This document reports on the perceptions of motor carrier operators regarding the automated electronic services used for credential processing and safety enforcement to be implemented under the Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Network (CVISN) initiative. The CVISN initiative is a nationwide Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) program that seeks to enable the seamless movement of traffic, goods, and services and improve the operating efficiency of government agencies associated with commercial vehicles. Maryland, one of two CVISN prototype states, is implementing the CVISN architecture to enhance and support administrative processes for commercial vehicle operations (CVO), improve roadside safety inspection operations, and implement electronic screening for commercial vehicles.



Data from three surveys (American Trucking Foundation Survey, a Maryland Truck Inventory and Use Survey, and a proposed survey to be used in Connecticut) were used to design a survey that was sent to members of the Maryland Motor Truck Association (MMTA) and the Independent Truckers and Drivers Association (ITDA). 714 surveys were sent to MMTA members and 136 surveys were sent to ITDA members. Of the 850 surveys mailed, 224 were returned by a self-selected survey group. When asked about their use of various technologies, survey respondents indicated that telecommunications technologies (fax, cellular phone, pager, two-way radio, etc.) are most widely used followed by computer-based communications systems. On-board systems are the least used technologies. Carriers with large fleets (25 or more vehicles) tend to implement new technologies at a higher rate than smaller fleets.