Majority Statement

• Chairman John D. Rockefeller IV
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  Majority Statement

  Chairman John D. Rockefeller IV

  In my home state of West Virginia and in states around the country, trucking is a vital part of the economy.  The trucking industry is the lifeblood connecting our communities and businesses, and allowing goods and services to travel throughout the country.  

  Despite this important role, the impact of the trucking industry can also be costly and disastrous when crashes occur in our communities.  In West Virginia last week, a tanker truck wrecked spilling nearly 8,000 gallons of diesel onto a bridge in Bartow.  The truck caught fire spilling some of the fuel into the Greenbrier River, which required extensive cleanup.  According to the Department of Transportation, these kinds of crashes are all too common and frequently they have much more tragic consequences.  In 2012, nearly 4,000 trucks were in crashes nationwide resulting in fatalities and almost 50 of them were in West Virginia.   

  These tragedies – many needless – require us to step up and push for stronger safety standards.  The hearing today is one step toward making that happen.  Today, we will hear from the Department of Transportation, safety advocates, labor, law enforcement and the trucking industry to better understand how we can improve safety and get unsafe operators off the road before an accident occurs.  

  Since we passed the last transportation bill, the Department of Transportation has made great strides in improving safety.  Last year, the hours of service rule – which helps prevent tired drivers from getting behind the wheel – was finally implemented.  This rule took more than a decade to complete with tens of thousands of public comments and several court challenges before finally being implemented.  The rule wasn’t a full victory for any one side, but rather a compromise that balanced safety – first and foremost – with the impact on the trucking industry. 

  Now, just as the rule is being implemented, the trucking industry is trying to stop enforcement of important safety provisions.  They are pushing this significant legislative change as a rider on a transportation funding bill without consideration by this Committee and without a public comment process.  Worse yet, this change could force tired truckers to get behind the wheel by allowing drivers to be on the road for more than 80 hours.  This is not a change that can be taken lightly or done in the dead of night, because the consequences could be dire.  

  I am also concerned by efforts to allow bigger and heavier trucks on our highways.  These vehicles take longer to stop, have a higher rate of rollover, and cause tremendous wear and tear on our crumbling infrastructure.  

  With truck crashes continuing to rise resulting in nearly 4,000 deaths each year, we need to focus our attention on strengthening the rules that will improve safety.  We must all work together to reduce the number of crashes on our highways and to prevent further accidents from occurring.  

  I thank Senator Blumenthal for holding this hearing and heeding the call to increase safety.  As we work to reauthorize the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration programs, the testimony from our witnesses today will help guide the discussion on how we can improve safety on our highways.

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Testimony

• The Honorable Anne S. Ferro

  Administrator

  Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
  Download Testimony (168.83 KB)

• The Honorable Joan Claybrook

  Consumer Co-Chair

  Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety
  Download Testimony (557.73 KB)

• Major David Palmer

  Texas Department of Public Safety

  Past President of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance
  Download Testimony (586.49 KB)

• Mr. William Dawson

  UPS Freight Driver
  Download Testimony (442.10 KB)

• Mr. Dave Osiecki

  Executive Vice President and Chief of National Advocacy

  American Trucking Associations
  Download Testimony (875.85 KB)