Page 19 - ATR 3 2012 web 2

preaching to the choir

Communicate needs, make the right choices, FMCSA says

By J.k. Jones
Contributing Writer

Sharing a common purpose and
maintaining open, honest commu-
nication between the industry and
regulators are the keys to improving
truck safety, a Federal Motor Carrier
Safety Administration (FMCSA) repre-
sentative told trucking insiders at the
Arkansas Trucking Association Annual
Conference.
“We look at trucking as the life- The FmCSA panel discusses communication at the 2012 ATA Annual Conference
blood of our country. It is the driv-
ing force of our economy,” said Anne the pressures that people are under. real chance to influence the 5 million
Collins, associate administrator for field We need to understand what will help drivers out there who are ultimately
operations. “The bottom line of truck- drive our common success, in both the making the choices: whether or not to
ing is safety, and that is our only line at bottom line for the industry and in the drive when they’re tired, whether or not
FMCSA.” bottom line of safety.” to follow too closely, whether or not
And the state’s progress has been Of course, trucking association to take risks associated with the load
exemplary. Collins noted a recent members are already the folks “who they’re carrying,” she said.
national award for reducing fatalities. are in the church,” Collins noted. “It’s Collins emphasized the vast
“Arkansas is heading in the right preaching to the choir. You’ve already amount of information about rules and
direction. It all really comes down to spent the money and the time to be rulemaking on the FMCSA website, as
the choices that you and you employ- informed and understand the rules — well as opportunities to provide feed-
ees are making every day,” she said, that’s why you’re an absolutely critical back. She used the crafting of the new
applauding the audience. voice to us. You’re paying attention and hours-of-service (HOS) rule as a prime
Collins outlined three pieces to the you’ve got the best information for us.” example.
safety puzzle: The key is to “leverage that rela- “There’s a real process to adopting
1. Good rules. “They have to make tionship” and spread the shared mes- changes,” Collins said. “And when a
sense; they have to be geared toward the sage to the broader public. rule like HOS affects everything that we
right outcomes.” FMCSA currently employs about do, we want to make sure we’re spend-
2. Good choices about those 1,000 people, and that number of peo- ing the time to understand how it does
rules. “Everybody in this room knows ple can’t do very much when it comes to affect your business.”
somebody that is a real ‘carrot’ per- “try to influence the world.” She also credits Arkansas for “lead-
son: they’ll do anything to be the best; The 12,000 or so partners in law ing the pack” in the implementation of
they’ll do the right thing because it enforcement help, she added, but by the electronic on-boards recorders (EOBRs).
is the right thing. And you also know time carrier management gets involved, “I’m impressed to hear about all
those ‘stick’ people, who only come to the number is more than half-a-million. that’s going on in Arkansas. This is the
the game when there’s a penalty or a “Getting everyone on the same page” is quintessential ‘what’s good for busi-
consequence if they don’t.” critical. ness is good for safety’ tool,” she said.
3. Good communication about “If 500,000 folks get on board “I know there are many people in this
those rules. “We need to understand to look at the best outcomes for busi-
one another’s operating environment; ness and for safety, then we’ve got a 

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