Commercial drivers in Illinois are banned from using hand held cellphones while driving, as of this month, the Illinois Department of Transportation said.

In regard to the piece on the new cellphone ban for commercial drivers, I am in almost total agreement — with a couple of caveats.

On Jan. 3, rules drafted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration went into effect, prohibiting interstate commercial motor vehicle drivers and intrastate hazardous materials drivers from holding, dialing or reaching for a mobile phone.

The regulation banning truck drivers from using handheld phones while they drive will take effect Jan. 3, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration said Friday.