IST Statement on Nominations of Mayor Buttigieg and Commissioner Trottenberg to Lead DOT

The Institute for Safer Trucking (IST) looks forward to working with Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Commissioner Polly Trottenberg to make trucking safer through meaningful actions by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). As the nominees for DOT Secretary and Deputy Secretary, respectively, we are hopeful that they will set out an agenda focused on producing policies that can save lives and reduce truck crashes today (see below for DOT actions supported by IST).

“I am hopeful that Mayor Buttigieg will work with the Institute for Safer Trucking, families of victims and survivors of large truck crashes, and other stakeholders to improve truck safety. Over the past ten years, truck injuries and deaths have skyrocketed in the United States. There are several data-driven safety solutions that can reverse these worsening trends, like requiring the use of automatic emergency braking on class 7 and 8 trucks and increasing the minimum insurance for motor carriers, that Mayor Buttigieg can act on – on Day 1.” said Harry Adler, Principal at IST.

“From her time serving in the DOT under the Obama Administration, Polly Trottenberg proved herself a committed advocate for safety,” said John Lannen, Principal at IST. “As New York City’s commissioner of transportation, she heralded numerous safety upgrades that have saved lives and made the roads easier to navigate. I am excited to work with Commissioner Trottenberg on the federal level to reduce the loss of life we experience each year due to truck crashes, which is now over 5,000 deaths per year.”

Safety Solutions Supported by the Institute for Safer Trucking:

• Require automatic emergency braking on class 7 & 8 trucks (26,001-lbs and above) and create minimum performance standards for this technology;

• Require the use of speed limiters on class 7 & 8 trucks to be set at a speed of 65mph or 70mph (with the use of automatic emergency braking and adaptive cruise control);

• Improve underride protections on trailers to prevent passenger compartment intrusion; and

• Increase and index the minimum insurance requirement for motor carriers of $750,000 to account for medical cost inflation since 1980, when it was set.

The Institute for Safer Trucking serves as a reliable resource for motor carriers and truck drivers to learn about safety improvements that can reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities, as well as for families of truck crash victims and survivors in need of help after their truck crash. To learn more visit www.safertrucking.org.