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A federal advisory committee studying electronic onboard recorders did not reach a consensus on the best way to transmit hours-of-service data from the truck cab to roadside inspectors, but did offer recommendations on items including safeguarding carrier and driver privacy.

The Senate Commerce Committee approved a bill to create a national freight program that its sponsors said would boost America’s global economic competitiveness, improve its mobility and promote energy conservation.

Of course, concerns persist about electronic onboard recorders (“FMCSA Drops Its 2012 Electronic Log Rule Aimed at Carriers With Major HOS Offenses,” 11-21, p. 3). EOBRs are unconstitutional and should be outlawed.

This is in reference to the editorial “Fixing the EOBR Rule.” What we need to fix the electronic onboard recorder rule — and many other inane decisions by activist jurists — is a little real-world common sense.

We were disappointed to see the federal appellate court’s ruling overturning the requirement that some motor carriers install electronic recording devices to monitor drivers’ compliance with the hours-of-service rule.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s electronic onboard recorder 2010 final rule for motor carriers with significant hours-of-service violations does not protect truck drivers from potential harassment by their employers, a federal appeals court has ruled.

Insurance executives said they strongly support electronic logging but that use of the devices by truckers will not automatically lower fleets’ coverage expenses because carriers’ overall safety records dictate rates.

BALTIMORE — Fleets that adopt electronic logging devices are encountering challenges from competitors who don’t use them and who poach their drivers and customers, three carrier officials said last week.