Trucking industry, government and safety representatives told a Senate panel that federal regulators could improve motor carrier safety by raising the bar for new carriers entering the industry, among other policy changes.
The witnesses disagreed on many other policy proposals they presented to the Senate Commerce Committee’s surface transportation subcommittee at Thursday’s hearing on reauthorizing the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
“ATA urges that every new entrant be required to successfully complete comprehensive online training and an examination prior initiating operations,” Dan England, first vice chairman of American Trucking Associations, told lawmakers.
“Further, the initial safety audits should occur sooner, within six months of the carriers initial start date, not 18 months, the current standard,” England said.
National Transportation Safety Board Vice Chairman Christopher Hart told the lawmakers that though FMCSA does screen carriers before granting operating authority, its investigations of crashes have found that the screening program still lets unsafe carriers operate.
“As a result of subsequent investigations, we have recommended that FMCSA develop a system to evaluate the effectiveness of the program,” Hart said.
