Arkansas Trucking Association

FMCSA’s IT makeover

FMCSA’s chief technology officer, Pavan Pidugu, is on a mission to revamp the agency’s outdated legacy systems by 2028. Pidugu, who joined FMCSA in 2020 after stints at Walmart and Target, candidly said the system is cumbersome, not user friendly, invites processing errors and is decades behind the fast-moving world of technology.

He has already successfully implemented new user-friendly IT systems to streamline roadside inspections, the motor carrier registration process and the agency’s medical examiners registration website.

Pidugu also expects to revamp the Compliance, Safety, Accountability’s Safety Measurement System as well as the way the agency collects and analyzes crash data associated with the 30-year old Motor Carrier Management Information System.

“I’ve been highly critical of FMCSA data systems before I ever came to the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance,” said Chris Turner, CVSA’s director of enforcement data and judicial outreach. “Pavan came in and really shook the boat. And to FMCSA’s credit, they let him do so. He is really revolutionizing not only just their infrastructure on IT, but also their internal culture about working to make things better, not just for law enforcement, but also for industry.”