Overdrive Magazine | Trucking Business News & Owner Operator Info
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/791967
March 2017 | Overdrive | 15 A Feb. 15 letter to U.S. Department of Transporta- tion Secretary Elaine Chao outlines trucking and bus in- dustry concerns over the Fed- eral Motor Carrier Safety Administration's pursuit of a new Safety Fitness Determina- tion rulemaking. The letter, signed by trucking and bus associations, motor carriers and other stakeholders, urges Chao to rescind the notice of proposed rulemaking that FMCSA issued more than a year ago to revamp the safety rating process and tie it in part to the Compliance, Safety, Accountability Safety Mea- surement System's BASIC categories. "Our major concern with the proposal is that the new proposed methodology utilizes flawed [CSA/SMS] data and scores," the signatories write. The January 2016 NPRM followed Congress' removal of CSA/SMS percentiles from public view, ordering then a study and potential revamp of the program. That study's re- sults have been slow to emerge. At the time of the SFD NPRM, a smaller coalition within the trucking industry al- leged the NPRM itself was a violation of the December 2015 FAST Act highway bill. Though DOT pushed back on that contention, the broad- based nature of this latest letter's signatories is evidence that it's taken hold in a much bigger way a year later. "It is a broad coalition, and one you don't normally see standing together," said Joe Rajkovacz, head of regulatory Industry united against safety rating change affairs for the Western States Trucking Association. The group was party to the initial eight-member coalition's ef- forts last year as well as the new effort. The small coalition's letter from a year ago was followed later last year by a similar argument from another group, which included the Own- er-Operator Independent Drivers Association. – Todd Dills 1-800 GET HOWES (438-4693) www.howeslube.com A Cool Engine is a Happy Engine. And a happy engine has its benefits: peak performance, more power and less maintenance. Howes Oil Enhancer lowers operating temperature keeping your engine cool. It not only extends the life of your oil – it also reduces metal-on-metal wear and protects internal engine components. Use it at every oil change as part of the ultimate Howes preventive maintenance program. From the trusted makers of Howes Diesel Treat and Meaner Power Kleaner. C M Y CM MY CY CMY K HowesOverdrive_HalfPageIsland_S17_OE.pdf 1 1/26/17 11:51 AM Untitled-3 1 2/3/17 9:38 AM