Congress Likely to Fuse Safety Bills Into One After Labor Day Weekend

While the introduction of legislation in both houses of Congress creating a separate motor carrier administration is a dream come true for many in trucking, the proposals carry a myriad of other provisions, including the use of electronic data to monitor compliance with hours-of-service regulations and changes in the commercial driver license program.

“We believe that a new motor carrier administration, with truck safety as its core mission, will help us to build even more on our safety efforts,” said American Trucking Associations President Walter B. McCormick Jr.

While legislation sent to Congress by the Department of Transportation Aug. 2 does not make any structural changes in the Office of Motor Carrier and Highway Safety, both the House and Senate bills would create a new national Motor Carrier Administration headed by an administrator chosen by the president and confirmed by Congress. OMCHS Program Manager Julie Cirillo, like her predecessors, serves at the pleasure of the federal highway administrator (8-9, p. 1).

The House bill, introduced Aug. 3 by Rep. Bud Shuster (R-Pa.) also gives the new trucking agency a chief safety officer and a regulatory ombudsman to help meet rulemaking deadlines. The agency’s top officials would have to sign annual agreements setting performance goals and receive bonuses for meeting them. Separate offices would also be created for passenger safety, consumer affairs and international affairs.

Sen. John McCain’s version of the new trucking agency includes divisions for trucks and buses. The Arizona Republican gives the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration jurisdiction over truck retrofitting standards. That provision is supported by safety advocate Joan Claybrook.

All three bills create a Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee comprised of carriers, drivers, suppliers, labor and safety groups, law enforcement and the public. The Senate version of the committee would also conduct negotiated rulemakings on pending regulations.

Trucking interests were busy last week analyzing the proposals and developing strategies for the fall legislative season. The sponsors of the legislation have promised quick action when Congress returns after Labor Day.

Washington insiders say the final law will likely be an amalgamation of the proposals. “Sections of the DOT bill will show up in the other bills,” predicted Stephen Campbell, executive director of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.

For the full story, see the August 16 print edition of Transport Topics. Subscribe today.