Section 4007(a)(2) of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991 (ISTEA)

Section 4007(a)(2) of the Intermodal Surface Efficiency Act of 1991

SEC. 4007. TRAINING OF DRIVERS; LONGER COMBINATION VEHICLE REGULATIONS, STUDIES, AND TESTING.

(a) Entry Level.-

(1) Study of private sector.-Not later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall report to Congress on the effectiveness of the efforts of the private sector to ensure adequate training of entry level drivers of commercial motor vehicles. In preparing the report, the Secretary shall solicit the views of interested persons.

(2) Rulemaking proceeding.-Not later than 12 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall commence a rulemaking proceeding on the need to require training of all entry level drivers of commercial motor vehicles. Such rulemaking proceeding shall be completed not later than 24 months after the date of such enactment.

(3) Followup study.-If the Secretary determines under the proceeding conducted under paragraph (2) that it is not in the public interest to issue a rule that requires training for all entry level drivers, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Public Works and Transportation of the House of Representatives not later than 25 months after the date of the enactment of this Act a report on the reasons for such decision, together with the results of a cost benefit analysis which the Secretary shall conduct with respect to such proceeding.

(b) LCVs Training Requirements.-

(1) Initiation of rulemaking proceeding.-Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall initiate a rulemaking proceeding to establish minimum training requirements for operators of longer combination vehicles. This training shall include certification of an operator's proficiency by an instructor who has met the requirements established by the Secretary.

(2) Final rule.-Not later than 24 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue a final regulation establishing minimum training requirements for operators of longer combination vehicles.

(c) Safety Characteristics.-

(1) Study.-The Comptroller General shall conduct a study of the safety of longer combination vehicles for the purpose of comparing the safety characteristics and performance, including engineering and design safety characteristics, of such vehicles to other truck-trailer combination vehicles and for the purpose of reviewing the history and effectiveness of State safety enforcement pertaining to such vehicles for those States in which such vehicles are permitted to operate. Such study shall include an assessment of each of the following:

(A) The adequacy of currently available data bases for the purpose of determining the safety of longer combination vehicles and recommending safety improvements.

(B) Whether or not such States are actively monitoring the safety of such operations.

(C) The best available information on the safety of such operations.

(D) Enforcement actions which have been taken in such States to ensure the safety of such operations.

(E) Current procedures and controls used by such States to ensure the safety of operation of such vehicles.

(F) Whether or not any special inspections of equipment maintenance is required to improve the safety of such operations.

(G) The economic and safety impact of longer combination vehicles on shared highways.

(2) Report.-Not later than 2 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall transmit a report on the results of the study conducted under paragraph (1) to the Committee on Environment and Public Works and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Public Works and Transportation of the House of Representatives.

(d) Operations of Longer Combination Vehicles.-

(1) Tests.-The Secretary shall conduct on the road tests with respect to the driver and vehicle characteristics of operations of longer combination vehicles for the purpose of determining whether or not any modifications are necessary to the Federal commercial motor vehicle safety standards of the Department of Transportation as they apply to longer combination vehicles. At a minimum, such tests shall examine driver fatigue and stress and time of operation characteristics. Such tests also shall examine the characteristics of longer combination vehicles, including an assessment of on board computers, anti-lock brakes, and anti-trailer under ride systems to determine the potential safety effectiveness of those technologies as applied to such vehicles.

(2) Report.-Not later than 3 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall transmit a report on the results of the tests conducted under paragraph (1) to the Committee on Environment and Public Works and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Public Works and Transportation of the House of Representatives.

(e) Funding.-There shall be available to the Secretary for carrying out this section, out of the Highway Trust Fund (other than the Mass Transit Account), $1,000,000 per fiscal year for each of fiscal years 1992, 1993, and 1994. Such sums shall remain available until expended.

(f) Longer Combination Vehicle Defined.-For the purposes of this section, the term ``longer combination vehicle'' means any combination of a truck tractor and 2 or more trailers or semitrailers which operate on the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways with a gross vehicle weight greater than 80,000 pounds.

SEC. 4008. PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL REGISTRATION PLAN AND INTERNATIONAL FUEL TAX AGREEMENT.