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September 8, 1999 11:10 AM, EDT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Those who insist that “black boxes” are the best way to track driver hours of service are trying to avoid a collision with trucking people who fear that onboard computers will be used to collect too much information.

Meanwhile, government regulators were sending hints that onboard recorders of some kind are likely to be a factor in the long-anticipated revision of hours-of-service regulations.

Will data recorders in trucks benefit the drivers or will the National Transportation Safety Board use them only as an accident investigation tool? Will management have access to driver performance data? Will regulatory authorities be able to use driver data for enforcement?

These are some of the questions surrounding the black box that were asked, but not answered, at the first day of an NTSB hearing on technology in trucking, which ran from Aug. 30 to Sept. 2.

NTSB recommended 10 years ago that onboard recording devices be put on trucks, and the industry blocked NTSB efforts to have them mandated.

This time around, though, some type of data recorder seems likely to be included in some way in the reform of hours-of-service regulations being prepared by the Department of Transportation, according to sources attending the hearing.

For the full story, see the Sept. 6 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.