EOBR mandate remains in transportation funding bill conference report

Washington – A mandate for commercial motor vehicle drivers to install electronic onboard recorders to track hours-of-service regulations has been retained in a final conference report (.pdf file) released June 28. If passed as a final bill, it would continue transportation funding at current levels through fiscal year 2014.

The mandate, which is present in the Senate version but not the House version of the transportation funding bill, survived pressure from some truck driver associations that argued the devices are unnecessary and could be used by CMV carriers and law enforcement to harass drivers.

Among other safety provisions in the conference report, the Department of Transportation would be required to complete a field study by March 31, 2013, 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.

The conference report is expected to be voted on by the Senate and House before the most recent short-term extension of transportation funding expires on June 30.