FMCSA plans to highlight programs, studies at virtual forum

The rest of 2023 is setting up to be a busy time for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

The agency is expected to unveil a controversial proposal this summer that would attempt to mandate speed limiters on most commercial motor vehicles. It also could issue notices involving electronic IDs, electronic logging devices, automatic emergency braking systems and broker transparency before the year is over.

In addition to FMCSA’s regulatory agenda, the agency also is busy overseeing studies on driver compensation, detention time and crash causal factors.

On Wednesday, April 12, FMCSA will highlight many of these efforts and provide a roadmap for what’s coming during the 2023 Analysis, Research and Technology Forum. The virtual event will be from 1-5 p.m. Eastern and is open to the public. You can register for the event here.

“This year’s event will focus primarily on the work being performed by FMCSA’s Analysis, Research, and Technology divisions, with staff members presenting short summaries of some of their most interesting and important projects,” the agency wrote on its website. “The event will also feature opening remarks from FMCSA Administrator Robin Hutcheson and an update on rulemaking developments from the Office of Strategic Planning and Regulations.”

Hutcheson’s remarks and the regulatory update is scheduled from 1 pm. to 1:30 p.m. Eastern. That will be followed by hourlong presentations dedicated to research, analysis and technology.

As part of the research segment at 1:30 p.m., FMCSA’s Nicole Michel will discuss the under-21 driver apprenticeship pilot program and the driver compensation study. There also will be time dedicated to such topics as detention time, CDL disqualifications and the effectiveness of third-party CDL testing.

The analysis segment a 2:40 p.m. will include discussion of the crash causal factors study and truck parking crashes.

Technology will be the focus of the forum’s final segment at 3:50 p.m. It will include presentations on automated commercial motor vehicles, autonomous crash safety analysis and the effectiveness of tire safety screening systems.

There will be an opportunity for questions at the end of each segment. A full agenda can be found here. LL