GPS Data Must be Kept by Trucking Companies for Six Months
In a welcome change to regulations regarding hours of service for drivers, companies are now required by the FMCSA to save satellite GPS information that shows the location of the truck. This will increase a company's ability to enforce safe trucking policies, and the law, which limits the number of hours a driver can be on the road. It is well recognized in science and the law that tired drivers are unsafe drivers. The memo from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration went into effect in December of 2008.
It should be clarified to all trucking companies, that if the vehicles have apportioned registration (IRP), they are required to retain the records for three years following the close of the current registration year, or four years (IRP Section 1005).
This is also required for the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA). Unfortunately, too many carriers are under the impression that records need only be retained for a period of six months. The financial ramifications for failure to maintain adequate records, if selected for audit under IRP or IFTA, can be enormous.