Senator Deb Fischer introduced legislation on Wednesday (June 25) called the Truck Safety Reform Act that she hopes will help to combat the FMCSA’s controversial policies and regulatory flaws with reform.
Fischer has openly condemned the FMCSA for its failure to use legitimate studies and real world information in its processes. Said Fischer, “For example, the FMCSA issued the final 34-hour restart rule in 2013 with complete disregard for congressionally mandated requirements for an efficacy study on the rule’s impact.”
The OOIDA supported bill would aim to add transparency to the FMCSA’s processes by allowing more input from both the industry and the general public. The new legislation would also require that the FMCSA’s policies and processes be exhaustively audited every five years for consistency, clarity, and enforceability. The FMCSA would be required to submit a report and publish a report for public review to help guide the agency with opinions from the general public and the trucking community.
The bill will also require that the FMCSA justify any policy changes with high quality scientific, financial, and technological data.
The Truck Safety Reform Act would also mean that the FMCSA is subject to oversight from Transportation Research Board or the Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General.
OOIDA applauds Fischer’s legislation, stating ““Professional drivers spend the majority of their lives on the road. No other drivers on the road are as concerned about highway safety as they are. It’s time regulations reflect that instead of vilifying them.”
If you’d like to join OOIDA in supporting FMCSA reform, you can do so at their website: http://www.fightingfortruckers.com/fixfmcsa.
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Transport Topics