Patricia-Anne Tom

Washington, D.C. -- Responding to a recent Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) proposal, the National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA) says requiring electronic on-board recorders on trucks that monitor drivers' compliance with hours of service requirements will create unnecessary expenses for the waste industry.

On Sept. 1, FMCSA issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, asking the industry to resond to questions about the viablity of requiring the recording devices. FMCSA limits the number of hours commercial motor vehicle drivers can drive and perform other tasks in a day and week. And the recorders would ensure that the laws are being met.

Bruce Parker, president and CEO of the NSWMA says trucking operations currently show they are complying with the requirements with time cards. Additionally, he says waste haulers are unlikely to violate the maximum hour requirements because many local governments restrict garbage collection hours during daylight hours, especially around residences. "Using FMCSA estimates, the private sector could be expected to pay $333 million to retrofit its fleet of approximately 111,000 trucks, which is a staggering price expense for an industry that does not cause hours of service problems," Parker said.