Due to the need to replace the Single State Registration System with the Unified Carrier Registration Agreement (UCR Agreement) in just a few months, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has named the initial 15-member UCR Agreement board by direct appointment. In the future, FMCSA plans to solicit nominations in the Federal Register to replace members whose terms are ending.
In last year’s transportation bill, Congress mandated the UCR Agreement to govern the collection and distribution of registration and financial responsibility information provided and fees paid by for-hire and private motor carriers, brokers, freight forwarders, and leasing companies.
The urgency in appointing a board results from Congress’ decision to end the SSRS effective Jan. 1, 2007, regardless of whether the UCR Agreement is in place. So there could be a significant loss of revenue in the 39 participating SSRS states if work to implement the UCR Agreement is not completed by then.
The initial board members are:
Deputy administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Administration, representing the U.S. Department of Transportation. John Hill currently is acting deputy administrator following Warren Hoemann’s departure on May 13;
Anthony Portanova, deputy commissioner of the Connecticut Depart of Motor Vehicles, representing the FMCSA Eastern Service Center;
Angel Oliver, supervisor of the credentialing unit in the Motor Carrier Division of the Texas Department of Transportation, representing the FMCSA Southern Service Center;
Ruth Sluzacek, director of motor carrier services for the Iowa Motor Vehicle Division, Iowa Department of Transportation, representing the FMCSA Midwestern
Service Center;
Frank Laqua, administrator of motor carrier services for the North
Dakota Department of Transportation, representing the FMCSA Western Service Center;
Avelino Gutierrez, staff counsel for the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission;
Barbara Hague, special projects coordinator for Missouri
Department of Transportation Motor Carrier Services;
Dave Lazarides, director of processing and information for the Illinois Commerce Commission’s Transportation Bureau and program manager of the Commercial Vehicle Information Systems and Network for the State of Illinois;
William Leonard, director of the Freight Compliance and Safety Bureau for the New York Department of Transportation;
Terry Willert, chief of the transportation section for the Colorado
Public Utility Commission;
Robert Pitcher, American Trucking Associations vice president, state laws division;
Rick Craig, treasurer and director of regulatory affairs for the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association and executive director of the OOIDA Foundation;
Robert Voltmann, president and chief executive officer of the Transportation Intermediaries Association;
Richard Schweitzer, general counsel of the National Private Truck Council;
Craig Sharkey, associate general counsel for Wal-Mart’s Logistics Division.
Appointments are effective June 1, 2006. For more information, visit http://dms.dot.gov/search and search Docket No. 24555.
