Major Trucking Groups Disagree on Proposed Cellphone Ban
The American Trucking Associations (ATA) supported a ban on drivers’ use of hand-held cellphones while behind the wheel but said they should be able to talk using hands-free devices. The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, another major trucking group, said a ban on hand-held use should not be imposed at this time. Both groups filed comments this week in response to a rulemaking notice by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
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ATA, the largest trucking group in the U.S., filed in support of the hand-held ban, but said “prohibiting hands-free use would offer little, if any, safety value while severely hamstringing efficiency and negatively impacting driver morale,” ATA said. No studies have demonstrated that use of hands-free devices impairs safety, the group said. “Hands-free devices are an important communication tool for truck drivers,” ATA said. “Not all trucks are equipped with fleet management systems that help drivers communicate with their dispatchers and others. Being able to engage in a short conversation while on the road could help a driver avoid the safety risks of getting lost or encountering congestion."
Many truckers also spend weeks on the road, away from friends and family, ATA noted. “Having the ability to communicate via a mobile telephone using a hands-free device would help truck drivers maintain personal relationships, handle personal matters and deal with other situations which, ultimately, would help relieve stress."
OOIDA disagreed with ATA on the wisdom of imposing a ban. “Cellphone use is no more distracting than other types of communications and electronic equipment used regularly by truck drivers such as in-cab fleet management devices, global positioning and other navigation systems, and Citizens Band (CB) radios that have not received the same level of scrutiny by FMCSA,” the group said. The government should “instead educate drivers about preventing unnecessary distractions.”
Reply comments are due at FMCSA on March 21. The agency previously issued a ban on drivers texting while driving, which OOIDA had supported.