91ÊÓƵ

February 8, 2000 10:00 AM, EST

Put the cellular phone down when you’re driving.

Michael James - Transport TopicsSome states are considering legislation to prohibit motorists and truckers from using a cellular phone while driving.That’s the message some state legislators hope to deliver to all drivers. Lawmakers in at least 10 states are working on bills that would prohibit private and commercial drivers alike from using telephones while the vehicle is under way.

Such a ban could deeply affect truckers who rely on cellular phones to run their businesses, industry experts say. Hardest hit would be the smaller trucking companies and owner-operators who can’t afford more expensive communications technology to stay in touch with dispatchers, said Kevin Holland, manager of technology policy for American Trucking Associations.

Kevin McNeil of Fleet Transit in Baltimore said he supplies 30% of his drivers with such phones. Maryland is one of the states considering a ban.

For the full story, see the Feb. 7 print edition of Transport Topics. .