Jan 23, 2007 9:08 AM, from staff and wire reports

The advocacy group Public Citizen and the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association are criticizing a federal proposal for electronic on-board recorders, according to their press releases.

Public Citizen said that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has proposed a “very weak standard for electronic on-board recorders (EOBRs).”

FMCSA announced a proposal January 11 that certain carriers would be required to install EOBRs in all of their commercial vehicles, and others would be given incentives for voluntary use.

Public Citizen said the proposal fails to mandate recorders in all commercial trucks and would require recorders only for trucking companies that violate hours-of-service rules.

OOIDA said lawmakers also directed the agency to address loading and unloading time. “Until the FMCSA resolves this drivers’ safety dilemma and the hours-of-service scheme, technology as a solution will be little more than expensive eyewash,” OOIDA said.

“Recorders should be mandated in an across-the-board standard that treats all companies equally,” Public Citizen said.