CVSA pushes for universal electronic identification trackers for commercial vehicles

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) recently asked federal transportation officials for universal electronic vehicle identifiers to aid in the commercial vehicle inspection process.

In response to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (USDOT) request for public comments on the next surface transportation reauthorization bill, the CVSA outlined a number of priorities in an August 21 letter, including an ask for universal electronic vehicle identifiers for commercial vehicles to assist inspectors in “selecting the vehicles on the roadway that are most in need of an inspection or intervention.”

CVSA Wants Truck Trackers To Flag CMVs That Should Be Removed

The CVSA argues that electronic vehicle identifiers would help officers to more efficiently screen commercial vehicles in their area for inspection and intervention.

“… A system that uses the universal electronic vehicle identifier could flag vehicles that are operating under a federal or state out-of-service order. These are vehicles that should not be operating yet are on the road despite significant safety issues, placing other road users at risk. Deployment of a universal electronic vehicle identifier could help inspectors better identify these vehicles for removal from the roadways,” the CVSA said.

From the letter:

“Under current inspection selection procedures, inspectors are not receiving a complete picture of the CMVs in their vicinity that are available for inspection. Using technology to identify multiple vehicles electronically would allow enforcement to increase the number of vehicles that are screened for inspection while using data to better select vehicles for intervention, creating efficiencies for the enforcement community and the motor carrier industry. A universal electronic vehicle identifier would provide inspectors with a complete picture of the vehicles around them, so they can better identify and prioritize vehicles that are operating unsafely. After reviewing a complete picture of the vehicles in the vicinity, the inspector maintains discretion to select the vehicle that poses the greatest imminent hazard to road users.“

The agency also suggested that electronic trackers could be used for enforcement in identifying motor carrier fraud and USDOT number theft.

“In instances where USDOT number theft is suspected, enforcement can rely on the electronic vehicle identifier, in addition to a motor carrier’s registration information, to determine if the vehicle being driven is associated with the USDOT number,” the CVSA said.

Group Says No Privacy Concerns With Truck Trackers

Trucking groups like the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) have opposed trackers for trucks for privacy reasons, but the CVSA argued that “there are no credible privacy concerns with implementation of a universal electronic vehicle identifier because sensitive information, such as driver information and data, would not be transmitted.”

“With the size of the CMV industry, it is not possible for the roughly 13,000 inspectors across North America to inspect every vehicle, driver and motor carrier operating on our roadways on a regular basis. Implementing a universal electronic vehicle identifier would strengthen partnerships with the CMV enforcement community and provide them with a tool that would significantly improve the way CMVs are selected for inspection, leveraging limited resources and improving roadway safety,” the CVSA concluded.

In September 2022, FMCSA issued a call for public comments on an advance notice of proposed rulemaking  to require “every commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operating in interstate commerce to be equipped with electronic identification (ID) technology capable of wirelessly communicating a unique ID number when queried by a Federal or State motor carrier safety enforcement personnel.” The proposed rule was met with strong opposition from the trucking industry and did not advance.

The FMCSA responded to CVSA’s previous calls for electronic identifiers for commercial vehicles with a proposed study to evaluate “the effectiveness of this technology to the identification of vehicles in lieu of license plate readers and USDOT number readers.”