Federal Carrier Office Sets Agenda

David Barnes
 | Senior Correspondent

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A surprise blizzard forced the postponement of the Jan. 25 christening of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, but the agency continued to take shape as federal officials outlined plans for its operations.

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“We’re really excited about an agency that has safety as its middle name. We want to let the public know we really care about this issue,” Deputy Secretary of Transportation Mortimer L. Downey said at a Jan. 24 press briefing held hours before snow forced the cancellation of the formal ceremonies.

Among the issues the agency plans to tackle in the near term are driver hours of service, commercial driver licensing and standards for new carriers.

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The FMCSA came into being Jan. 1 after a tumultuous year that saw Congress look into the safety performance of the former Office of Motor Carriers, its relationship with the trucking industry and its placement within the Department of Transportation. After several name changes at OMC and attempts to move oversight of motor carrier safety to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Congress passed a law establishing an agency on par with those responsible for the aviation, maritime and rail industries.

For the full story, see the Jan. 31 print edition of Transport Topics. .

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