Transportation committee mulls Darling’s nomination as FMCSA chief

Washington – T.F. Scott Darling III emphasized the importance of diligence and collaboration during a Jan. 20 Senate committee hearing that focused on his nomination to lead the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Testifying before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, Darling spoke about his plans for the agency, if confirmed. Darling has served as acting administrator since August 2014 after spending about two years as the agency’s chief counsel. President Barack Obama nominated Darling as FMCSA administrator on Aug. 5, 2015.

Darling answered questions about topics such as hours-of-service regulations, random drug and alcohol testing rates, and the agency’s Compliance, Safety, Accountability program. As of press time, Darling’s nomination had yet to go before the full Senate for a confirmation vote.

Darling told the committee about FMCSA’s focus on identifying high-risk motor carriers and said the agency could not accomplish such a wide-ranging task on its own.

“I’ve seen firsthand the immediate impact of working closely with partners,” Darling said. “Our grant programs, for example, fund almost 14,000 federal and state inspectors to conduct about 3.5 million roadside inspections every year to ensure commercial motor vehicle drivers and their vehicles are in compliance with safety regulations.

“We do our best when we are working together with our stakeholders in law enforcement, state and local governments, the safety advocacy community, labor, and industry. They are truly our force multipliers.

“If confirmed, I will lead FMCSA in broadening and strengthening our partnerships with stakeholders to build on our 2015 achievements.”