Figured I should let everyone know about this since we have quite a few people here that use their SDs for commercial hauling.

Effective January 3rd, 2012 cell phone use while driving a commercial vehicle will be banned unless using a hands free device/speakerphone. This is a law being put in effect by the FMCSA, so it is nationwide. The fine for violation is up to $2,750 for drivers and $11,000 for carriers that fail to comply.

CB/two-way radio use will still be allowed, but use of a push to talk phone (Nextel) will not be allowed.

FMCSA officially publishes rule on hand-held cell-phone ban - Safety and Regulation Compliance Products, Training, and Services, J.J. Keller & Associates

The full law can be found here:

(This is a 66 page PDF file)

http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regul...phone_NFRM.pdf

 

Well that makes all the difference in the world

 

I was thinking the same thing. Not much difference between the two.

 

Glad all of the more serious problems in this country have been solved first...............

 

Well sure, since they haven't figured out world peace yet, it's ok to ignore everything else. I mean, if some 17-year old girl wrecked her car because she was talking on her cell phone, you'd be all over her and how she shouldn't be on her phone while driving and there should be a law and all that, yada, yada.

But if a law is passed banning people from talking on a cell phone while hammering down the highway at 75 mph hauling 40 tons of freight, then the government needs better things to do with their time.

Oh and I agree that there's no difference between talking on a cb radio and a two-way talkie like a Nextel, that's just stupid.

 

I can see 2 differences, you have to look up the person you want to talk to thereby taking your eyes off the road. From an enforcement point of view its hard to tell the difference between a Nextel phone and any other cell phone while driving down the road or rolling through a scale/inspection station.

Not saying its right, just saying.

 

Since our trucks are all registered in New York, where "hands on" cell phone driving is illegal for the general public, we've had hands free in the trucks for at least the past three years.

The Ford Sync takes the hands free cell phone to a new level though. Thumb the voice button on the wheel. Say "phone". Wait for the audio prompt. Say "Call Sam's Pizza". Done. Really sweet.

JIm

 

If I read it right, this is just for drivers hauling hazard waste.

 

You read part of it right.

For intrastate drivers (those that don't cross state lines) it only applies if you are hauling hazardous materials.

However, it applies to ALL interstate drivers (those that do cross state lines) regardless of what you are hauling.

 

Thanks for pointing that out. I didn't catch that the first time.

 

Yeah, doesn't help that our wonderful government has to make these laws so damn complicated when they write them. I mean, 66 pages? Really? I could get it done in a couple sentences.

I don't understand the whole intrastate/interstate reasoning either. Do we have some magical power that allows us to safely talk on a phone and drive and we lose that power when we cross an imaginary line?

 

Per my experience the government acts on statistics. For example those 1 ton duallies hauling 30,000 lb car hauling trailers don't make accidents, therefore are legalized on our roads.
Intrastate driver makes daily trips, no reason for him talking too much on the phone, when he can make calls back at the office. I have been following semi truck driving 40 mph on desert highway for several miles. Only when we came to passing lane, it turned out he was on the phone all that time having heated conversation.
Drivers being on the road for days, seek back loads, what is critical part of business. Easy to abuse the phone use, when you can make big bucks adding a load on your return trip.

 

It's because the Federal Government has limited Constitutional power to regulate an activity that happens entirely within the borders of a single State. That power lies with that particular State. But, as soon as a border is crossed, Federal jurisdiction applies. Often, States adopt Federal regulations simply to make enforcement uniform/easier, but not always.

 

Thanks for making us aware of this but let's keep the politics out of the conversation or I'll have to move or close the thread folks. Thanks.

 

It probably took $5000000 in wages to pass that law
Really the statistics are done in cities not rural ore interstate settings
I can see the phone deal
I love this counter but give me a break