The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has announced that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is accepting nominations for their Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC), an influential advisory body that provides FMCSA with real-world, stakeholder-driven recommendations on commercial motor vehicle safety programs, regulations, and policies. This committee plays a direct role on in advising FMCSA on safety programs, regulations, and policies that impact carriers, drivers, and fleets nationwide.

For Pennsylvania carriers, this is a critical opportunity to bring practical, boots-on-the-ground experience into federal decision-making—and to ensure trucking regulations are effective, balanced, and rooted in reality.

Why This Matters to PMTA Members

Federal trucking regulations shape everything from hours of service and driver qualifications to compliance requirements and medical standards. Too often, policies are developed without enough input from those who live with them every day.

• By serving on this advisory committee, carriers and industry professionals can:
• Provide real-world insight into how regulations affect safety and operations
• Advocate for data-driven, practical solutions that improve safety without unnecessary burden
• Help ensure FMCSA policies are grounded in experience, not theory
• Represent the voice of small and mid-sized carriers, which are often underrepresented

As FMCSA Administrator Derek D. Barrs noted, informed and balanced stakeholder input is essential to advancing the agency’s safety mission. These committees exist to make sure industry expertise is part of that process.

Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee (MCSAC)

The MCSAC advises FMCSA on a broad range of commercial motor vehicle safety issues, including:

• Motor carrier operations
• Driver qualifications
• Hours of service
• Emerging safety challenges

The committee consists of 20 members representing industry, safety advocates, labor, law enforcement, and state and local government. Importantly, FMCSA is actively seeking participation from motor carriers, including small businesses and individual drivers.

The committee, first launched in 2006, is being relaunched after a hiatus and is expected to meet twice per year moving forward—making now an especially important time for industry participation.

Longtime committee member Todd Spencer of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association has repeatedly emphasized the importance of evaluating whether regulations actually improve safety, noting that compliance alone does not always equate to better outcomes. Those perspectives have helped drive FMCSA’s recent efforts to remove unnecessary regulations—proof that carrier voices do make a difference.

Who Should Apply

FMCSA encourages nominations that reflect a broad range of perspectives. Qualified individuals may self-nominate or be nominated by an organization. Past committee members are also welcome to apply.

Nominees should demonstrate:

• Relevant professional experience or credentials
• Knowledge of commercial motor vehicle operations or safety
• A strong interest in advancing highway safety

How to Apply

Nominations must be received by February 23 and should include:

• Name, title, and contact information
• A cover letter or letter of support explaining why the nominee should be considered
• A resume or curriculum vitae
• A short biography outlining professional and academic credentials
• An affirmative statement that the nominee meets eligibility requirements

Additional submission details are available in the official Federal Register notices.

📢 A Call to Pennsylvania Carriers

Policy decisions made in Washington directly affect trucking operations in Pennsylvania every day. PMTA encourages qualified carrier members, safety professionals, and industry experts to consider applying—or nominating a colleague—to ensure our industry’s voice remains strong, informed, and influential.

This is more than a committee appointment. It’s a chance to help shape the future of trucking safety with experience, logic, and a commitment to meaningful improvement.

If you want a say in the rules that govern our industry, now is the time to step forward.

❓Questions may be directed to FMCSA at mcsac@dot.gov or mrb@dot.gov.