U.S. Department of Transportation
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, DC
www.dot.gov/affairs/briefing.htm

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FMCSA 14-00
Thursday, August 29, 2000
Contact: Dave Longo
Telephone: 202-366-0456

U.S. Transportation Secretary Slater Invites Public to Help Develop Long-Term Truck, Bus Safety Strategy

U.S. Transportation Secretary Rodney E. Slater today announced a two-way public communication process to assist in developing the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) long-term strategy to improve truck and bus safety, called the 2010 Strategy and Performance Plan.

"This communication process will enable us to increase our ability to listen to our stakeholders and the public, and develop strategies for preventing crashes involving large trucks and buses," Secretary Slater said. "President Clinton and Vice President Gore believe that information technology is increasingly important for full participation in America's economic, political and social life, and this process takes full advantage of the Internet to support safety, our highest priority."

The Internet discussion site, http://spp.fmcsa.dot.gov, will allow the public to view and comment on research papers in progress, review draft safety action plans, and submit to FMCSA suggestions and alternate motor carrier safety strategies about how to improve truck and bus safety over the next 10 years.

As the U.S. Department of Transportation's lead agency of this public communication initiative, FMCSA, in cooperation with the Department's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Federal Highway Administration, will prepare a 10-year truck and bus safety strategy. FMCSA expects to complete and send the 2010 Strategy and Performance Plan to Congress by the end of this year.

A direct link to the discussion site and more detailed information about the project is available at FMCSA's web site at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov.

Visitors may download posted papers and draft plans about topics including an assessment of the truck and bus crash problem; FMCSA's draft mission, vision, and goals statement; key commercial vehicle safety challenges and potential solutions; and a series of papers about safety trends in the commercial motor vehicle industry.

FMCSA will review and consider all comments and alternate ideas received through Dec. 15, 2000 before completing the 2010 Strategy and Performance Plan.

A feature meant to encourage two-way communication enables web site visitors to register to receive automatic periodic e-mail notifications as new documents are posted. For those who do not have Internet access, FMCSA has opened a docket for public comments (Docket No. FMCSA 2000-7645). All documents posted on the web site will also be available in the public docket. Written comments may be submitted to the USDOT Dockets Management Facility, Room PL-401, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590, or by e-mail to http://dms.dot.gov.

Meanwhile, the FMCSA continues to seek comments on its hours-of-service rulemaking announced on April 25, 2000. The comment period for this rulemaking has been extended until Dec. 15, 2000. Comments on the April 25 proposal may be sent to the USDOT Docket Facility, Attn: Docket FMCSA-97-2350, 400 Seventh St., S.W., Washington, D.C. 20590. The proposal may be viewed on the Internet after searching at http://dms.dot.gov. Comments also may be submitted electronically at this site.

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