'98 Year in Review: Regulation — FHWA
As part of the overhaul, FHWA closed nine regional offices and replaced them with four regional “resource offices.” Officials said the downsizing, announced Oct. 1, was designed to make the agency more efficient and to streamline its structure. The highway administration has ensured that oversight of truck safety would not be compromised with the changes (10-5, p. 1).
Walter B. McCormick Jr., president of the American Trucking Associations, said that he was satisfied that reorganization of the agency would result in a “stronger, more visible” Office of Motor Carriers (10-12, p. 1).
Janet Kumer, a public affairs officer for FHWA, said the OMC would be able to provide enhanced services through the restructuring, especially after its planned merger with the Office of Highway Safety. She said other changes included closing five of its nine regional offices and allowing truckers to take appeals to the nearest resource centers.
The resource centers are to provide guidance and expertise in trucking safety and high-tech transportation systems, such as onboard computers and satellite tracking devices, among other issues. Under the plan, FHWA will keep its state offices and their motor carrier divisions.
FHWA Administrator Kenneth R. Wykle said other changes would make his agency more focused. He said the department would be organized into five core business areas: motor carrier and highway safety; infrastructure; planning and environment; operations; and federal lands highways.
Mr. McCormick called the restructuring a victory for the trucking industry:
“The new structure recognizes that motor carrier enforcement personnel should report to people with motor carrier expertise.”
However, the trucking association is worried about the elimination of the regional offices. “This could make it difficult to ensure that field personnel are doing their jobs in the manner intended by the law and by headquarters,” Mr. McCormick said.
As if downsizing wasn’t enough, the OMC was pounded by criticism from safety groups and Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) for having lost sight of its mission in regulating truck safety. In recent months, Mr. Wolf has held press conferences attacking trucking’s safety record and accused the regulatory agency of becoming soft on trucks (10-26, p. 1).
He also campaigned for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to takeover the agency.
TA opposed the move, noting that NHTSA, which regulates vehicle design, has little regulatory experience with the industry.
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