Fighting over Ferro

The transportation world has a new bone of contention to gnaw on in the appointment of Anne S. Ferro to be the next administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Ferro, whose primary mission will be to reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving large trucks and buses, comes from a background heavy in trucking experience. She headed the Maryland Motor Vehicle administration from 1997 until she became President of the Maryland Motor Truck Association in 2003. She becomes the fourth head of the nine-year-old FMCSA and must pass muster in the Senate to be confirmed.

Ferro brings an impressive portfolio of experience in dealing with safety and CDL licensing issues. She’ll need every bit of it as she will be faced with the long-running and highly-contentious issues of existing Hours of Service, proposed new rules for driver health issues, drug and alcohol testing databases, publication of the much politicized electronic on-board recorder rule (‘black box’), the upcoming highway bill and the on-going battle between the United States and Mexico over cross-border trucking. Outgoing head of FMCSA, John Hill said he was very pleased to see Ms Ferro’s appointment as he has been impressed with her outlook on safety and her thorough understanding of the complicated trucking industry. 

Various industry leaders who have worked with her in the past also gave glowing recommendations to the appointment. The American Trucking Administration’s president, Bill Graves, released a statement saying, “As administrator of the Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration, she developed a reputation as a tough but fair regulator.” Owner-Operators Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) representatives also released a statement saying she certainly has the background and experience to fill the position. To have these two organizations agree on anything is one for the record books!

Of course, there have to be some dissenters in anything trucking: so far, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters called Ferro “an apologist for the failure of FMCSA to improve the safety record of commercial vehicles.” Those comments were added to a letter to the Obama Administration signed by Daphne Izer of Parents Against Tired Truckers (PATT), John Lannen of the Truck Safety Coalition and Jennifer Tierney of Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways (CRASH) who stated that “ineffective regulatory leadership and the trucking industry’s opposition to safety reforms are to blame for the lack of progress.”  Public Citizen also weighed in, saying the organization was “pretty concerned about Ferro's position on HOS.”

The letter goes on to say, “We firmly believe that the individual appointed to this agency should not come from the very industry the agency is required to regulate, especially given the trucking industry’s positions on these health and safety issues.” . . . among other things. The Teamsters complaints appear to stem from Ferro’s previous support of the highly-contentious Hours of Service regulations. It may be worth noting that none of the groups objecting are groups directly related to the profit or loss part of the business and can afford to advocate for changes that add to the cost of doing business. It does appear odd that none of these groups seem to want anyone with experience heading up the FMCSA 

In her own behalf, Ferro says she is a woman who “loves trucks.” That, coupled with her extensive understanding of the issues may make it easier for her to face down special interests and see thru political posturing. That’s why this writer says, “Give the gal a chance!” We’ll soon find out if she truly is concerned with safety and drivers’ well-being. Any way this turns out, it will sure be an interesting next couple of years!