On August 10, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced that Steve Dowling has joined the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) as the agency's chief safety officer. He brings more than 35 years of trucking and law enforcement experience dedicated to his new role in improving commercial motor vehicle safety.

In his role at FMCSA, Dowling will help lead the agency's safety programs and initiatives, working with federal, state, and industry partners to advance the agency's mission of reducing crashes, fatalities, and injuries involving large trucks and buses while ensuring the safe and efficient movement of freight throughout the United States.

From Highway Enforcement to Fleet Safety

Dowling joins FMCSA after serving as senior director of safety at Covenant Logistics and in leadership roles across multiple commercial motor vehicle industry organizations. While at Covenant Logistics, Dowling helped lead the company to three consecutive years of record reductions in crash rates through a strong focus on safety performance and operational excellence, according to the announcement.

"Steve Dowling's career has been defined by an unwavering commitment to public safety, operational excellence, and service," said FMCSA Administrator Derek D. Barrs. "His experience leading in both law enforcement and the trucking industry gives him a unique perspective that will help strengthen FMCSA's mission."

Prior to his time in the private-sector, Dowling served with the California Highway Patrol, where he rose to chief of the valley division. In that role, he commanded an 850-person force serving the greater Sacramento region and oversaw operations across 20 commands, a commercial vehicle enforcement facility, and three communications centers that encompassed 10 counties. He also served as incident commander of the Emergency Operations Center during multiple major emergencies, including the 2018 Camp Fire in Paradise, California.

A Long History in Commercial Vehicle Safety

Dowling was a longtime leader within the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), where he chaired the CVSA Training Committee and served as president in 2010-2011. “We congratulate Steve on his well-earned new position as FMCSA’s chief safety officer and look forward to continuing our strong partnership with the agency as we work together to advance commercial motor vehicle safety,” said CVSA Executive Director Collin Mooney. “His extensive experience in enforcement and deep understanding of the issues facing the motor carrier industry make Steve exceptionally well-qualified to serve as FMCSA’s chief safety officer.”

According to FMCSA's website, Dowling holds a master's degree in organizational management and a bachelor's degree in general studies. He is a graduate of the University of Southern California Price School of Public Policy Executive Leadership Program and the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Association program.

FMCSA Issues on the School Bus Industry’s Radar

Dowling takes the safety lead at FMCSA as school bus operators continue to engage the agency on several regulatory issues affecting the industry.

Just this past May, NSTA leaders met with FMCSA leadership to discuss CDL testing flexibility, insurance concerns, registration modernization, compliance, and industry representation on federal advisory committees.

At the recent National School Transportation Association (NSTA) Annual Meeting, FMCSA chief counsel presented on the agency's work, noting its strong leadership and commitment to improving highway safety and "leaving this agency in a better place.” Pettit also discussed the agency’s effort to bring integrity back to CDLs and reduce fraud.

In recent moves relevant to school transportation, FMCSA issued a new Notice of Proposed Rule Making that would once again extend the NSTA-supported exemption of the ‘under the hood’ test. NSTA has successfully lobbied FMCSA for the original exemption, as well as extensions to it.