BLE Focus

Summer 2000
Volume 107 - No. 2

BLE Focus

The Issues: Event Recorders and Automatic Recording Devices

Over the past 35 years, the capability of monitoring various apsects of the operation of all types of vehicles has improved dramatically. The National Transportation Safety Board is leading an effort to require the use of state-of-the-art data collection equipment in all modes of public transportation.

Background

NTSB maintains a "Ten Most Wanted List" of recommendations to the agencies of the Department of Transportation. NTSB does not have the authority to issue regulations, but frequently applies pressure to the regulating agencies to make rules to meet NTSB's safety goals. A recent addition to the list from NTSB is one to FRA for "automatic recording devices." This includes voice and video recording of surface transportation vehicles, including locomotive cabs.

The NTSB has offered, in the form of legislation, certain protections from disclosure of the information contained on such recordings similar to those used for aviation in "voice cockpit recorders."

As NTSB contemplates, there are event recorders for all kinds of data. Voice recorders would record conversations in the cabs of locomotives and tractor-trailers, cockpits of airplanes and bridge decks of maritime vessels. Video recorders would record movements of crew members in aircraft and locomotives, position of gauges and controls, and what the pilots or locomotive crew members are viewing outside the work space.

Update

Introduction of new technology in the field of data collection is on the radar screens of the FRA and other Transportation Department agencies with responsibility for safety oversight across all modes, at the urging of NTSB.

Why is NTSB promoting increased data collection? According to NTSB, this data is valuable as an accident investigation tool. That also is the primary function of the NTSB. Following the Silver Springs, Md., collision involving a MARC commuter train and an Amtrak train, the NTSB recommended to FRA that voice recordings be made in the locomotive cab. The issue also was taken up by the Event Recorder RSAC, but was not included in the group's recommendations.

What's In Store?

Locomotive data event recorders currently in use, pursuant to FRA requirements, already provide the carriers with the capability of monitoring each locomotive engineer's performance on every trip. The potential introduction of locomotive cab voice and video recorders raises important privacy concerns for operating crew members.

The BLE is working in conjunction with the Air Line Pilots Association and the International Brotherhood of Teamsters to develop standards that protect the legitimate privacy interests of transportation workers. The research includes studying how civil aviation authorities in other countries deal with cockpit voice recorders.

The standards under development will include restrictions on the length of time voice and video data remains captured, a limitation on the use of such data, and a prohibition against the use of such data in company disciplinary proceedings.

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