US trucking group supports Government ban on cellphone, texting by drivers

The largest national trade organization for the trucking industry in the United States, American Trucking Associations (ATA), has given its support to a government ban on the use of handheld cellphones by commercial truck and bus drivers. The final rule issued by the Department of Transportation and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to ban the use of handheld cellphones by commercial truck and bus drivers was announced today.

The US Transportation Secretary, Ray LaHood, announced the final rule prohibiting interstate truck and bus drivers from using hand-held cell phones while operating their vehicles. The joint rule from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is the latest action by the U.S. Department of Transportation to end distracted driving.

The final rule prohibits commercial drivers from using a hand-held mobile telephone while operating a commercial truck or bus. Drivers who violate the restriction will face federal civil penalties of up to $2,750 for each offense and disqualification from operating a commercial motor vehicle for multiple offenses. Additionally, states will suspend a driver's commercial driver's license (CDL) after two or more serious traffic violations. Commercial truck and bus companies that allow their drivers to use hand-held cell phones while driving will face a maximum penalty of $11,000. Approximately four million commercial drivers would be affected by this final rule.

"ATA has been vocal in its support of Transportation Secretary LaHood's quest to combat distracted driving and this is another appropriate step toward achieving that goal," ATA President and CEO Bill Graves said. "Studies have shown that actions like texting and dialing a phone can greatly increase crash risk, so by taking steps to curb these behaviors hold great promise to improve highway safety."

While the federal government cannot enact such bans for drivers of passenger vehicles, ATA urges all states to follow the lead of DOT and FMCSA and take steps to ban these dangerous activities for all drivers, Graves said.