A new Administration is coming in as the outgoing head of FMCSA offers encouraging words to the industry.
I’ve always adhered to the notion that good communication is the pathway to better relationships and this article in last week’s fleetowner.com proves that point. In his last conference call with trade media, outgoing Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Administrator, Scott Darling, admitted that his views of the industry and those who work within it have changed as he’s gotten to know individuals and companies.
According to Darling, the trucking industry has a great story to tell. “I appreciate everything they do and the importance they have to this nation,” he said. He admitted that those in government may stay in their offices too often instead of getting out there and meeting and talking to drivers and other fleet personnel and listening to their concerns and suggestions. He sees the absolute need for continued collaboration and communication between government entities and the industry as vital, especially when it comes to safety.
Darling notes that safe trucking is the “linchpin” of the American economy and says, “Safety and commercial interests should not be two separate pieces—they’re together. For me, it’s about compliance; it’s not about enforcement.”
Although he discussed a number of other issues in this last-day phone call, I was impressed by his admission that actually meeting with industry professionals made him look at his own responsibilities from a new perspective. There’s no question that our industry has legitimate concerns when it comes to specific regulations and mandates. Opening up true lines of communication and having those in government actually develop relationships with not just those at the top of the trucking industry, but those individuals we rely on every day (drivers, managers, technicians, etc.), will contribute to the success of all parties.
In our lives, in our jobs, in our industries, nothing is as important as getting to know one another.
Read the full article.
