Sen. Deb Fischer Introduces FMCSA Reform Legislation
Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) has introduced legislation designed to reform the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s regulatory process.
Under the senator’s bill, titled the Truck Safety Reform Act, FMCSA would be required to review rules, regulations, guidance and enforcement policies as well as report on the results of such reviews, every five years.
The measure also would require the agency to draw from a wider scope of sectors within the industry when performing its cost-benefit analysis. And the bill would look to provide more opportunities for stakeholder involvement in the agency’s rulemaking process.
The legislation, introduced June 24, has been referred to the Commerce Committee. According to background provided by committee staff, the need to reform aspects of the agency stemmed from challenges related to a 2013 hours-of-service rule for truckers and a commercial carrier scoring program deemed flawed by many industry leaders.
Fischer, chairwoman of the Commerce Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security, a panel with jurisdiction over trucking regulations, touched on these concerns, earlier this year.
She said, “The FMCSA has disregarded the views of Congress, stakeholders and several independent agencies with its current agenda-driven approach to regulating our nation’s truckers.”
Fischer also unveiled legislation designed to address driver shortage in the trucking industry. Under the Commercial Driver Act, also introduced June 24, a test program would be established to allow states to enter into interstate compacts to recognize similar commercial driver license driving-age laws.
The bill also would seek to expand the pool of eligible truck drivers and establish career opportunities for recent high school graduates.
