U.S. truckers relieved of another paperwork burden

The U.S. Transportation Department said truck drivers, starting Dec. 18, will no longer need to file reports for their pre- and post-trip equipment inspections.    The U.S. Transportation Department said truck drivers, starting Dec. 18, will no longer need to file reports for their pre- and post-trip equipment inspections.
   This change is estimated to save the trucking industry $1.7 billion a year “without compromising safety,” according to the DOT.
   “America’s truckers should be able to focus more on getting their goods safely to store shelves, constructions sites or wherever they need to be instead of spending countless hours on unnecessary paperwork,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx in a statement.
   DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration estimated truck drivers spend about 46.7 million hours each year completing Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports. 
   “Until now, truck driver vehicle inspection reports were the 19th-highest paperwork burden across all federal agencies,” said FMCSA Acting Administrator Scott Darling. “By scrapping the no-defect inspection reports, the burden is reduced to 79th, marking the most significant paperwork reduction achievement thus far in the Obama administration.”
   In June 2012, FMCSA eliminated a comparable requirement for truck drivers operating intermodal equipment trailers used for transporting containerized cargo shipments. The cost savings to the intermodal industry was estimated to be $54 million annually.