The Biden Administration’s choice to lead the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) recently fielded questions during a Senate confirmation, and some trucking industry insiders indicate the nominee may have the right stuff.
Meera Joshi, a former chair and CEO of the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission, was tapped as the White House’s acting FMCSA administrator on Jan. 20. The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation questioned Joshi regarding her experience, expertise, and positions on critical issues that would impact the trucking industry and supply chain should she gain enough votes for confirmation. In an opening statement, she tipped her hat to the hard-working men and women who deliver America’s goods and materials.
“Commercial motor vehicles… are not only essential to America’s thriving economy, transporting over 70 percent of the nation’s freight as well as our loved ones, they are critical in crisis,” Joshi reportedly said. “Throughout COVID, the trucking industry has been at the forefront, moving vaccines, testing supplies, and oxygen. When the Colonial Pipeline was breached, tank trucks transported gas to stations and, ultimately, into Americans’ cars. Most recently, during Hurricane Ida, large trucks brought emergency supplies to our hardest-hit regions.”
During previous administrations, the FMCSA chief would take over a post largely focused on trucker and passenger vehicle safety. But the country’s supply chains suffer significant pain points. The result has been inflation and consumer goods shortages. If confirmed, it appears Joshi would be involved and helping the Biden Administration resolve supply chain disruptions. The nominee responded to questions about pervasive disruption raised during the hearing by Washington State Sen. Maria Cantwell.
“Because there are so many moving parts at a port, in order to make the trucking experience of moving freight in and out as efficient as possible, there has to be transparency on appointment systems, flexible hours, and more certainty on when containers need to be dropped off and picked up, as well as aligning the financial incentives,” Joshi reportedly said. “So, if the trucking community is bearing the brunt of wait times, and that time is not compensated either because they have to hold containers or because truck drivers have to wait for loading or unloading, then the congestion and the downtime is felt by them, and there is no incentive to disperse that among the whole system.”
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has reportedly thrown its support behind the FMCSA nominee. Although some in the freight hauling sector see the association as not necessarily on the same page in terms of issues such as truck driver shortages, president and CEO Todd Spencer voiced support.
“Her service as Deputy Administrator so far shows that she and others in the administration have easily recognized that the old tired narrative about a supposed driver shortage has missed the mark,” Spencer reportedly said. “She has expressed a genuine interest in learning more about the real problem, driver retention, and doing more to find long-term solutions.
But on the other side of the coin, Joshi appears open to autonomous trucks and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies handling transportation. Although industry insiders see AI as a solution to a driver shortage estimated at more than 61,000 and climbing, truckers harbor concerns about being replaced by machines.
“We are indeed in a time of incredible transition within the industry. The transition from mechanical to AI occurs but for FMCSA, the mission of safety is the No. 1 priority, stays the same,” Joshi reportedly said. “So, our challenge is to ensure that our regulations to uphold roadway safety translate into an AI world.”
Sources: ttnews.com, truckinginfo.com
Nor one person this regime has installed has been competent to run any part of our government. I expect this to also be an unmitigated disaster for trucking
Have her spend two weeks OTR in a truck. Without any special treatment or Press support. She will get an idea of what it’s like. More than during “critical crisis and emergency”. The trucking industry operates EVERYDAY of the year. Thats,what keeps America moving.
see previous
As far as the driver being replaced by artificial intelligence, that will never happen. The industry will never be streamlined enough or be in a perfect scenario for autonomous procedures. Maybe in a few settings this could be possible but not as an overall. The majority of this business will always have a driver behind the wheel. What needs to be done to decrease the bottom line is for transparency between the customer, broker and driver to take place. We as drivers are very reluctant when it comes to dealing with a broker/customer that takes advantage when capacities drop
throughout the market. So when capacity is at a high yes we gouge the market causing inflation across the board. I believe If the customer and broker would be completely transparent with the trucking companies and owner operators there could be a better relationship and better negotiation.
With these people reality does not matter, it is all about their desired narrative
“Drivers being replaced by artificial intelligence.”
The industry started spouting off with this garbage years ago. other articles in this issue of the truckers report has desperate program initiatives to attract young people to the industry. More short sighted agendas from incompetent public officials who thought full support funding this garbage brought forth by lobbyists supporting this R&D pipe dream was good idea. Clown world. I’m 25 years into this industry as a driver and can’t believe what I’ve witnessed over the years.
25 years you haven’t seen anything!! But keep trucking safely!!
Until you put an actual truck driver in charge and not some other fools you will never have common sense anything in trucking. Bad thing is I can fix this entire industry in 30 days given the power to do so.
So once again (as usual) or still the trucking industry is in the crapper while we get SH## on while politicians continue to try & make a name for themselves in this (or any) administration and still banking $$$.$$$$$.00 for a crappie job & ideas.
Leave us Truck Drivers the Hell alone all you Washington D.C good for nothings in both parties
Hire/Confirm a real truck driver for the FMCSA who actually knows what’s going on out here from experience with traffic backups, shippers/receivers taking their time loading/unloading these trailers, finding places to park for a 10 hour break and not being interrupted from sleep by people (including law enforcement), dealing with dispatchers/load planners taking their time to find a load while we are left sitting & the clock is ticking away so we have little or no time to make it to our next location to pick up our loads & deliver on time, dealing with break downs & so much more. It’s easy to sit in a air conditioned building in front of the computer screen BUT actually being out here & physically seeing what goes on is a whole new ballgame.
You are exactly right. The Beuruacrats should take a ride for 2 weeks. Reality to real time trucking is not in an office. Get out their and talk to truckers while in a truck for 2 weeks. Get engaged with the shippers and receivers the dispatchers .An informed Washington would be very surprised.
“If confirmed, it appears Joshi would be involved and helping the Biden Administration resolve supply chain disruptions.” If that happens, it will be the first positive from this gross mis-administration. I say we can look forward to more regulations, more “immigrants” who can’t speak English driving trucks, and more blame for the condition of America’s roads and bridges.
Inflation is due to government printing money and nothing to back it up. But the goods shortages might be a sign we need 5o look at taxes and regulations that drive industry out of the country- and that is something too many in either party are willing to admit because they would rather Chinese , Mexican or Vietnamese citizens have jobs than American citizens
This so called “Administration” is rearranging the chairs on the deck of the Titanic after they sallied it directly into the iceberg, on purpose, while sinking every lifeboat except for the ones reserved for themselves.
Without TRUCKS …
THE WORLD
STOPS!!!
Jude
October 1, 2021 at 8:11 pm
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“If confirmed, it appears Joshi would be involved and helping the Biden Administration resolve supply chain disruptions.” If that happens, it will be the first positive from this gross mis-administration. I say we can look forward to more regulations, more “immigrants” who can’t speak English driving trucks, and more blame for the condition of America’s roads and bridges.
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