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ing, 4) training and communication, 5) monitoring and tracking, and 6) meaningful action. During the FMCSA nine-state 30month operational model test, which concluded in the summer of 2010, we found that use of the safety management cycle helped safety investigators and motor carriers go beyond “what is wrong” to “why it is happening.” In one example, using the safety management cycle helped a Minnesota state partner identify the cause of load securement violations when the carrier could not stop them on his own and the cause of the problem was not apparent on the surface of the investigation. According to Pam DeGrote, an investigator with the Minnesota Department of Transportation, “use of the safety management cycle tool at a recent closeout interview helped a carrier see that they needed better training and communication of load securement regulations for all their drivers.” In addition, Missouri Department of Transportation investigator Steff Copeland told FMCSA that “the SMC is a great tool to engage the carrier in self-awareness in recognizing the area of a breakdown in process.” Because of reports just like these from our state colleagues, we strongly believe that the Safety Management Cycle will facilitate faster and more sustainable corrective actions on the part of motor carriers. We also find that some carriers use the safety management cycle to get ahead of driver or equipment issues before a crash or violation occurs. Training of federal and state investigators on the safety management cycle begins in July and runs through September. I hope everyone can take advantage of this useful training. The safety management cycle tool will surely improve compliance, and through its widespread use, save lives as a result. Thank you for your diligence to our safety mission. The work you do makes safe travel possible and I value the contributions made by each of our state and local partners!
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FMCSA Names Five to Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee FMCSA has appointed five new members to its Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC), a committee established by Congress in 2006 to provide the agency with advice and recommendations on motor carrier safety programs and regulations. The five new MCSAC members are: • Robert Abbott, Vice President, Safety Policy, American Trucking Assns. (ATA) • Paul Claunch, Major, Arkansas Highway Police • Henry Jasny, Vice President and senior counsel, Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety • Janice Mulanix, Asst. Chief, California Highway Patrol • Calvin Studivant, motorcoach driver, Community Coach, Inc. “MCSAC is a vital resource for bringing a full and broad range of safety ideas to the table,” said Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood in a statement. “These individuals are committed to the challenge of reducing, and ultimately eliminating, fatal crashes involving large trucks and buses. I thank them for their service to our county.” Composed of 19 members overall, MCSAC includes representatives from national safety organizations, the trucking and bus industries, state law enforcement agencies, labor unions, and the commercial insurance sector, said FMCSA Administrator Anne Ferro. “They also symbolize the critical necessity of everyone coming together to move our safety-first mission forward,” Ferro noted. “Their work is helping to save lives every day.”
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