Regulation/Proposed Rulemaking
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) regulates and oversees the trucking industry, including towing, with the goal of reducing crashes, injuries and fatalities involving trucks and buses. FMCSA is directly responsible for federal programs and policies that impact the industry including driver qualifications, hours of service (HOS), safety regulations, and requirements for inspection, repair, and maintenance programs for commercial vehicles. FMCSA regulations directly impact every towing company in the United States.
As such, TRAA frequently submits comments in the federal register on FMCSA's rulemaking proposals, either in favor or opposition, based on the best interest of our members. Some of the FMCSA proposals TRAA has recently commented on include:
Want to support TRAA's efforts to protect the industry's interests on a federal level? We accept donations of any amount to the Lobbyist Support Fund.
As such, TRAA frequently submits comments in the federal register on FMCSA's rulemaking proposals, either in favor or opposition, based on the best interest of our members. Some of the FMCSA proposals TRAA has recently commented on include:
- Exemption Application: Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operation; Waymo, LLC, and Aurora Operations, Inc. [FMCSA-2023-0071-0013]
- Safe Integration of Automated Driving Systems (ADS)-Equipped Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMVs) [Docket No. FMCSA-2018-0037]
- Standard for Determining Joint-Employer Status [NLRB-2022-0001-0001]
- Unique Electronic Identification of Commercial Motor Vehicles [Docket No. FMCSA-2022-0062]
- Parts and Accessories Necessary for Safe Operations; Speed Limiting Devices [Docket No. FMCSA-2022-0004]
- Procedures for Transportation Workplace Drug and Alcohol Testing Program: Addition of Oral Fluid Specimen Testing for Drugs [DOT-OST-2021-0093]
- Mandatory Guidelines for Federal Workplace Drug Testing Programs [SAMHSA-2020-0001-0002]
- Proposed Pilot Program to Allow Persons Ages 18, 19, and 20 to Operate Commercial Motor Vehicles in Interstate Commerce [FMCSA-2018-0346-1124]
- Commercial Driver’s Licenses; Pilot Program to Allow Drivers Under 21 to Operate Commercial Motor Vehicles in Interstate Commerce [FMCSA-2018-0346]
- Hours of Service of Drivers [Docket No. FMCSA–2018–0248]
Want to support TRAA's efforts to protect the industry's interests on a federal level? We accept donations of any amount to the Lobbyist Support Fund.
Did you know?
Federal legislation is broken down into two types: statues and regulations. They're related as both are intended to set out legally binding rules, but who makes them and how very different. Federal statutes are laws made by the United States Congress: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Statutes do not and cannot set out all the details that describe procedure related to the application and enforcement of the statutes. That is where regulations come in. Regulations are drafted by departments and administrative agencies, and each has its areas of expertise and is charged with drafting regulations in those areas. Click here for information on TRAA's statutory activites.
Federal legislation is broken down into two types: statues and regulations. They're related as both are intended to set out legally binding rules, but who makes them and how very different. Federal statutes are laws made by the United States Congress: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Statutes do not and cannot set out all the details that describe procedure related to the application and enforcement of the statutes. That is where regulations come in. Regulations are drafted by departments and administrative agencies, and each has its areas of expertise and is charged with drafting regulations in those areas. Click here for information on TRAA's statutory activites.