The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration wants feedback on whether it should make changes to the system it uses to determine whether a motor carrier is unfit to operate.
The agency is interested in “developing new methodology” or “new methodologies,” according to a Federal Register notice released this week.
“The intended effect of this action is to more effectively use FMCSA data and resources to identify unfit motor carriers and to remove them from the Nation’s roadways,” the notice said.
Public comments must be submitted to the agency no later than Oct. 30 for consideration.
If a carrier is deemed to be unfit, FMCSA can revoke operating authority. But the FMCSA has limited staffing, so the agency is considering changes to make sure it’s carrying out its safety mission.
Over a decade ago, the National Transportation Safety Board began advising FMCSA to include Safety Measurement System rating scores to determine fitness.
The current review, an advance notice of proposed rulemaking, asks for input about using SMS methodology — as opposed to percentile scoring.
The agency is asking for responses about alternatives to the current system, associated costs and other information related to scientific, technical and economic matters.
For the current feedback, the agency is asking a dozen questions, including:
- Should FMCSA keep the three-tiered rating system or not?
- Should SMS methodology be used to issue fitness determinations?
- Should speeding and texting while driving factor more heavily into safety fitness ratings?
A 2016 proposal attempted to revamp the system through a variety of changes, such as eliminating a three-tier system. The current three-tier classification system includes the safety designations of satisfactory, conditional and unsatisfactory.
“While many commenters favored the proposal, including most safety advocacy and State law enforcement groups, others opposed it, including large and small motor carriers and some trade associations,” FMCSA noted in the recent notice.
Comments in favor of eliminating the three-tier system included C.H. Robinson Worldwide and the Truck Safety Coalition, according to a 2017 withdrawal notice. Opponents included organizations such as the American Trucking Associations.
