The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's 2011-2016 Strategic Plan: Raising the Safety Bar

Topics:  Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

Anne S. Ferro
Federal Register
June 29, 2011

[Federal Register Volume 76, Number 125 (Wednesday, June 29, 2011)]
[Notices]
[Pages 38267-38268]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2011-16274]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration

[Docket No. FMCSA-2011-0098]


The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's 2011-2016 
Strategic Plan: Raising the Safety Bar

AGENCY: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of draft strategic plan and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The FMCSA requests public comment on its draft strategic plan, 
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration 2011-2016 Strategic Plan: 
Raising the Safety Bar. This is FMCSA's second strategic plan since the 
Agency was established as a standalone administration within the 
Department of Transportation (DOT) in 2000. In keeping with DOT's and 
FMCSA's top priority safety, the draft strategic plan is shaped by 
three core principles: (1) Raise the bar to enter the motor carrier 
industry; (2) Maintain high safety standards to remain in the industry; 
and (3) Remove high-risk carriers, drivers and service providers from 
operation. The Agency's new 5-year Strategic Plan provides continuing 
direction for FMCSA to further reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities 
related to commercial motor vehicles (CMVs), which include passenger 
carrier vehicles (e.g., buses). We welcome and invite comments and 
feedback on FMCSA's future direction. Comments will be considered and 
incorporated as appropriate.
    Comment Date: Comments are due July 29, 2011.

ADDRESSES: Your comments must be addressed to FDMS Docket ID No. FMCSA-
2011-0098, and sent by any of the following methods:
     Federal eRulemaking Portal: the Federal Docket Management 
System (FDMS) address: http://www.regulations.gov.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
     Mail: Docket Management Facility (M-30), U.S. Department 
of Transportation, West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New 
Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery: West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590, between 9 a.m. and 5 
p.m., E.T., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. The 
telephone number is 202-366-9329.
    Instructions: All submissions must include the Agency name and 
docket number (FMCSA-2011-0098) for this rulemaking. To avoid 
duplication, please use only one of these four methods. Note that all 
comments received will be posted without change to http://www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. 
Please refer to the Privacy Act heading for further information.
    Comments received after the comment closing date will be considered 
and incorporated as appropriate. For questions, see ``FOR FURTHER 
INFORMATION CONTACT'' below.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to http://www.regulations.gov at any time or to 
West Building Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., 
Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., E.T., Monday through Friday, 
except Federal holidays.
    Privacy Act: Anyone may search the electronic form of all comments 
received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual 
submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf 
of an association, business, labor union, etc.). You may review DOT's 
complete Privacy Act Statement in the Federal Register notice published 
on January 17, 2008 (73 FR 3316) at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2008/pdf/E8-785.pdf.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Ms. Dee Williams, Chief, Strategic 
Planning

[[Page 38268]]

and Program Evaluation Division, telephone (202) 493-0192, or e-mail 
dee.williams@dot.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background

    FMCSA was established as a separate administration within the 
United States Department of Transportation (DOT) on January 1, 2000, 
pursuant to the Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999 (Pub. L. 
106-159), with the safety mandate to reduce crashes, injuries, and 
fatalities involving commercial motor vehicles (CMVs).
    FMCSA hosted a listening session to solicit input for the 
development of its new draft Plan. Participants were asked to provide 
input on key challenges facing the motor carrier industry, issues 
facing stakeholders, and concerns that should be considered by the 
Agency in developing its next 5-year Strategic Plan. The meeting was 
held on September 8, 2010 (75 FR 53015, August 30, 2010).
    The new draft strategic plan, The Federal Motor Carrier Safety 
Administration 2011-2016 Strategic Plan: Raising the Safety Bar, is the 
Agency's second since its inception. The plan establishes a new 
strategic framework for how FMCSA will continue to carry out its 
mission, top priority, and mandate--Safety--and places a greater 
emphasis on the overall CMV transportation life-cycle.
    The CMV transportation life-cycle concept encompasses the whole CMV 
transportation system, including all the entities that control or 
influence the operation of CMVs, and focuses on the specific 
responsibilities of each party involved in the transport and logistics 
supply chain in improving CMV safety factors. This is a holistic view 
of safety that includes factors such as CMV and passenger-vehicle 
driver behavior, compliance systems, quality of roads, and vehicle 
technologies. This life-cycle approach will directly address CMV 
transportation challenges affecting drivers, vehicles, infrastructure, 
and the management of operations. Individuals, organizations, agencies, 
and other entities that are part of the CMV transportation life-cycle 
need to be aware of their impact on CMV safety and take responsibility 
for that impact.
    The Agency's goals and strategies developed under its new five-year 
Plan are grouped into four strategic focus areas:
    CMV Safety 1st Culture: Deliver comprehensive safety programs and 
promote operating standards focused on fostering safety as the highest 
priority within the CMV transportation life-cycle. Recognize that, 
while safety is FMCSA's highest priority, the Agency must also foster 
other important societal goals within the CMV transportation industry, 
including security, hazmat safety, consumer protection, and other DOT 
objectives.
    Exponential Safety Power (Safety\X\ Power): Establish new 
partnerships and develop policies and programs promoting opportunities 
to collaborate with all stakeholders on CMV safety interventions. Build 
a coordinated network of safety partners and stakeholders to advance a 
common safety agenda.
    Using Comprehensive Data & Leveraging Technology: Improve standards 
and systems to identify, collect, evaluate, and disseminate real-time 
performance data to all employees, customers, partners and 
stakeholders. Leverage research and emerging technologies to positively 
impact CMV transportation safety.
    One FMCSA: Improve the strategic management of programs and human 
capital within FMCSA to build and sustain a diverse workforce and to 
develop innovative solutions to the CMV transportation challenges of 
today and tomorrow.

Request for Comments

    FMCSA requests comments on its draft strategic plan, The Federal 
Motor Carrier Safety Administration 2011-2016 Strategic Plan: Raising 
the Safety Bar, which has been placed in the docket referenced at the 
beginning of this notice and is also available on the Agency's Web site 
at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/rules-regulations; click on ``Notices.'' 
The Agency will consider all comments received by close of business on 
July 29, 2011. Comments will be available for examination in the docket 
at the location listed under the ``ADDRESSES'' section of this notice. 
The Agency will consider to the extent practicable comments received in 
the public docket after the closing date of the comment period.

FMCSA IdeaScale Community

    In addition to the Federal Register notice for public comment, 
FMCSA has set up an IdeaScale Community on its main Web site at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov. IdeaScale is a Department of Transportation 
initiative providing an interactive, on-line, transparent space for 
people to engage in conversation about draft proposals and vote if they 
agree or disagree, which also allows FMCSA to ask clarifying questions 
to make sure the best comments/ideas are considered.

    June 23, 2011.
Anne S. Ferro,
Administrator.
[FR Doc. 2011-16274 Filed 6-28-11; 8:45 am]
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