Trucking companies and owner-operators often are at odds, but the largest groups representing each of those segments agree on at least one thing: John Hill is an excellent choice for the next administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. President Bush on May 16 nominated Hill to replace Annette Sandberg, who left the agency March 31.
American Trucking Associations President Bill Graves said that Hill’s record as a top safety professional at both the state and federal level “is a tremendous asset and we look forward to working as partners in our continuing efforts to improve highway safety.” The trucking industry faces challenges in moving goods in a safe, efficient, secure and environmentally sound manner, Graves added. “As the chief safety officer of FMCSA, John Hill has demonstrated an understanding of those challenges and the need to bridge the operational needs of the trucking industry with the regulatory responsibilities of the agency.”
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association was similarly generous with its praise of Hill. In his positions with the Indiana State Police and FMCSA, Hill “has demonstrated that he understands that heavy-handed enforcement is not the sole answer for highway safety,” said OOIDA President Jim Johnston. “He has also shown a willingness to listen to all sides of a story and has a solid appreciation for experienced, safety-conscious professional truck drivers.”
