FMCSA seeks public input at 2020 Trucking Safety Summit

Next week, truck drivers will have the opportunity to provide the FMCSA their input on what steps can be taken to improve highway safety.

FMCSA’s 2020 Trucking Safety Summit will be conducted as a virtual meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 5.

“The virtual meeting will provide interested stakeholders – including motor carriers, drivers, safety technology developers and users, federal and state partners, safety advocacy groups, as well as members of the public – an opportunity to share their ideas on improving truck safety,” the FMCSA notice stated.

The event, which is from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Eastern time on Aug. 5, will be conducted on the web platform GoToWebinar. The meetings will be divided into eight sessions, but advanced registration is required for each session. Registration links can be found here.

Open forum public comments will be accepted from 4-4:30 p.m. Eastern time. All comments will be captured using the question module within the GoToWebinar application. Participants are asked to keep their comments short and succinct. Those who would like to participate in the public comment session can register here.

More detailed written comments, as well as data or analysis regarding truck safety, may be submitted at the Regulations.gov website at docket No. FMCSA-2020-0076.

OOIDA’s Pugh to participate

OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh will serve as a panelist for the opening session from 9-10 a.m. The session, which will be moderated by FMCSA acting Administrator Jim Mullen, will focus on “Association Perspective” and include Pugh, ATA President Chris Spear, National Tank Truck Carriers Vice President Dan Furth, and Road Safe America President Stephen Owings as panelists.

Pugh said he one of his goals is to remind the agency that owner-operators are often the most experienced and safest truck drivers in the nation.

“I’d like to talk about how small-business carriers are probably the safest people on the road,” Pugh told Land Line Now. “Most small –business carriers have a lot more experience and often has been driving for 10 years or more. They own the truck. They own the trailer, so they have skin in the game if something happens. We feel like our guys are some of the safest guys out on the road.”

In addition to Pugh’s panel, other sessions include:

• What’s Working I, 10:10-10:55 a.m.
• What’s Working II, 11:05-11:50 a.m.
• Special Guest Speakers, 12:30-12:50 p.m.
  State Partner Discussion, 1-1:50 p.m.
• Technology, 2-2:50 p.m.
• Florida Safety Story, 3-3:50 p.m.
• Open Forum for Public Comment, 4-4:30 p.m.

“The sessions are intentionally structured to facilitate exchanges between experienced players in the trucking sphere who might not otherwise meet to collaborate,” the FMCSA notice stated. “Senior FMCSA personnel will facilitate every session, selecting and posing questions to promote a productive discussion.”

The summit was originally scheduled for March 19 in Washington, D.C., but was postponed on March 13 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.