U.S. Legislative Updates

The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) released a report on October 1 examining the relationship between truck fleet scores and actual crash involvement within the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) new Compliance Safety Accountability (CSA). The report finds that the program is not correctly highlighting a carrier’s crash risk.

Scores in two of the five public safety categories are defective in predicting crash risk, according to the study. ATRI assessed all five public BASICs, finding a strong safety basis for the Unsafe Driving, Fatigued Driving, and Vehicle Maintenance BASICs; partial support for the Controlled Substances and Alcohol BASIC; and no support for the Driver Fitness BASIC.

A copy of this report can be requested from ATRI at http://atri-online.org/2012/10/01/compliance-safety-accountability-analyzing-the-relationship-of-scores-to-crash-risk-report-request/


Congress has passed and sent to the President, the Military Commercial Driver’s License Act of 2012. The legislation gives active duty military personnel, military reserves, members of the National Guard, active duty United States Coast Guard, and Coast Guard Auxiliary members more flexibility in obtaining a Commercial Driver’s License, allowing them to pursue job opportunities immediately after leaving the service. The legislation is expected to be signed into law.

As explained by Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-IN), a sponsor of the legislation, under current federal law, states are only permitted to issue CDLs to those who are legal residents of that state. Since military personnel often receive their vehicle training in locations other than their home states, such as their duty stations, the law makes it difficult for members of the armed forces to obtain a CDL before leaving military service. Both the Department of Transportation and the Department of Defense have identified this law as a barrier to employment for veterans.

The Military CDL Act allows active duty military personnel to obtain a CDL in either the state where they serve or where they received their military training, regardless of whether it is their state of permanent residence. The bill also gives the Department of Defense the opportunity to reach agreements with the states where it conducts motor vehicle training to issue CDLs to active duty military personnel, and opens the door to allowing veterans to use interstate agreements that recognize each other’s CDLs to carry their license to other locations after military service.