FMCSA Proposes New Crash, Inspection Appeals Process

Federal regulators are considering an updated appeals process when carriers or drivers believe incorrect information has been submitted. 

The proposal would allow users to have their requests reviewed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) after being denied by a state agency, according to a recent Federal Register notice. 

Said requests would be submitted through FMCSA’s DataQs system, which allows users to request and track a review of crash or inspection data they believe to be incorrect.  

Currently, submitted review appeals are routed by FMCSA to either a state agency, FMCSA field office or FMCSA headquarters for a ruling. After the initial ruling, a person may request reconsideration. 

According to the notice, stakeholders have raised concerns that no uniform process exists for a review and those reconsiderations “are, in many instances, reviewed and decided by the same reviewer as the initial request.” 

The outcome of the FMCSA review would be final. 

The agency is seeking public comment on the matter through Nov. 13, which can be submitted online.