Electronic Logging Devices and Hours of Service Supporting Documents; Research Report on Attitudes of Truck Drivers and Carriers on the Use of Electronic Logging Devices and Driver Harassment

G. Kelly Regal
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
November 13, 2014

[Federal Register Volume 79, Number 219 (Thursday, November 13, 2014)]
[Notices]
[Pages 67541-67542]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2014-26851]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2010-0167]
RIN 2126-AB20


Electronic Logging Devices and Hours of Service Supporting 
Documents; Research Report on Attitudes of Truck Drivers and Carriers 
on the Use of Electronic Logging Devices and Driver Harassment

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of Availability of Research Report.

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SUMMARY: On March 28, 2014, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Administration (FMCSA) published a Supplemental Notice of Proposed 
Rulemaking (SNPRM) that proposed amendments to the Federal Motor 
Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSRs) to establish: Minimum performance 
and design standards for hours-of-service (HOS) electronic logging 
devices (ELDs); requirements for the mandatory use of these devices by 
drivers currently required to prepare HOS records of duty status 
(RODS); requirements concerning HOS supporting documents; and measures 
to address concerns about harassment resulting from the mandatory use 
of ELDs. FMCSA announces the availability of a new report: ``Attitudes 
of Truck Drivers and Carriers on the Use of Electronic Logging Devices 
and Driver Harassment.'' This project surveyed drivers on their 
attitudes regarding carrier harassment and examined whether reported 
harassment experiences varied due to the hours-of-service logging 
method used by the driver. The survey is an effort to further address 
the potential for harassment associated with ELDs and provides results 
that are consistent with the Agency's discussion of harassment in the 
ELD SNPRM. A copy of the report has been placed in the docket 
referenced at the beginning of this notice.

DATES: Comments must be received by December 15, 2014.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments identified by Docket Number FMCSA-
2010-0167 addressing the Research Report using any of the following 
methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: Go to www.regulations.gov. 
Follow the on-line instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery or Courier: West Building Ground Floor, Room 
W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 
5 p.m., ET, Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays.
     Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
    To avoid duplication, please use only one of these four methods. 
See the ``Public Participation and Request for Comments'' portion of 
the SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION section for instructions on submitting 
comments.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information concerning this 
report, please contact Mr. Albert Alvarez, Research Division of the 
Office of Analysis, Research, and Technology, Federal Motor Carrier 
Safety Administration, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE., Washington, DC 
20590-0001 or by telephone at 202-385-2377.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Public Participation and Request for Comments

    FMCSA encourages you to participate by submitting comments and 
related materials pertaining to the report. This notice does not extend 
the earlier comment period pertaining to the ELD SNPRM published March 
28, 2104.

Submitting Comments

    If you submit a comment, please include the docket number for this 
notice (FMCSA-2010-0167), indicate the specific section of the report 
to which each comment applies, and provide a reason for each suggestion 
or recommendation. You may submit your comments and material online or 
by fax, mail, or hand delivery, but please use only one of these means. 
FMCSA recommends that you include your name and a mailing address, an 
email address, or a phone number in the body of your document so the 
Agency can contact you if it has questions regarding your submission.
    To submit your comment online, go to http://www.regulations.gov and 
put the docket number, ``FMCSA-2010-0167'' in the ``Keyword'' box, and 
click ``Search.'' When the new screen

[[Page 67542]]

appears, click on ``Comment Now!'' button and type your comment into 
the text box in the following screen. Choose whether you are submitting 
your comment as an individual or on behalf of a third party and then 
submit.
    If you submit your comments by mail or hand delivery, submit them 
in an unbound format, no larger than 8\1/2\ by 11 inches, suitable for 
copying and electronic filing. If you submit comments by mail and would 
like to know that they reached the facility, please enclose a stamped, 
self-addressed postcard or envelope.
    FMCSA will consider all comments and material received during the 
comment period pertaining to the report.

Viewing Comments and Documents

    To view comments, as well as other documents available in the 
docket, go to http://www.regulations.gov and insert the docket number, 
``FMCSA-2010-0167'' in the ``Keyword'' box and click ``Search.'' Next, 
click the ``Open Docket Folder'' button and choose the document listed 
to review. If you do not have access to the Internet, you may view the 
docket online by visiting the Docket Management Facility in Room W12-
140 on the ground floor of the DOT West Building, 1200 New Jersey 
Avenue SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday 
through Friday, except Federal holidays.

Privacy Act

    In accordance with 5 U.S.C. 553(c), DOT solicits comments from the 
public to better inform its rulemaking process. DOT posts these 
comments, without edit, including any personal information the 
commenter provides, to www.regulations.gov, as described in the system 
of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at 
www.dot.gov/privacy.

II. The Research Report

    This research report, titled, ``Attitudes of Truck Drivers and 
Carriers on the Use of Electronic Logging Devices and Driver 
Harassment,'' examines the nature of harassment as viewed by truck 
drivers who are required to record their hours of service for the 
purposes of Federal reporting regulations. As it examines their 
perceptions, this research also reviews:
     Whether drivers' experiences and interactions with their 
carriers fall into the category of harassment.
     If these experiences occur with any regularity (once or 
twice a month or more).
     Whether these interactions are made possible as a result 
of the carrier using HOS data collected via an ELD and whether it was a 
standalone ELD or part of a comprehensive system that included ELD 
capability.
    These experiences and perceptions are reviewed both for truck 
drivers and for carrier personnel who manage truck drivers. The data 
collected from carrier personnel is similar to that collected from the 
drivers; that is, carriers were asked about the regularity of specific 
interactions with drivers at their firm, and whether the drivers might 
consider such actions (if they occur) harassment.
    Drivers are analyzed according to the systems they used for logging 
their HOS (i.e., paper or ELD). Carrier personnel are also considered 
according to the primary HOS logging method used by their company.
    Additional data was collected regarding attitudes about ELDs, 
reactions to definitions of harassment and coercion developed by the 
FMCSA, ways in which drivers are compensated and evaluated, and 
profiles of both the drivers and the carrier companies.
    For the complete report, visit docket number FMCSA-2010-0167 or 
http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety/research-and-analysis/publications.

    Issued on: November 5, 2014.
G. Kelly Regal,
Associate Administrator, Office of Research and Information Technology 
and Chief Information Officer.
[FR Doc. 2014-26851 Filed 11-12-14; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-EX-P