Mark Schremmer
Two of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s nine “Pro-Trucker” initiatives set out to make resources more accessible to truck drivers.
That includes an overhaul of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s National Consumer Complaint Database and an upgrade to the agency’s Driver Resource webpage.
NCCDB
The NCCDB was created as a way for truckers to file complaints to FMCSA about coercion, fraud and unsafe practices. Under the DOT’s initiative, the NCCDB is being migrated to a modern customer service platform to be user-friendly and mobile-friendly. The DOT said the first updates will be made by Sept. 30.
Earlier this year, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association told Congress that the system needed a complete overhaul. OOIDA Executive Vice President Lewie Pugh testified that the NCCDB has been unresponsive to truck drivers’ complaints. Additionally, OOIDA said that the name is misleading and should be changed.
In comments filed to FMCSA on Monday, July 7, OOIDA thanked the agency for taking steps to address the problems.
“We support FMCSA’s efforts for launching critical improvements by Sept. 30, which will streamline the response process, improve response timeliness, expand complaint categories to include property brokers and initiate enforcement action when applicable,” OOIDA wrote in comments signed by President Todd Spencer.
OOIDA also used the comments to elaborate on a potential name change.
“Many drivers are also unaware that the NCCDB is available for them to report violations of commercial regulations, nor are they aware that other complaints can be handled through the NCCDB,” Spencer wrote. “We believe ongoing NCCDB changes can be supplemented simply by changing the name of the system. Possible suggestions for a more logical name would be the ‘National Truck Safety Hotline’ or the ‘Truck Safety and Compliance Hotline.’ A new, more practical name would help raise the platform’s awareness among professional truckers and improve its utilization.”
Driver Resources
FMCSA is upgrading its digital tools to provide better support for drivers and to make the tools mobile accessible.
FMCSA’s Driver Resource page is designed to provide truck drivers with important information about many of OOIDA’s core issues, such as entry-level driver training.
Additionally, the webpage informs drivers about emergency declarations, tips on how to drive safely and how to stay healthy while out on the road.
On June 27, the DOT announced a commitment to improving the profession for truck drivers by reducing burdensome regulations, modernizing driver resources and cracking down on bad actors.
The nine initiatives:
- Increase truck parking capacity
- Withdraw speed limiter rulemaking
- Increase hours-of-service flexibility
- Improve FMCSA’s driver resource page
- Reform DataQ
- Modernize National Consumer Complaint Database
- Address unlawful brokering
- Maintain ELD exemption on pre-2000 engines
- Remove “needless” regulations
