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DOT to audit FMCSA oversight of truck driver bans

Fatalities involving truck or bus crashes have increased 11%. Credit: Jim Allen/FreightWaves

A fatal crash involving a commercial driver has led to a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) audit of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) oversight of state driver licensing agencies.

According to the DOT’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) on October 22, the crash, which occurred earlier this year, led to an internal investigation by the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) that found the agency “had not systematically processed out-of-state paper notifications of driver convictions” in roughly five years.

The OIG said the investigation also found a software flaw that hindered the state agency’s ability to timely process out-of-state electronic notifications. “Consequently, in summer 2019, RMV issued thousands of [commercial driver license] suspensions, based on previously unprocessed out-of-state notifications,” the OIG stated. “Accordingly, our objective for this self-initiated audit is to assess FMCSA’s oversight of State driver’s licensing agencies’ actions to disqualify commercial drivers when warranted.”

The OIG noted an increasing number of large trucks and buses on the roads. It cited FMCSA data as of June 2019, finding that fatalities in crashes involving large trucks or buses have increased 11.1% in the last five years, from 4,455 in 2013 to 4,949 in 2018.


The audit was announced at the same time the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released an oversight report revealing that from 2014 to 2017, states did not achieve fatality-related safety goals set by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

“While NHTSA has taken steps to improve its review of these reports, officials acknowledged states are not clear on which target years to assess,” the report states. “Further, NHTSA lacks a mechanism to report whether states eventually achieve these targets. As a result, NHTSA and other stakeholders have limited insight into the results states have achieved from their use of federal safety funds.”

GAO recommended NHTSA provide more clarification to ensure states assess and report progress in meeting fatality targets.


59 Comments

  1. Kevin Lee

    You state a 11% increase in accidents in the last 5 yrs but you Don’t mention the % of driver increase. Has that increased more than 11% ? Been out here 21 yrs and find myself trying to beat the ELD clock. There is no time to relax. Very few companies pay decent wage for what we do. I would not recommend to anyone to be a truck driver. Too much B’S anymore. Can’t wait to retire.

  2. William

    More than 40 years on the black top, I seen a lot of bad driving 4 wheelers and big rigs, it’s not getting any better up here in New England trailer drivers they need to beat the morning Rush and some do whatever it takes to get out of town 5 more years for me I hope , praise the good driver don’t give up

  3. wendy Spencer

    I have drove since 1989 and since then I have seen changes . And they really screwed up by putting eld in the trucks . When the clock start you cant just pull over for a 1 or 2 nap anymore. So say what you want I have seen more accidents and pretty sure it’s to do with being tired..then you have places that will fine you for being late. We are just getting screwed.

    1. Garceia SMITH

      Hurry hurry and wait watching following distance respect others drivers construction zone bad weather slow down better late than never.

  4. Jeffrey rotter

    Where do you work that you’re underpaid I’m getting $0.55 a mile driving a truck that I’ll run the speed limit anywhere I go 2000 miles and that’s over $1,000 a week anybody can do 2,000 miles a week what are you talkin about greed causes accidents when a driver tries to make more money

  5. Steve Smith

    Drivers are systematically underpaid. Basing payment on deliveries made or miles traveled creates an incentive to speed or drive aggressively. This results in accidents. Raise driver pay to a level where a living wage can be earned in a reasonable time is needed.

  6. Robert Lepak

    farmrbob
    The trucking industry moved more freight, during the time period measurement.
    No lives should be lost. But truck drivers are revenue producers.

    1. Joel trent

      Exactly right. The harder the FMCSA can make it for us to legally do our job the more money the police can rake in out of our pockets. No wonder people are choosibg to find other jobs.

  7. John brueckman

    Everybody is racing the clock before they run out of time.usta be truckers would give other truckers a break not since ELDs it was bad enough we have to look out for cars cutting us off.not giving you room to move over for broke down cars or trucks.NOW even truckers won’t even give truckers a break.the roads are very dangerous now HELP us please.

    1. Bryan Blue

      Don’t use the excuse certain degree okay..After 10hr break,No Driver’s hasn’t do their (P.I.)Pre Inspection prior driving. and going off duty they don’t do(P.I)post inspection..straight to eat,rest,shower and not the equipment..They get up change of clothes and just go without checking the equipment..To me it’s unacceptable,Equipment check save life’s

      1. Garceia SMITH

        Yes I agree with that. Also driving to fast .and following to close. Not respect other drivers. No load is worth killing someone

    2. Who ya kidding

      In recent years, more distractdistractions, less informed and less capable drivers (both commercial and private) have flooded the roadways.
      Notwithstanding is the tendency to “rush” everywhere and the lack of “professional ” drivers.

      With the shortage of commercial drivers there are many non English speaking driver’s and people that don’t have any business driving at all much less behind the wheel of an 80k lb behemoth.

      The move to automatic transmissions in commercial vehicles is a big mistake in my opinion. It avails the opportunity for people to drive commercial vehicles that can’t walk and chew gum at the same time. Not to mention fuel consumption and safety issues that manifest themselves with automatic transmissions.

      More regulation is not the answer, rather enforcement of existing law for private and commercial vehicles alike.
      Keep the shiney side up.

    3. Michael Allen Laidlaw

      At the door at all dmvs a sign says must read and write English to obtain a commercial drivers license. Another thing why is it that they hand out handicap stickers like water what the fuck is tgat about. Another thing these fucking clocks we have in our trucks makes us drive crazy just to make money your to blame not the drivers stop blamming us and think for once.. slow trucks are also to blame you have all these trucks going slow and impatient card trying to get around us. Use some common sence. But then yiu wouldnt make money would you.

Comments are closed.

John Gallagher

Based in Washington, D.C., John specializes in regulation and legislation affecting all sectors of freight transportation. He has covered rail, trucking and maritime issues since 1993 for a variety of publications based in the U.S. and the U.K. John began business reporting in 1993 at Broadcasting & Cable Magazine. He graduated from Florida State University majoring in English and business.