Nation : Curbs on Truckers Urged

A federal safety panel called for setting up a national licensing system for drivers of heavy commercial trucks. The National Transportation Safety Board recommended that a uniform licensing program be developed in part to keep a closer eye on problem drivers, some of whom run up violations in one state and then obtain a new license from another by concealing their past. “State agencies should test applicants’ knowledge and performance and check their qualifications, using uniform standards and test procedures developed by the Department of Transportation,” the board said. More than 5,000 people are killed annually in accidents involving trucks, federal statistics show. Legislation is pending in Congress to establish a national drivers’ license program for drivers of commercial vehicles.