Linda Goodman June 15, 2016
FMCSA s Safety-First Mission Congress established FMCSA in 2000 with a mission to prevent crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving large trucks and buses. FMCSA and our staff of 1,100 employees are dedicated to that goal. We regulate more than half a million interstate motor carriers, including truck and motor-coach companies, household goods carriers, and hazardous materials carriers. And nearly 4 million active CDL holders.
3 Guiding Core Principles Raising the safety bar to enter the motor carrier industry; Requiring carriers and drivers to maintain our high safety standards; and Removing high-risk carriers, unsafe companies, drivers and vehicles from the road. FMCSA cannot achieve our life-saving mission alone. We are focused on partnering with our stakeholders in law enforcement, the safety advocate community, labor, and industry. Acting Administrator Darling has said that 2016 is the Year of Partnerships for FMCSA because our partners are our force multipliers.
Crash Statistics In 2014, there were 3,649 fatal crashes involving large trucks and buses, a 4.5 percent decrease over the previous year. [according to the most recent FARS data] 4,161 people lost their lives in those crashes, a 2.7 percent decrease over the previous year. Reductions are important and gratifying, but we must continue to: Work hard to carry out our regulatory responsibilities for a large universe of carriers and drivers and Remain committed to our crash prevention efforts, by identifying and intervening with high-risk carriers and drivers before a crash occurs.
Unified Registration System (URS) URS system being phased in and will: Feature a new, online smart form to streamline the carrier registration process and enable us to more readily detect unsafe carriers seeking to evade enforcement. Improve the accuracy and timeliness of the information in the Agency s database of registered motor carriers. Streamline manual processes and combine several forms that regulated entities are required to submit into one unified online registration application. Save the industry time and money.
Safety Fitness Determination (SFD) FMCSA recently published the Safety Fitness Determination (SFD) proposed rule to enhance the Agency s ability to identify non-compliant carriers. The proposed SFD rule would replace the current threetier federal rating system of satisfactory conditional unsatisfactory for federally regulated commercial motor carriers (in place since 1982) with a single determination of unfit. Such unfit carriers would be required to either improve their compliance with safety regulations or cease operations. Carriers would be rated based on their own performance, not by comparison with other carriers. Once in place, the SFD rule will enable FMCSA to assess the safety fitness of approximately 75,000 companies a month a vast increase from current levels. FMCSA is currently analyzing the input.
Worst First Campaign The campaign ran from June to December and provided strong support of a change in the definition of High Risk and a targeting of 900 carriers with two or more BASICS above 90, which are highly crash-correlated. It yielded impressive results: Increased mandatory investigations by 20%. Doubled the enforcement rate. 41% of carriers UNSAT/Conditional
High Risk Investigations FMCSA implanted the new definition of High Risk and shortened the goal time for completing investigations of High Risk carriers from 12 months to 90 days. The Enforcement Rate continues to be very high for these carriers. We intend to transform this successful campaign into a sustainable long-term program.
Entry-Level Driver Training FMCSA s proposed for the first time a set of comprehensive national training standards for entry-level commercial truck and bus operators seeking to obtain a commercial driver s license (CDL). The goal of the proposed rule is to ensure that entry-level drivers have the knowledge and skills they need to be safe before they get behind the wheel of a CMV. ELD Technical Advisory Committee, or ELDTAC, successfully reached consensus and issued recommendations on: Curriculum content; Delivery of training; Accreditation; Financial aid, and Compliance dates
Entry-Level Driver Training (continued) In addition to the minimum requirements to obtain a CDL, the proposed rule also includes minimum requirements for training providers, including: Teaching an approved curriculum; Registering on FMCSA s Training Provider Registry; and Submitting electronically to FMCSA the training certificate for each individual who completes the training. The Agency intends to publish a Final Rule by the end of 2016.
Electronic Logging Devices (ELD s) ELDs will result in an annual net benefit of more than $1 billion largely by reducing the amount of required industry paperwork. ELDs will improve safety by strengthening commercial truck and bus drivers compliance with hours-of-service regulations; They will increase the efficiency of roadside law enforcement personnel in reviewing driver records. Most importantly, the ELD Final Rule is estimated to save 26 lives and prevent 562 injuries each year resulting from crashes involving fatigued drivers. In tandem with the ELD rule, we recently published a Final Rule on Coercion that will add another layer of protection for drivers. We want you to have an avenue to file complaints to FMCSA and steps we can take in response, as well as possible penalties.
CSA Phase III Implementation of CSA Phase III during 2016 to facilitate safety audits and interventions by FMCSA and the States using Sentri 2.1, the FMCSA s mobile client. Sentri 2.1 represents the next major step in the agency s transformation initiative. The software will combine the functionality from all of FMCSA s legacy Field systems and streamline the Agency s workflow processes. By potentially combining roadside inspection, investigative, and enforcement functions into a single interface, Sentri will provide enforcement and field users with easier access to carrier and driver information and will help in their efforts to target unsafe carriers and drivers.
National Registry The National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners is a key piece of our efforts to make sure CMV drivers are medically fit. Since 2014, we have been requiring all medical examiners who perform physicals for drivers and issue medical certificates to be trained on our medical qualification standards and listed on the Registry. As of Spring 2016, there are about 46,000 certified medical examiners.
National Registry II We recently published the National Registry II Final Rule which speeds up the submission of medical information about CMV driver physicals by providing it to FMCSA for transmission to the State driver licensing agencies. This Final Rule requires medical examiners to use an updated form and gives them a 24-hour deadline to report results of driver physicals. The effective date was June 2015 and the compliance date is 2018. This new rule is the next significant step in ensuring that only medically qualified drivers are on the roads.
Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse Another key part of driver wellness is ensuring that CMV drivers are sober and drug-free. In 2014 we published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to establish a Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse. The NPRM would require commercial truck and bus companies and those who manage testing programs to report verified results into a nationwide database. The comment period for the rule ended and we are now developing a Final Rule for publication in 2016.
FAST Act Overview Fixing America s Surface Transportation Act, or FAST Act. A number of provisions and requirements apply to FMCSA, including: It includes a modest increase in authorization levels through 2020. The Act requires FMCSA to carry out a lengthy list of actions, including: Rulemakings: 20 Reports to Congress: 14 Working Groups: 5 Studies: 4 Partner with the National Academies of Science to study the Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) and the Safety Measurement System (SMS). Implement a Beyond Compliance program. We are holding [in early 2016] listening sessions to obtain public suggestions on establishing this program.
The Fast Act and Grants The FAST Act makes significant changes to the way we administer and award grants to the States, which make up more than half our annual budget. Moving to consolidate our grants program from 10 to 4 which will streamline the process, making the application process easier for our State partners. Beginning in FY 2017, MCSAP grants will be consolidated into one formula-driven program that will allow for more efficient use of funds. Established a working group to recommend a new MCSAP allocation formula. That group held its first meeting on April 1. Allows for multi-year plans and annual updates so that States do not have to resubmit plans every year. Requires full participation in PRISM program by October 2020 or States must demonstrate an alternative approach.
The Fast Act and Veteran Initiatives The FAST Act also bolsters FMCSA s efforts to serve our veterans by helping them transition to careers in transportation as skilled commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. An FMCSA rule will provide military personnel with a time extension to apply for a skills test waiver and also permit active duty military personnel to apply and be tested for their commercial learner s permits and commercial driver s license in the State where they are stationed. FMCSA will establish a process that allows veteran operators to obtain their DOT medical certification exams from their Department of Veterans Affairs physician. The CMV Operator Safety Training grant program will provide grant funds to commercial driver training schools that train veterans to transition into civilian motor carrier careers. The FAST Act military pilot program will allow select military personnel between 18-21 years of age to operate a commercial motor vehicle in interstate commerce.
Conclusion Thanks again for giving me the opportunity to speak. And please remember: At the end of the day, it takes all of us working together to keep the motor carrier industry safe as it serves the American people.