The rulemaking for the CDL Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse is forecasted to be sent to the OMB this month with a publication date of mid-June. This will create a database of CDL holders that have failed or refused a drug test. Carriers and owner-operators will be required to submit drug and alcohol information to this system.
NASTC always welcomes your opinions and encourages you to email us your thoughts concerning proposed legislation.
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