Partnership is Key to Road Safety

By Meera Joshi, Deputy Administrator, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation

FMCSA Deputy Administrator Meera Joshi, CVSA President Sgt. John Samis (with the Delaware State Police), CVSA Executive Director Collin Mooney, CVSA Deputy Executive Director Adrienne Gildea and other members of CVSA and FMCSA staff visited a Maryland State Police inspection site on May 4, the first day of International Roadcheck.

As COVID-19 vaccinations mount, traffic volume is roaring back. Early estimates from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that vehicle miles traveled in 2020 decreased about 13.2%, yet fatalities from motor vehicle crashes rose about 7.25% over 2019. NHTSA’s analysis showed that behaviors driving this increase included impaired driving, speeding and failure to wear safety belts.

Preliminary numbers also show that fatalities involving a large truck (commercial or noncommercial) are projected to have declined by about 2% from 2019. If this trend holds, we are headed in the right direction, though we have much more work ahead. There is more traffic on the road, making commercial motor vehicle (CMV) operators’ already challenging job even more challenging. Add to that the seasonal proliferation of highway work zones and continuing supply chain pressures.

We are a relatively small agency, with a large and important mission. While the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has a little more than 1,100 employees, there are more than 600,000 interstate motor carriers and intrastate hazardous materials motor carriers in the U.S., and about 6.8 million CMV drivers. Reaching across the large and diverse industry audience would be all but impossible without the partnership of CVSA and the 16,000 commercial motor vehicle inspectors who work tirelessly ensuring our roadways are safe for all travelers. Our partners’ skills and strengths complement FMCSA capabilities, making our shared safety programs and initiatives not just more farreaching, but far more effective.

We co-sponsor and work together on a great many safety initiatives and programs. One with a particularly great impact is International Roadcheck, which puts a three-day focus on CMV driver and vehicle safety inspections. Having been privileged to observe some of these inspections and talk with safety inspectors, I understand firsthand just how powerful that process is in revealing and addressing safety issues. 11-17 this year), which delivers broad public awareness and education. Law enforcement personnel were on the lookout for commercial motor vehicle drivers and passenger vehicle drivers engaging in risky driving, especially speeding. In addition, FMCSA conducted investigations on carriers that have a high level of unsafe driving behaviors. Other collaborative campaigns, such as Brake Safety Day and Brake Safety Week, strive to improve CMV brake safety.

Our grant programs provide another path to strengthening our CVSA partnership, especially the high-priority grants. This program allows for funding of enforcement efforts, outreach campaigns and innovative technology development initiatives. These collaborative safety initiatives are force multipliers and bring a far greater return on investment than we could ever attain alone. Yet, as impactful and important as these programs are, they’re the tip of the iceberg in terms of our partnership.

We conduct vital professional development collaboration through FMCSA’s National Training Center (NTC), where FMCSA and

CVSA together develop and deliver training to all roadside inspectors, enabling a uniform inspection system throughout North America. NTC leverages our partner’s knowledge and experience, drawing on volunteers from CVSA’s committees (such as the Driver-Traffic Enforcement Committee, Hazardous Materials Committee, Vehicle Committee, Training Committee, etc.).

Their real-world expertise ensures training materials are up to date, accurate and meet the needs of enforcement officials doing roadside inspections and investigations. NTC’s in-person training is delivered by volunteer associate staff instructors who are state enforcement officials and CVSA members. These volunteers are essential to getting tens of thousands of enforcement officials trained and certified to make our roads safer. We have been working together to develop and expand self-directed online instruction, which proved invaluable over the past year. and CVSA that is foundational to all of our partnerships. FMCSA representatives regularly participate in CVSA committee meetings, providing briefings and updates and carrying back information and insights to the agency. CVSA committee members participate in FMCSA regional meetings and CVSA’s board meetings bring FMCSA and senior leaders together for discussion and planning.

This partnership gives the safety inspection community a clearer voice with FMCSA, bringing together representatives from numerous jurisdictions to develop consensus on recommendations or requested action. CVSA members “on the ground” are among the first to identify any needs for additional information, clarification or training for the CMV industry and inspection professionals. This is the type of partnership that benefits everyone involved in CMV safety. Active participation on both sides and open communication bring clarity, understanding and safety improvements that are informed by broad perspective and collective expertise. Together, we achieve much more than either organization could alone. All of us across FMCSA are deeply grateful for the contributions of our many CMV safety partners. We applaud and are grateful for CVSA’s commitment to its mission to ensure CMVs are safe, respect your willingness to continually improve inspection skills and invite you to present ideas and strategies to better position all of us to prevent large truck and bus crashes. Thank you for all you do. n