For Immediate Release
Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association
1 NW OOIDA Drive, Grain Valley, MO
E-mail:ooida@ooida.com
Web site: www.ooida.com
Phone: (816) 229-5791 Fax: (816) 427-4468
OOIDA files comments on SafeStat revisions, urging consistency and standardization of reporting data
July 10, 2006, Grain Valley, MO - The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) has submitted comments on behalf of Association members addressing crucial points about the fairness and purpose of the government's Safety Status Measurement System.
In May, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) solicited comments about proposed revisions to SafeStat, an automated data-analysis system used to determine the safety status of motor carriers.
The FMCSA has proposed improvements that, among other things, focus on driver-only violations, propose to shorten the reporting time period and establish group reporting.
In its comments OOIDA officials express support for FMCSA's proposed reduction in the reporting period for data from 30 months to 24 months, stressing their belief that a "focus on more recent data better reflects a carrier's safety performance at the time it is being evaluated."
Association officials believe quality of the data reported is better than quantity.
OOIDA officials objected, however, to a proposed replacement of the Moving Violations Indicator with a Traffic Violations Indicator.
"Citations for moving violations are often successfully challenged," Association officials wrote in the comments.
The Association takes further issue with SafeStat's focus on violations instead of convictions in regards to driver-only inspections and out-of-service violations.
"To eliminate this problem, only admitted violations and convictions following challenges should be included in the new . calculations."
OOIDA does not object to FMCSA's proposed incorporation of local violations into the data. However, officials caution that consistency of reporting is crucial and FMCSA should provide guidance to local authorities.
OOIDA supports FMCSA's proposal to establish four SafeStat fleet-size categories, but officials do not think four is enough. Association officials pointed out that 85 percent of motor carriers have 10 or fewer trucks while a carrier like UPS has 75,000 trucks or more. OOIDA officials are urging FMCSA to standardize the reporting used by states to submit data for analysis.
Once the data identifies high-risk carriers, Association officials stress the need for follow-through.
"FMCSA needs to make more resources available to take action against those identified high-risk carriers whose safety status does not improve over time," Association officials commented.
"FMCSA should not only be prepared to suspend or revoke operating authority for consistently poor performing carriers, but must also take steps to ensure that the same individuals do not simply set up shop under another name."
Contact: Mike Schermoly (816) 229-5791
Founded in 1973, the Owner Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) is composed of more than 141,000 owner-operators, professional drivers, and small business truckers from all 50 states, and Canada. OOIDA represents the interests of this nation's more than 350,000 small-business trucking professionals in the legislative and regulatory processes at both federal and state levels.