Opinion: The Reagle Record

By Edward R. Trout and Mac McCormick

We read with great interest the Transport Topics article about George Reagle, the former associate administrator of the Federal Highway Administration’s Office of Motor Carriers [“Reagle Breaks Silence,” (8-16, p. 1). He was a fine and dedicated public servant.

During our tenures as chairmen of American Trucking Associations and of the Truckload Carriers Association, we set out to build a stronger working relationship with FHWA, recognizing that FHWA held the keys on most of ATA’s top regulatory priorities. We approached George, and he welcomed the opportunity to discuss trucking issues with us. We sought these meetings for the same reason that all other industry representatives seek them: for an open exchange of ideas and an attempt to find some common ground. We met periodically with George, and, indeed, we found some common ground, especially since all of us were committed to reducing highway accidents, injuries and deaths.

George had a clear and comprehensive vision of highway safety. Given limited FHWA resources, he focused on getting irresponsible carriers off the road. He emphasized communication and education as tools to help carriers improve their performance and developed the SafeStat system of measuring the safety performance of carriers and warning them of needed improvements. In short, George emphasized actions that produced real results — safer carriers and safer highways — instead of pouring resources into “gotcha” law enforcement activities that catch occasional violations and produce the occasional headline but rarely improve safety in a systematic way.

We believe that, regrettably, George was targeted by some who see FHWA as simply command-and-control cops rather than as safety leaders who need to produce real safety improvements. A fine public servant, who had integrity, honor, honesty and a true dedication to safety, was sacrificed to appease political self-promoters who talk the talk but don’t walk the walk of safety. It was a classic Washington “drive-by shooting.”

Thanks for letting George Reagle set the record straight.