The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will eliminate a reporting regulation for interstate commercial truck and bus drivers and state licensing offices that has been made redundant by technological advances.

Initiated back in 1986, before the advent of widespread computerization and shared data portals, the regulation required CDL holders to manually report all out-of-state traffic convictions to their home-state licensing agency. The intent was to record the CDL holder's complete driving record.  

In 1994, Congress directed states to electronically share traffic convictions without repealing the previous requirement. Today's action maintains the electronic reporting requirements by states, but eliminates the redundant reporting by interstate truck and bus drivers.

Drivers are still required to report accidents, citations and violations to their employers with 30 days.

FMCSA says the elimination of the regulation will not affect safety.

The Federal Register notice announcing the Agency's Final Rule on Self Reporting of Out-of-State Convictions is available here.