HONOLULU -- The experience of being tailgated by an aggressive truck driver is frightening for many drivers.

Now, government agencies are working together to identify commercial drivers with bad records, and potentially get them off the road.

KITV’s brief search of license plates and drivers’ records found several commercial drivers with lengthy violation records. One truck, spotted speeding and tailgating at rush hour, had been driven by a man with dozens of moving violations, including five speeding convictions.

Traffic court defense attorney Patrick McPherson said he would not be surprised to find that kind of history on many drivers holding a commercial drivers’ license (CDL).

“CDL drivers could accumulate tickets because computers were not linked and because the computers were not linked no one knew what was going happening on the road,” McPherson said.

But now, trucking safety and industry experts say truck inspectors, licensing agencies, police and the courts finally have technology that lets them exchange key information. Under federal law, comprehensive reports on their drivers will be required reading for trucking companies.

“All that data is going to be placed under that driver's name,” said Gareth Sakakida, managing director of the Hawaii Transportation Association. “So, the motor carrier will have a lot more information about everybody.”

Federal transportation experts said with improved information a driver is more likely to be suspended for repeat or serious violations and many drivers could lose their jobs entirely when their employers, for the first time, see their entire driving record.

“Their job could be in jeopardy,” McPherson said, “because, do you want to be an employer of a person who blatantly disregards the law?”

Sakakida said the companies will want to minimize their liability in accidents and prevent higher insurance premiums. “The companies need to be safe,” Sakakida said. “Their insurance policy is affected by all of this. They don't need the extra cost.”

The transportation association and National Highway Transportation Safety Administration have been holding workshops recently to prepare drivers, the courts and the companies for the program, known as Comprehensive Safety Analysis 2010.