The Nation : Senate Approves Truck Safety Measure

The Senate approved a bill that would extend federal truck regulations to urban areas and would require the government to consider on-board devices to monitor drivers. The measure, passed by a unanimous voice vote, is aimed at reducing the toll from truck and bus accidents, which kill more than 5,000 Americans annually. Federal regulations set minimum standards for the construction and operation of trucks and buses, and for the physical condition of their drivers. They are often stricter and more detailed than state requirements. The measure would also give the Department of Transportation a year to determine whether drivers’ performances must be monitored by instruments installed in the trucks, and which devices should be used. Federal rules forbid commercial drivers from driving more than 10 consecutive hours or 60 hours per week.