Regs waiver request would allow GPS windshield mounting in ‘safety technology’ area

Traditional Trucking Corporation has requested a waiver from federal regulations to allow GPS devices to be mounted in the area of the windshield that is currently meant for safety technologies only.

A 60-truck fleet has requested a waiver from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that would allow it and other fleets to mount GPS devices in the area of the windshield designated only for “vehicle safety technology” devices.

Currently under federal regulations, GPS devices are not considered “vehicle safety technology,” therefore they cannot be mounted within the area swept by the windshield wipers. Devices that fall under the regulation can be mounted no more than 4 inches below the upper edge of the area swept by the wipers and no more than 7 inches above the lower edge of the area swept by wipers.

Traditional Trucking Corporation, a Belvue, Kansas-based fleet, says GPS devices are “approximately the same size as the currently allowed ‘vehicle safety technologies’ mounted on the windshield.” The company adds that the dash “is not suitable for mounting the fixture to hold the GPS unit” and the location of the unit if mounted on the dash is in the same area that safety technology is currently allowed.

TTC says the waiver would apply to “any carrier who wishes to mount a GPS device on the windshield within the area defined for ‘vehicle safety technology.’”

Federal regulations define “vehicle safety technologies” as fleet-related incident management systems, performance or behavior management systems, speed management systems, lane departure warning systems, forward collision warning or mitigation systems, active cruise control systems and transponders.

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FMCSA is seeking public comment on the waiver request, which can be made here through April 23.