Speaking before the US House Transportation & Infrastructure Subcommittee on Highways and Transit, OOIDA officials told Congress that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) needs to conduct a review of existing safety regulations for their effectiveness and impact on highway safety. The hearing on April 29 was entitled “The Future of Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety: Technology, Safety Initiatives & The Role of Regulation.”
OOIDA stated that instead of a reasoned understanding and approach to improving highway safety by addressing the key factors behind at-fault truck crashes, FMCSA policy and enforcement is hyper-focused on absolute compliance with the letter of every single regulation--no matter the connection to at-fault crashes.
OOIDA contends that under current methodology, the agency’s safety scoring system inaccurately paints safe, small carriers as unsafe, reducing access to business and opening them up to misguided enforcement activities. Meanwhile, truly unsafe carriers that crash frequently get ignored.
One of OOIDA’s greatest concerns is that FMCSA’s approach will force many of the safest drivers and carriers out of the industry because it inhibits them from being successful small- business owners. Another concern is a move by the agency to increase federally-mandated levels of financial responsibility. OOIDA and other industry stakeholders have said in a letter that such a move should not be made without ensuring that undue burden is not placed small businesses and that there is no disruption to transportation services.
The Association also says that the current focus on technology initiatives actually hinders safety by placing more pressure on drivers when they are already caught between a regulatory rock and an economic hard place. Technology should not be a substitute for skilled professional drivers, as it results in drivers more focused on not triggering an alert than on making smart, safe driving decisions.