The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has proposed a nine-year plan for identifying the riskiest drivers and addressing unsafe driver behavior.
The agency’s plan would strive to better identify unsafe drivers.The current transportation appropriations act requires FMCSA to report to Congress on the Driver Fitness component of the Compliance, Safety, Accountability program.
The agency’s report this month included possible steps to implement a driver Safety Fitness Determination. It would require completing other priorities and having dedicated resources, officials wrote.
During the first year, FMCSA would conduct a driver SFD feasibility study, including a severity weighting system for violations.
The next year, it would develop driver safety measurement methodology, processes for identifying the riskiest drivers and possible interventions. Also that year, it would estimate the number of drivers who would be rated unfit and the potential safety benefits of the change.
During years three through five, FMCSA would test and refine the new Driver SFD methodology and related processes.
FMCSA would complete a notice-and-comment rulemaking to establish the Driver SFD methodology, enforcement and due process in the sixth year. It also would issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking.
Agency officials would evaluate NPRM comments before issuing a Final Rule and final regulatory impact analyses during the seventh year. The FR compliance date would likely be no more than two years after publication of the rule.
In the eighth year, FMCSA would train governmental officials regarding the Driver SFD program and provide educational materials to the public. During the ninth year, the agency would fully implement the program.
