U.S. Senator John Hickenlooper (D-Colorado) has raised concerns about the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) ability to effectively oversee the trucking industry and enforce safety regulations. The senator’s concerns stem from a fatal crash on U.S. Highway 285 in Colorado in June 2024, involving Monique Trucking, a California-based company, with a poor safety record. The driver involved was an unlicensed commercial truck driver.
Monique Trucking’s Unlicensed Drivers and Safety Issues
Monique Trucking had numerous violations, including operating without a CDL, multiple vehicle maintenance issues, and failure to implement a drug and alcohol testing program. After the crash, FMCSA shut down the company in July, revealing that it had a 100% driver out-of-service rate from six inspections and a 75% vehicle out-of-service rate from four inspections. In the crash, the driver involved did not have a commercial driver’s license (CDL).
Hickenlooper Questions FMCSA
Hickenlooper’s letter to FMCSA Deputy Administrator Vinn White expressed concerns that FMCSA lacks the resources and capacity to regulate US trucking companies and unlicensed commercial truck drivers. The primary concern is the large number of commercial trucking companies in the U.S to audit and oversee. Furthermore, he noted that the agency’s financial constraints given the sheer number of vehicles. Such financial constraints and sheer volume are further limited by the complexity of conducting safety audits. These factors may prevent FMCSA from consistently enforcing safety standards, potentially allowing unsafe practices to persist.
The senator emphasized that inadequate oversight could lead to more crashes and fatalities, endangering drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. He posed several questions to FMCSA to better understand how the agency plans to address these concerns:
- How many trucking companies violated CDL requirements in the last two fiscal years?
- How many companies failed safety audits, and how many implemented corrective actions?
- How many federal safety auditors does FMCSA currently employ, and how many more are needed to improve oversight?
- What steps will FMCSA take to enhance CDL licensure and safety standards enforcement?
- Would additional resources or authorities from Congress help FMCSA strengthen its oversight?
Solutions to Unlicensed Commercial Truck Drivers
Hickenlooper urged FMCSA to assess its current capabilities and explore ways to enhance its safety enforcement mechanisms. He emphasized that road safety depends on the strict regulation of the commercial trucking industry and will help eliminate unlicensed commercial truck drivers.