NTSB: Poor Marks For Regulators

The National Transportation Safety Board looked at trucking regulators' response to its most urgent safety recommendations last week and found it seriously wanting.

NTSB's 10-year review of progress on hours-of-service reform also found that transportation agencies had done little to get new rules in place for operators of heavy vehicles.

Two of the agency's 10 "Most Wanted" transportation safety improvements discussed at the May 11 board meeting were:

A requirement by all transportation modal agencies that automatic information recording devices be installed in heavy vehicles.

On both issues, NTSB gave the Federal Highway Administration a D grade.

At the meeting, the board reiterated its urgent recommendation for FHWA to establish new hours-of-service regulations and said they should be in place within two years.

TSB staffers were not overly optimistic.

For the full story, see the May 17 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.