Cirillo: Trucking Still Needs Outreach

Related Stories FHWA warns trucking: more enforcement, less cooperation. Cooperation, technology mark Reagle years as head of OMC. George Reagle replaced as OMC chief. Julie Anna Cirillo named new leader of OMC. Wolf tells trucking he'll move OMC. (Note: To return to this story, click the "Back" button on your browser.)

Trucking’s chief regulator put on a softer face as she outlined a three-pronged approach to improve truck safety that includes education, enforcement and expanded use of technology.

Julie Cirillo, program manager of the Motor Carrier and Highway Safety business unit, talked about her new get-tough approach to safety in a whirlwind of interviews with trade publications and meetings with congressional staff.

It was in contrast to her stern testimony April 14 to 16 before the National Transportation Safety Board, when she told officials her department — a unit of the Federal Highway Administration — would place an increased emphasis on enforcement and inspections.

“As an agency, we are not stepping away from outreach,” Cirillo said during an April 21 interview with Transport Topics at her office in Washington, D.C.

Effective immediately, the business unit’s field investigators will devote their time to conducting compliance reviews. Industry and public outreach will be handled by state directors and staff in Washington, Cirillo said.

“It would be virtually impossible to achieve our safety goals without working with [the] industry,” she said.

Cirillo plans a new outreach effort to highlight advantages of following good safety practices to shippers and carriers. She also will expand the “Share the Road” campaign, which educates both commercial and private vehicle drivers on how interact.

For the full story, see the April 26 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.