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American Truckers Associations V.P. Robert Abbott and Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Executive V.P. Todd Spencer debate whether truckers should us...
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-- -- fight that is not something usually wanna jump into the middle but today we are going -- at issue is not drivers keep track of the number of hours that they are actually behind that we -- and right now.
They're not spouse -- on the -- more than eleven hours of a fourteen hour driving -- So what do you think is a better way for truck drivers to keep track of their hours while they're driving a piece -- keeper.
Like the what you see right now or high tech gadget known as a mobile punch clock or black box fasten your seat -- we're gonna debate just like draining out Robert Abbott.
Vice president and safety policy at the American truckers association.
He is for these boxes he thinks they're saying their good idea we asset Todd Spencer executive vice president.
Of owner operator independent drivers association.
Association he -- -- that against it.
I'm tied.
Up with you because it's you like these and he might make roads a lot safer why do you think not.
Well you talked about a high tech gadget that really is nothing more than that.
Its capability is limiting did tell late to tell.
When a truck is actually moving.
And those aren't the hours that drivers after report after report all of their hours.
And on whether it's down on board recorder -- on a paper log.
If you're stopped stopped loading and unloading if you're stopped in traffic if -- stopped because of weather that has to be manually enter entered.
And it's going to be on duty time that.
The onboard recorder actually creates the illusion.
Of compliance because it will automatically.
It's just kind of stunning that.
A mandate that cost billions of dollars.
That has no connection that has no connection to safety whatsoever.
Would even be.
Considered OK rob what's your spots -- I think that's very inaccurate we have very good data that shows -- -- -- -- that are compliant with federal hours of service rules.
Have lower crash rates in fact federal government data shows that fleets that are non compliant with total hours of service rules have -- -- -- 40% greater than the average.
We know that these devices automatically tracked captured driving time.
And that's time we care about that's a time when we have risk and so we want devices that automatically capture that time.
I recognize that perhaps a more more experienced drivers may be reluctant to embrace of technology.
But I don't think anybody can disagreed that a device that automatically captures that time is better for everyone than a device where will.
-- that's not in the vehicle and somebody has to do it on paper the away -- I think he just said that old dogs don't want to learn new tricks.
No I mean actually that's just simply span.
Diego he again is talking about hours that are driving and those aren't the hours that are problematic in terms of our -- -- compliance.
It's generally hours that are problems -- the thirty to forty hours a week that drivers spend in loading and unloading situations.
That won't be captured with an -- recorder any differently than their recorded with a paper law but -- again there is no nexus -- highway safety.
When the federal court reviewed.
FMC SA's regulation to do exactly this.
It was stunned.
That the agency didn't even bother to compare fleets that use these now.
With those that don't to see if there was any improvement in highway safety.
-- device that is merely designed to maximize.
Every minute a driver can drive is prone to abuse.
They maximum hours of eleven -- that's what -- want -- drivers sometimes drivers get tired at eight hours.
The box can't tell when your tired.
It certainly can improve highway safety.
Rob it it it seems like anything would be more accurate than a paper notebook where you're keeping I mean you could write anything.
At least this gives some basis and some guidelines -- -- you work for you according the DOT's saying that letter carriers with a 10% violation rate.
An -- -- rules have a 40% higher crash rate that means of people that are violating this the most are causing.
Almost half the accidents that significant.
Well I think what -- missing is that these devices won't be any worse than a paper audit reporting beyond duty not driving time and you certainly can argue that they won't be better.
-- ought to mat and it automatically capturing driving time so I think.
You can't disagree that they will improve compliance in the -- very very clear that fleets that are compliant with the federal hours of service rules have lower crash rates -- prosecutable.
Tightest satisfying your car I mean -- that would -- me well.
Again what -- talks about is creating the illusion of compliance the fact of the matter is.
These units aren't checked today simply because it forced -- officers.
Don't have the technology and the training and the know how to do it.
Those -- just give out free pass okay the difference between his perspective and ours is it can it can and enhance their operation.
I don't think there's any chance -- enhance safety for our guys it's just simply a cost.
Trucking is -- 80% small business -- and fewer trucks half of the jurors on the road.
Our one truck operators okay -- don't need monitoring systems they know where there are and they are the safest drivers on the road.
They don't need the hundreds and thousands of dollars.
And billions of costs and dollars to the industry.
That this will entail skies and they shouldn't be subjected to what we got -- -- -- -- to foundation says.
This raises privacy concerns married I have and they don't annoy your lawyer billions more and more importantly it is regulatory -- -- from -- administration.
Thank you so much for joining actually got its feet away from here we appreciate.
