The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is exploring a device that would allow roadside enforcement to electronically identify and perhaps monitor the condition of drivers and commercial motor vehicles on the highway. But it is also raising a lot of questions.
The federal truck regulator is considering requiring interstate CMVs to be equipped with “unique identification devices,” also known as “universal identification devices.” UIDs would potentially transmit more than just the identity of the CMV — such items as the driver’s CDL status and medical certification as well as the carrier’s name, contact information, vehicle identification number, license plate number, USDOT number, gross vehicle weight rating, and more.
If implemented, UID would require an entirely new system to sort safe carriers from those with safety or compliance issues, costing taxpayers billions of dollars.
Learn more about FMCSA’s new approach to gathering information on drivers and CMVs by reading the new whitepaper “Understanding Electronic IDs for Trucks.” You will discover how data in a UID program can be used, if there is a safety benefit, why this plan is being considered, and many other trucking industry and law enforcement concerns.
PrePass Safety Alliance is a non-profit public-private partnership established to improve commercial transportation safety and efficiency through data-driven innovation. PrePass allows qualified carriers to bypass inspection and weigh station facilities at highway speeds.
